Durable Medical Equipment (DME), Medical Supplies, Prosthetic Devices, Enteral Formula or Food, and Hair Prosthesis (Wigs) This plan covers durable medical equipment and supplies, prosthetic devices and enteral formula or food as described in this section. DME is equipment which: • can withstand repeated use; • is primarily and customarily used to serve a medical purpose; • is not useful to a person in the absence of an illness or injury; and • is for use in the home. DME includes supplies necessary for the effective use of the equipment. This plan covers the following DME: • wheelchairs, hospital beds, and other DME items used only for medical treatment; and • replacement of purchased equipment which is needed due to a change in your medical condition or if the device is not functional, no longer under warranty, or cannot be repaired. DME may be classified as a rental item or a purchased item. In most cases, this plan only pays for a rental DME up to our allowance for a purchased DME. Repairs and supplies for rental DME are included in the rental allowance. Medical supplies are consumable supplies that are disposable and not intended for re- use. Medical supplies require an order by a physician and must be essential for the care or treatment of an illness, injury, or congenital defect. Covered medical supplies include: • essential accessories such as hoses, tubes and mouthpieces for use with medically necessary DME (these accessories are included as part of the rental allowance for rented DME); • catheters, colostomy and ileostomy supplies, irrigation trays and surgical dressings; and • respiratory therapy equipment. This plan covers diabetic equipment and supplies for the treatment of diabetes in accordance with R.I. General Law §27-20-30. Covered diabetic equipment and supplies include: • therapeutic or molded shoes and inserts for custom-molded shoes for the prevention of amputation; • blood glucose monitors including those with special features for the legally blind, external insulin infusion pumps and accessories, insulin infusion devices and injection aids; and • lancets and test strips for glucose monitors including those with special features for the legally blind, and infusion sets for external insulin pumps. The amount you pay differs based on whether the equipment and supplies are bought from a durable medical equipment provider or from a pharmacy. See the Summary of Pharmacy Benefits and the Summary of Medical Benefits for details. Coverage for some diabetic equipment and supplies may only be available from either a DME provider or from a pharmacy. Visit our website to determine if this is applicable or call our Customer Service Department. Prosthetic devices replace or substitute all or part of an internal body part, including contiguous tissue, or replace all or part of the function of a permanently inoperative or malfunctioning body part and alleviate functional loss or impairment due to an illness, injury or congenital defect. Prosthetic devices do not include dental prosthetics. This plan covers the following prosthetic devices as required under R.I. General Law § 27-20-52: • prosthetic appliances such as artificial limbs, breasts, larynxes and eyes; • replacement or adjustment of prosthetic appliances if there is a change in your medical condition or if the device is not functional, no longer under warranty and cannot be repaired; • devices, accessories, batteries and supplies necessary for prosthetic devices; • orthopedic braces except corrective shoes and orthotic devices used in connection with footwear; and • breast prosthesis following a mastectomy, in accordance with the Women’s Health and Cancer Rights Act of 1998 and R.I. General Law 27-20-29. The prosthetic device must be ordered or provided by a physician, or by a provider under the direction of a physician. When you are prescribed a prosthetic device as an inpatient and it is billed by a provider other than the hospital where you are an inpatient, the outpatient benefit limit will apply. Enteral formula or food is nutrition that is absorbed through the intestinal tract, whether delivered through a feeding tube or taken orally. Enteral nutrition is covered when it is the sole source of nutrition and prescribed by the physician for home use. In accordance with R.I. General Law §27-20-56, this plan covers enteral formula taken orally for the treatment of: • malabsorption caused by Crohn’s Disease; • ulcerative colitis; • gastroesophageal reflux; • chronic intestinal pseudo obstruction; and • inherited diseases of amino acids and organic acids. Food products modified to be low protein are covered for the treatment of inherited diseases of amino acids and organic acids. Preauthorization may be required. The amount that you pay may differ depending on whether the nutrition is delivered through a feeding tube or taken orally. When enteral formula is delivered through a feeding tube, associated supplies are also covered. This plan covers hair prosthetics (wigs) worn for hair loss suffered as a result of cancer treatment in accordance with R.I. General Law § 27-20-54 and subject to the benefit limit and copayment listed in the Summary of Medical Benefits. This plan will reimburse the lesser of the provider’s charge or the benefit limit shown in the Summary of Medical Benefits. If the provider’s charge is more than the benefit limit, you are responsible for paying any difference. This plan covers Early Intervention Services in accordance with R.I. General Law §27- 20-50. Early Intervention Services are educational, developmental, health, and social services provided to children from birth to thirty-six (36) months. The child must be certified by the Rhode Island Department of Human Services (DHS) to enroll in an approved Early Intervention Services program. Services must be provided by a licensed Early Intervention provider and rendered to a Rhode Island resident. Members not living in Rhode Island may seek services from the state in which they reside; however, those services are not covered under this plan. Early Intervention Services as defined by DHS include but are not limited to the following: • speech and language therapy; • physical and occupational therapy; • evaluation; • case management; • nutrition; • service plan development and review; • nursing services; and • assistive technology services and devices.
