Current through Rules and Regulations filed through September 23, 2024
(1) Staff should be selected not only for their training and competence for the particular position to be filled, but also for their ability to develop and maintain those attitudes which will contribute to the therapeutic climate of the agency and which will enable them to work effectively with unmarried parents. The work program for the unmarried mother shall not be used as a substitute for financing adequate staff. When unmarried mothers are housed on different floors there shall be at least one resident staff member on each floor. There shall be on duty at all times two adults serving in the capacity of housemother and an alternate person to be on call. There shall be on call at all times a registered nurse.
(2) Administrative Staff.
(a) The Executive Director.
1. The executive director should have at least one year of professional training and experience in social work, and knowledge and skill in administration and management. She should have an understanding of the problems involved in pregnancy and out-of-wedlock parenthood.
2. The executive director should have the ability to distinguish between the work she is equipped to undertake and that which must be done by professionally educated specialists.
3. The executive director shall be in full charge of the management of the Home and make regular reports to the board on all phases of its operation. She should perform the following duties:
(i) direction of the agency program;
(ii) provide professional leadership and technical consultation to the board, help to determine policy, and to assist in periodic evaluation of the Agency's services;
(iii) recruit, employ and discharge staff;
(iv) hold staff meetings at regular intervals, and discuss plans and policies with the staff;
(v) provide an in-service training program for personnel;
(vi) prepare annual budget for presentation to the board, keep board advised of financial needs, supervise purchasing, and operate within the budget established;
(vii) establish and maintain good working relationships with other social agencies and represent the Agency in the community;
(viii) interpret the Agency's program and services and give community leadership in developing resources for services to unmarried parents and their children.
(b) Assistant to the Executive. Each Maternity Home shall have an assistant to the executive to whom administrative responsibility can be delegated in the executive's absence.
(3) Social Service Staff.
(a) Caseworkers.
1. At least one caseworker shall be employed who is a graduate from an accredited school of social work. Other caseworkers who are college graduates with a minimum of one year work experience may be utilized as case aides if there is adequate supervision from a professionally trained caseworker.
2. There should be one caseworker for each twenty-five unmarried mothers.
3. There shall be at least one full time supervisor for each six (6) caseworkers. Supervisors shall be graduates of an accredited school of social work.
(b) Group Workers. A group worker with professional training in social work should carry responsibility for planning group activities and for working with selected activity groups that require skilled leadership.
(4) Resident Staff.
(a) A full time resident director shall be employed when the executive director does not live at the Home.
(b) Resident houseparents shall be at least twenty-five years of age and shall have at least a high school education or its equivalent. They shall have the ability to accept and work with unmarried mothers.
(5) Maintenance and Domestic Staff.
(a) Sufficient domestic and maintenance staff shall be employed so that the houseparents and the residents do not have to assume major responsibility for heavy household duties.
(b) Domestic staff shall be selected who have the ability to understand the confidentiality of the work and to respect the program.
(6) Clerical Staff. Each Maternity Home shall have adequate clerical services to keep correspondence, records, bookkeeping and files current and in good order. Unmarried mothers shall not be used in this capacity.
(7) Medical Staff.
(a) A licensed physician and a licensed pediatrician, when the Home operates a nursery, shall be available to coordinate the services of the Home with that of the hospital used for confinement, to provide consultation service to the staff regarding diagnosis and treatment of medical conditions and should be on call in case of illness not directly associated with pregnancy.
(b) A registered nurse shall be on call at all times, when the Home operates a nursery. If there is only one registered nurse, she should live in the Home and be on call by the practical nurse when an emergency arises.
(c) For immediate post partum care it is desirable to have one nurse for each five persons by day and for each ten persons by night.
(d) There shall be on duty at all times one attendant who meets the approval of the Home's physician for every six babies. During the time the attendant is caring for babies she should not give care to bed patients.
(8) Consultants and Other Specialists. Complete services to unmarried parents require utilization of many professional skills. Qualified specialists, including physicians, psychiatrists, psychologists, religious counselors, and attorneys should be available for direct work with the unmarried mother, and for consultation and interpretation to staff.
Ga. L. 1963, pp. 81-121; Ga. L. 1972, pp. 1015, 1046, 1048. Effective November 10, 1974.
