It's the question caregivers ask most about EVV, and APD answered it directly in its iConnect provider FAQ: the worker's location is recorded only when the service begins and ends — at clock-in and clock-out. There is no continuous tracking during the visit, and on a community outing the mobile site still records only the start and end locations of service delivery. Reassure your DSPs with the state's own words; EVV anxiety is a real hiring friction you don't need.
The location rules, in numbers
Three facts govern nearly every location question. First, the 500-foot rule: a reading within 500 feet of the consumer's address (or the service address) is compliant — APD explicitly accounts for device GPS drift. Second, authorized locations: the individual's home, the guardian's home, and the parent's home. Third, anything else — a park, a store, a relative's house — records a violation. That word sounds worse than it is: it's a flagged entry requiring justification, not an accusation. But it has teeth in one place: the violation must be justified on every occurrence, before billing can be submitted for that service.
Is there a violations threshold?
Providers keep asking whether N violations triggers a sanction. APD has published no number — its FAQ says it runs regular reports and trend analysis and contacts providers to offer technical assistance. Read that as: justified violations in the ordinary course of community-based care are expected; patternsof unjustified or implausible entries are what stand out in a trend report. Keep your agency's own visit records tight — schedules, clock-ins, and notes in one place — and your EVV story writes itself. That's the layer APDHQ's caregiver portal covers: your agency's own clock-in/out and visit notes, alongside the state's EVV in iConnect.
Frequently asked questions
Is a caregiver tracked by GPS during the whole visit?
No. APD's iConnect FAQ answers this directly: location is recorded only when the worker begins and ends the service — at clock-in and clock-out. During community outings, the same rule applies: only the starting and ending locations of the service delivery are recorded.
What if the GPS is slightly off at the consumer's address?
APD built in a tolerance: readings within 500 feet of the consumer's address (or the service address) are fine — the state accounts for ordinary device GPS inaccuracy. Beyond 500 feet, the entry records a violation that must be justified.
Which locations are authorized for clock-in?
Per APD's FAQ, the individual's home, the guardian's home, and the parent's home are authorized locations. Starting a service anywhere else records a violation that the Provider EVV Manager needs to justify. Delivering services in the community is allowed — it just generates a violation entry to justify.
Do we have to justify a location violation every single time?
Yes. APD's FAQ is explicit that when a GPS violation occurs, it must be justified on every occurrence — and unresolved violations block billing for that service entry. There's no once-per-consumer blanket justification.
How many EVV violations trigger sanctions?
APD has published no numeric threshold. Its stated approach is running regular reports and trend analysis, contacting providers and offering technical assistance as needed. The practical takeaway: justified violations with clean documentation are a normal part of community-based service delivery; a pattern of unjustified ones is what draws attention.