DRUG AND ALCOHOL TESTING Employees may be tested for drugs and/or alcohol pursuant to the provisions of the Employer's Drug and Alcohol Testing Policy which is attached hereto and made a part of this Agreement as if more fully set forth herein.
Chiropractic Services This plan covers chiropractic visits up to the benefit limit shown in the Summary of Medical Benefits. The benefit limit applies to any visit for the purposes of chiropractic treatment or diagnosis.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND EDUCATIONAL IMPROVEMENT A. The Board of Education agrees to pay the actual tuition costs of courses taken by a teacher at accredited colleges or universities up to three courses per two (2) year fiscal periods from July 1, 2006 to June 30, 2008 and July 1, 2008 to June 30, 2010 respectively, except as follows:
1. No teacher may be reimbursed for courses taken during the first year of teaching in Vineland.
2. Teachers taking courses in the second and third years of employment in Vineland will not receive remuneration until tenure has been secured. The remuneration will then be retroactive and will be paid to the teacher in a lump sum within sixty (60) days after the teacher has secured tenure.
3. All courses must be pre-approved by the Superintendent or his designee subject to the following requirements:
(a) A teacher must provide official documentation that he/she has obtained a grade of B or better;
(b) Reimbursement shall be paid only for courses directly related to teacher’s teaching field which increase the teacher’s content knowledge and are related to the teacher’s current certification, as determined by the Superintendent or his/her designee in his/her sole discretion; no reimbursement shall be paid for courses leading to a post graduate or professional degree in a field other than education or teaching. Further, effective September 1, 2010, all newly hired teachers shall not be eligible for reimbursement until they are tenured, and they shall not be eligible for retroactive reimbursement upon gaining tenure for courses taken prior to being tenured.
(c) The maximum total payments to be made by the Board shall not exceed $130,000.00. Courses shall be applied for no earlier than the following dates: Summer Session - April 1 Fall/Winter Session - June 1 Spring Session - October 1 Courses must, as set forth hereinabove in this sub-article 18.A.3, be pre-approved by the Superintendent or his designee, prior to the teacher commencing the course(s); and
(d) Teacher taking courses shall sign a contract requiring them to reimburse the Board for all tuition paid for a course if the teacher shall voluntarily leave the employ of the Board within one (1) full school/academic year of completion of said course, except that reimbursement shall not be required when the teacher shall voluntarily leave the employ of the Board due to a significant, documented life change.
4. Tuition reimbursement costs shall be a sum not to exceed the actual cost of college credits charged in an accredited public State college/University of the State of New Jersey.
B. When the Superintendent initiates in-service training courses, workshops, conferences and programs designed to improve the quality of instruction, the cooperation of the Vineland Education Association will be solicited. Notwithstanding the above, the initiation of in-service training courses, workshops, conferences and programs shall be determined solely at the discretion of the Board.
C. One professional leave day may be granted to a teacher upon request, according to the following guidelines:
1. The professional day may be for attendance at a workshop, seminar or visit to another school for the expressed purpose of self professional improvement for the job.
2. The request shall arrive in the office of the Superintendent of Schools at least ten (10) working days prior to the date requested and shall be reviewed by the immediate supervisor prior to submission. The Board reserves the right to deny a professional leave day before or immediately following a holiday or on a day which by its nature suggests a hardship for providing a substitute.
3. No more than two teachers from any one elementary school or from any one department in the secondary schools may be granted a professional leave for a given day.
4. The teacher may be required to submit a report to the Superintendent of Schools, Assistant Superintendent, supervisor (s), principal and staff regarding the activity of the professional day.
5. Costs incurred by the teacher for the professional day authorized under this Section shall be the teacher’s responsibility.
6. A maximum of 90 professional leave days may be authorized for the school year which shall be apportioned as follows: elementary, 35; grades seven and eight, 20; and high school, 35.
D. If the Board initiates a teacher’s attendance at a professional workshop, seminar or visit, the expenses shall be the responsibility of the Board. Further, this day shall not be subtracted from the 90 professional leave days granted to teachers of the Association.
E. The Board agrees to pay the full cost of courses taken by secretaries related to skills and knowledge improvement when such courses are required and approved by the Board.
F. The Board and the Association agree that it is important to communicate when developing and implementing current and future learning technologies, including but not limited to distance and on-line learning.
