1. (1) Policies and procedures set forth in this rule must be available for qualitative review by the Department prior to initial certification. Any policies or procedures that are updated during the certification year must be submitted during recertification or 30 days prior to implementation of the new policy if proposed change results in substantial changes that alters the original direction or intent to the programming of the adult safe house.
2. (2) Written policies and procedures must be available to all employees and volunteers upon their beginning date of employment or service, and thereafter as revised. Employees and volunteers must indicate in writing prior to unsupervised contact with residents that they have read and understand the policies and procedures relevant to their position or volunteer duties, which must be documented in their personnel file.
3. (3) The adult safe house must provide residents with a copy of the policies and procedures.
4. (4) The adult safe house must develop and implement written policies and procedures that ensure compliance with provisions of this rule chapter, and Section 402.881, F.S., and requires the adult safe house and governing body to provide a therapeutic environment that is trauma-informed.

5. (5) Written policies and procedures must be developed and complied with to address the following:

   1. (a) Admission. Must identify who is eligible for services and how those services are accessed. Prospective residents must be informed of the admission criteria, and if ineligible, referred to other organizations that can aid the resident.
   2. (b) Communicable Disease Prevention and Preparedness. Outline measures to prevent the spread of a disease to include accommodations for visitation at the adult safe house, capacity restrictions and emergency staffing plans to support ratio through the recruitment of volunteers, and safety measures for residents and staff.
   3. (c) Grievance. Guidance on the grievance process that is clear and developmentally appropriate for all residents. The adult safe house must indicate timeframes for responding to the grievance, escalation process for residents, and steps to take when the grievance involves an employee or volunteer. The policy must also include grievance procedures for staff.

   4. (d) Emergency Management Plan. A comprehensive and effective plan to ensure the safety and well-being of employees, volunteers, and residents in the event of an emergency. The adult safe house must annually review and update the plan. A current plan must be maintained by the adult safe house and made available for inspection upon request. The emergency management plan must address the following:

      1. Emergencies that may be reasonably expected in the adult safe house. Examples include natural or manmade disasters such as hurricanes or tornados; contamination of the air, ground, water, or food; fire; public health hazards such as outbreak of communicable diseases; significant incidents such as resident death or injury; security incidents such as intruders, hostage situations, kidnapping, or workplace violence; human acts that may jeopardize the health, safety, or welfare of employees, volunteers, or participants; or shelter-in-place that requires the house to lockdown.

      2. Procedures for reporting emergencies or incidents.

      3. Procedures to implement the plan and personnel notification; delegations of authority and lines of succession.

      4. Identification of alternative facilities; procedures for evacuation, including type of evacuation and exit route assignments.

      5. Procedures to account for all staff members and participants; and identification and protection of records and databases.

   5. (e) Confidentiality. Maintaining the confidentiality and privacy of residents, personnel, and resident records.

      1. The adult safe house must also ensure that residents, employees and volunteers receive written information on the restrictions relating to the disclosure of information about residents and the location of the adult safe house. Residents shall be provided with written documentation prior to or at the time of admission. Employees and volunteers must be provided with the restrictions prior to or at the time of hire.

      2. Residents shall not participate in fundraising and sharing their stories if they are residing at the adult safe house or receiving services from the program.

      3. The policy must outline the requirement for a signed consent form to allow for sharing of images, personal stories, and participation in fundraising efforts for former residents that are no longer in the program.

      4. Data and information shared must be accurate, validated and align with confidentially laws and procedures.

   6. (f) Abuse and Neglect Reporting. The requirement of any employee or volunteer who knows or has reason to suspect that a vulnerable child or adult is abused or neglected, must report such knowledge or suspicion to the Department’s Abuse Hotline. Policy should outline training requirements and acknowledgement forms.

   7. (g) Personnel Policies. Must include the following:

      1. Provisions for newly hired staff members to accompany trained staff until new staff members complete pre-service training requirements;

      2. Annual evaluation of the work and performance of each staff member, which includes provisions for employee participation in the evaluation process;

      3. Background screening, ratio and use of volunteers; and

      4. When staff are named in an active abuse and neglect investigation with the Department.

   8. (h) Service Delivery. Requirement to provide services with a trauma-informed, survivor-centered, culturally sensitive approach to ensure each resident’s unique needs are met in a safe and therapeutic environment. The policy must outline the trauma-informed model used by the adult safe house. If providing a 24-hour hotline, the adult safe house must develop procedures on responding to calls, linking individuals to services, assessing for immediate danger, and ensuring confidentiality pursuant to paragraph (e) of this subsection.
   9. (i) Serving Families. If serving families with minor children, procedures must detail room sharing, child-care, child assessments, service delivery, and schooling requirements.
   10. (j) Case Management. Documentation for case management staffing’s, facilitation, and development of a care plan that is created with input from the resident.

   11. (k) Interpreters, Translators and Language Options. Identify and assess the language needs of each resident and provide the following, as needed:

       1. A range of oral and written language assistance options, including American Sign Language;

       2. Written materials in languages other than English; and

       3. Oral language interpretation for residents with limited English proficiency.

   12. (l) Discharge and Aftercare. Discharge planning and aftercare services must be offered, specify the availability of services, and identify the staff member or agency responsible for follow-up and implementation of the plan. Policy must also specify that there is no requirement for residents to participate.
   13. (m) Fee for Service. Description of the relationships between fees and services provided and the conditions under which fees are charged and waived. The policy must outline the agency’s requirement to provide referrals for individuals when fees for service are not waived.
   14. (n) Employee and Resident Code of Conduct. Maintaining boundaries, refraining from personal relationships with residents, and corrective action to address misconduct.
   15. (o) Quality Control. Outline a critical review process to review continuous quality improvement outcomes and implementing a plan for changes, as needed, to staffing, policies, and services, which include improving quality and timeliness of service delivery.

Rulemaking Authority 402.881 FS. Law Implemented 402.881 FS. History-New 7-16-25.