Authority: IC 12-21-2-3; IC 12-25-1-2; IC 12-25-1-4

Affected: IC 12-25

Sec. 4. (a) The private mental health institution shall have organized food and dietary services that are directed and staffed by adequate, qualified personnel, or a contract with an outside food management company that meets the minimum standards specified in this section.

(b) The food and dietetic service shall have the following staff:

1. (1) A full-time employee who shall perform the following duties:

   1. (A) Serve as the director of food and dietetic services.
   2. (B) Be responsible for the daily management of dietary services.

2. (2) A registered dietitian, full time, part time, or on a consulting basis. If a consultant is used, the consultant shall perform the following tasks:

   1. (A) Submit periodic written reports on the dietary services provided.

   2. (B) Provide the number of on-site dietitian hours commensurate with the following:

      1. (i) The type of dietary supervision required.
      2. (ii) Bed capacity.
      3. (iii) The complexity of consumer care services.
   3. (C) Complete nutritional assessments.
   4. (D) Approve menus.
3. (3) Administrative and technical personnel competent in their respective duties.

(c) The dietary service shall do the following:

1. (1) Provide for liaison with the medical or professional staff for recommendations on dietetic policies affecting consumer treatment.

2. (2) Correlate and integrate dietary care functions with the functions of other consumer care personnel including, but not limited to, the following functions:

   1. (A) Consumer nutritional assessment and intervention.
   2. (B) Recording pertinent information on the consumer's chart.
   3. (C) Conferring with and sharing specialized knowledge with other members of the consumer care team.

(d) Menus shall meet the needs of the consumers as follows:

1. (1) Therapeutic diets shall be prescribed by the practitioner responsible for the care of the consumer.

2. (2) Nutritional needs shall be met in accordance with the following:

   1. (A) Recognized dietary standards of practice.
   2. (B) The orders of the responsible practitioner.
3. (3) A current therapeutic diet manual approved by the dietitian and medical or professional staff shall be readily available to all medical, nursing, and food service personnel.
4. (4) Menus shall be followed and posted in the food preparation and serving area.
5. (5) Menus served shall be maintained on file for at least thirty (30) days.

(Division of Mental Health and Addiction; 440 IAC 1.5-3-4; filed Oct 11, 2002, 11:26 a.m.: 26 IR 739; filed Aug 11, 2008, 3:40 p.m.: 20080910-IR-440070875FRA; readopted filed Nov 5, 2008, 3:50 p.m.: 20081119-IR-440080742RFA; readopted filed Aug 11, 2014, 11:21 a.m.: 20140910-IR-440140240RFA; readopted filed Nov 9, 2020, 3:09 p.m.: 20201209-IR- 440200502RFA)