DRUG/ALCOHOL TESTING Section 33.1 Drug testing may be conducted on employees during their duty hours upon reasonable suspicion or randomly by computer selection. Alcohol testing will be conducted only upon reasonable suspicion. Reasonable suspicion that an employee used or is using a controlled substance or alcohol in an unlawful or abusive manner may be based upon, but not limited to:
A. Observable phenomena, such as direct observation of drug or alcohol use or possession and/or the physical symptoms of being under the influence of a drug or alcohol;
B. A pattern or abnormal conduct or erratic behavior, including abnormal leave patterns;
C. Arrest or conviction for a drug or alcohol-related offense, or the identification of an employee as the focus of a criminal investigation into illegal drug or alcohol possession, use, or trafficking;
D. Information provided either by reliable and credible sources or independently corroborated;
E. Evidence that an employee has tampered with a previous drug test;
F. Facts or circumstances developed in the course of an authorized investigation of an accident or unsafe working practices.
Section 33.2 Drug/alcohol testing shall be conducted solely for administrative purposes and the results obtained shall not be used in criminal proceedings. Under no circumstances may the results of drug/alcohol screening or testing be released to a third party for use in a criminal prosecution against the affected employee. The following procedure shall not preclude the Employer from other administrative action but such actions shall not be based solely upon the initial reagent testing results alone.
Section 33.3 All drug screening tests shall be conducted by laboratories meeting the standards of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration. No test shall be considered positive until it has been confirmed by a Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry. The procedures utilized by the Employer and testing laboratory shall include an evidentiary chain of custody control and split sample testing. All procedures shall be outlined in writing and this outline shall be followed in all situations arising under this article.
Section 33.4 Alcohol testing shall be done in accordance with the law of the State of Ohio to detect drivers operating a motor vehicle under the influence. A positive result shall entitle the Employer to proceed with sanctions as set forth in this Article.
Section 33.5 The results of the testing shall be delivered to a specified employee of the Employer with command responsibility and the employee tested. An employee whose confirmatory test result is positive shall have the right to request a certified copy of the testing results in which the vendor shall affirm that the test results were obtained using the approved protocol methods. The employee shall provide a signed release for disclosure of the testing results to the Employer. A representative for the bargaining unit shall have a right of access to the results upon request to the Employer, with the employee’s written consent. Refusal to submit to the testing provided for under this Agreement may be grounds for discipline.
A. If a drug screening test is positive, a confirmatory test shall be conducted utilizing the fluid from the primary sample.
B. In the event that any confirmation drug test results are positive, the employee is entitled to have the split sample tested by another DHHS-certified lab in the manner prescribed above at the employee’s expense. The employee must request the split sample test within seventy-two (72) hours of being notified of a positive result. The results of this test, whether positive or negative, shall be determinative.
Section 33.7 A list of three (3) testing laboratories shall be maintained by the Employer. These laboratories shall conduct any testing directed by the Employer. The Employer shall obtain the approval of the bargaining unit representative as to any laboratories put on this list, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld.
Section 33.8 If after the testing required above has produced a positive result the Employer may require the employee to participate in any rehabilitation or detoxification program that is covered by the employee’s health insurance. Discipline allowed by the positive findings provided for above shall be deferred pending rehabilitation of the employee within a reasonable period. An employee who participates in a rehabilitation or detoxification program shall be allowed to use sick time and vacation leave for the period of the rehabilitation or detoxification program. If no such leave credits are available, the employee shall be placed on medical leave of absence without pay for the period of the rehabilitation or detoxification program. Upon completion of such program and upon receiving results from a retest demonstrating that the employee is no longer abusing a controlled substance/alcohol, the employee shall be returned to his/her former position. Such employee may be subject to periodic retesting upon his/her return to his/her position for a period of one (1) year from the date of his/her return to work. Any employee in a rehabilitation or detoxification program in accordance with this Article will not lose any seniority or benefits, should it be necessary for the employee to be placed on medical leave of absence without pay, for a period not to exceed ninety (90) days.
Section 33.9 If the employee refuses to undergo rehabilitation or detoxification, or if he/she tests positive during a retesting within one (1) year after his/her return to work from such a program, the employee shall be subject to disciplinary action, including removal from his/her position and termination of his/her employment.
Section 33.10 Costs of all drug screening tests and confirmatory tests shall be borne by the Employer except that any test initiated at the request of the employee shall be at the employee’s expense.
Section 33.11 The Employer may conduct four (4) tests of an employee during the one (1) year period after the employee has completed a rehabilitation or detoxification program as provided above.
Section 33.12 The provisions of this Article shall not require the Employer to offer a rehabilitation/detoxification program to any employee more than once.
Surgical Services All necessary procedures for extractions and other surgical procedures normally performed by a dentist.
Prosthodontics We Cover prosthodontic services as follows:
Patient Care Resident shall participate in safe, effective, and compassionate patient care, under supervision, commensurate with Resident's level of advancement and responsibility.
Medical Services We do not Cover medical services or dental services that are medical in nature, including any Hospital charges or prescription drug charges.
Training and Education SECTION 1 – Law Enforcement Supervisors’ Training
