(a) The Division of Youth Services shall conduct searches of all persons entering a secure residential treatment facility for the purposes of:

1. (1) Security of the facility and its operations;
2. (2) Identification of youth mental or physical health concerns; and
3. (3) Prevention of injurious behavior.

(b) Searches may be conducted to:

1. (1) Find weapons, drugs, contraband, or any other items that youth or visitors may use to:

   1. (A) Hurt themselves or others; or
   2. (B) Use to engage in illegal or prohibited activities; or
2. (2) Identify mental or physical health concerns.

(h)

1. (1) Persons may stop a search at any time before completion, with the consequence that the visitor must exit the facility immediately without having the visit.
2. (2) If a person stops a search before completion, staff shall notify the shift supervisor, who shall fill out a serious incident report form.

(i)

1. (1) Staff shall use hand-held or walk-through metal detectors, and pat searches to screen all persons entering the facility.
2. (2) Staff shall search persons in the manner that they have been trained.

(k)

1. (1) Visitors in possession of contraband, weapons, or drugs shall surrender it to staff immediately.
2. (2) A visitor’s failure to surrender contraband, weapons, or drugs to staff shall result in the visitor being required to exit the facility immediately.
3. (3) When a visitor refuses to surrender objects or refuses to exit the facility at the request of the staff, the facility shift supervisor or designee shall fill out a Serious Incident report form.

(m)

1. (1) Pat searches shall be conducted on all persons entering the facility.
2. (2) Each person shall give written consent to the pat search.
3. (3) If the person does not give written consent to a pat search, the person will be refused entrance into the facility.

(n) Pat searches of visitors shall only be conducted:

1. (1) By personnel of the same gender as the visitor; and
2. (2) In the presence of a staff witness.