Family Services, Dept. of

Providers of Substitute Care Services, Certification of

Chapter 7: Non-Therapeutic Group Homes

Effective Date: 05/15/2013 to 11/08/2017

Rule Type: Superceded Rules & Regulations

Reference Number: 049.0029.7.05152013

ADMINISTRATIVE RULES FOR CERTIFICATION OF PROVIDERS OF

SUBSTITUTE CARE SERVICES FOR CHILDREN

CHAPTER 7

NON-THERAPEUTIC GROUP HOME

Section 1. Program Specific Certification Standards.

(a) All Non-Therapeutic Group Homes shall comply with all sections of this Chapter and the following Chapters and Sections:

(i) Chapter 1: All (ii) Chapter 2: All (iii) Chapter 3: Sections 1-33 and 35-36.

Section 2. Program Description.

(a) A Non-Therapeutic Group Home offers a home-like environment where staff may be live-in parents with their own children. Therapeutic services are not provided.

Section 3. Maximum Capacity.

(a) Non-Therapeutic Group Homes shall provide services for no more than ten (10) children, including the staff's own children.

Section 4. Specialized Training.

(a) Non-Therapeutic Group Home staff shall complete a twenty (20) hour orientation program, as described in Chapter 3, Section 11.

(b) Non-Therapeutic Group Home staff shall complete twenty (20) hours of annual training, as described in Chapter 3, Section 11.

Section 5. Admissions Criteria.

(a) The Non-Therapeutic Group Home is designed to maintain: (i) Older children who will enter independent living upon discharge; (ii) Children who do not have therapeutic needs that must be addressed; (iii) Children awaiting placement; and (iv) Children who can attend public school.

(b) Behaviors appropriate for placement in a Non-Therapeutic Group Home may include:

(i) Difficulty following directions;

(ii) Frequent arguments with persons such as but not limited to caretakers, siblings, teachers;

(iii) Mild self-injurious behavior, risk taking and/or sexual promiscuity;

(iv) Suicidal thoughts;

(v) Frequent fights at home, school or community;

(vi) Frequent verbally aggressive outbursts;

(vii) Frequent property damage;

(viii) Inability to engage in age appropriate activities without constant supervision (e.g., little league, scouts);

(ix) Low to moderate risk for sexually victimizing others;

(x) Possible involvement with the juvenile justice system; and/or

(xi) Infrequent school suspensions.

(c) Age Range.

(i) The age range at the time of admission is ten (10) through seventeen (17) years unless ordered by the court for placement in the facility;

(ii) The age limit does not apply to the children of the staff in Non-Therapeutic Group Homes.

(d) Voluntary Placements.

(i) Parents or legal guardians must arrange placement with the facility’s executive director or designee;

(ii) Voluntary placements by parents or legal guardians shall not require a court order; and

(iii) Parental or legal guardian placement shall include:

(A) Written consent for placement; and

(B) Written consent for emergency psychological, medical, substance use and dental care signed by the parent or legal guardian at the time of admission.

(e) The following are required within fourteen (14) days of admission to a Non-Therapeutic Group Home:

(i) Medical, psychiatric and substance use history;

(ii) Family and social assessment;

(iii) Assessment of child’s assets and strengths;

(iv) Gather child’s information related to developmental history and current developmental functioning with respect to physical, psychological and social areas, including age appropriate adaptive functioning and social problem-solving;

(v) An assessment of the need for psychological testing, neurological evaluation and speech, hearing and language evaluations and document subsequent referrals based on assessment;

(vi) A problem list, related to the reasons why the child was admitted to this level of care;

(vii) Identification of interventions for the immediate management of the problems identified in (viii); and

(viii) ISPC objectives expected to be met.

Section 6. Staffing Ratios.

(a) Daytime and evening hours.

(i) The minimum ratio of staff to children is 1:6.

(b) Nighttime Sleeping Hours.

(i) There must be a direct care staff/child ratio of one (1) staff for every ten (10) children during nighttime sleeping hours;

(ii) If night staff are sleeping, the facility must have an operative alarm system to provide security. The purpose of the alarm system will be to monitor the movement of children within the facility. This alarm system must either be self-monitoring or must be monitored and checked daily by staff to prevent tampering; and

(iii) One (1) or more staff members shall be available on-call to provide direct care to any child in crisis or in need of supervision twenty-four (24) hours a day, seven (7) days a week.

Section 7. Basic Services.

(a) The organization shall develop, adopt, follow and maintain on file written policies and procedures ensuring that:

(i) Children shall receive guidance and instruction in personal care and hygiene appropriate to their age, gender, race and culture; and

(ii) Children shall follow personal care and good hygiene practices.

Section 8. Individual Service Plan of Care (ISPC) – Also see Chapter 3, Section 33.

(a) An ISPC which is individually tailored for each child shall be developed for each child within fourteen (14) calendar days of admission;

(b) The ISPC shall be developed by the facility’s Administrator/Executive Director (or designee), direct care staff, parent or legal guardian, DFS caseworker if the child is in DFS custody and the child and shall be monitored.