Louisiana Administrative Code
Title 4 - ADMINISTRATION
Part VII - Governor's Office
Chapter 17 - Women's Services
Subchapter B - Family Violence Program Minimum Standards
Section VII-1724 - Program Administration and Service Delivery

Universal Citation: LA Admin Code VII-1724

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 9, September 20, 2024

A. Basic Considerations. These standards encompass the overall practices and procedures that the program needs to ensure that survivors receive the services they are eligible for, interested in and in need of. Also, that those services are delivered in a manner which is survivor centered, non-judgmental, culturally sensitive and protects the dignity and right to self determination of the survivor. These standards include procedures for documentation of services, incident reporting, and grievance procedures addressing the relationship between philosophy and practice.

B. Standards

1. General Administration
a. The executive director exercises full responsibility for the day-to-day management of the organization.

b. Staff is responsible for implementing policies.

c. The program maintains an internal structure for efficient and effective administration.

d. The service delivery plan fulfills the program's mission.

e. Services are survivor centered, non-judgmental, culturally sensitive and strive to empower persons served.

f. The organization measures the efficiency and effectiveness of its management function.

g. Programs are conducted in accord with applicable professional, ethical and legal principles.

h. Service statistics are maintained and used in accord with acceptable practices.

i. The program identifies the area and population it serves in its brochures and reports.

j. The program recognizes and respects the autonomy, dignity and rights of program participants.

k. Relevant goals, objectives and plans are established for service delivery management.

l. The program seeks to serve persons who need its services and works to eliminate barriers to the provision of quality service to those who seek service.

m. The program provides access to crisis information and shelter 24 hours a day.

n. The program conducts intake services in accordance with acceptable practices.

o. The program conducts orientation for persons to be served. Persons is defined to include adults and children.

p. The program has a system for case management. It regularly plans, monitors and assesses the progress of each person served.

q. The program designs communal living policies which stress non-violence, are fair and survivor centered. Policy enforcement balances the rights of survivors with the need to ensure safety for survivors who choose not to follow policy.

r. The program works collaboratively with other family violence programs throughout the state and in other states as appropriate to meet the safety and security needs of survivors.

2. Assessing for Appropriate Services
a. Within initial contacts with survivors, staff assesses for the following:
i. eligibility for support and intervention services;

ii. immediate safety;

iii. batterer's potential for lethality;

iv. closely analyze batterer dynamics in same sex relationships to assure the person requesting services is the survivor, rather than the perpetrator;

v. special delivery needs based on a disability;

vi. special needs based on the requirements of a person's self-identified religious, cultural, ethnic, geographic or other affiliation(s);

vii. other appropriate services.

3. Appointments and Availability of Services
a. Intervention staff, whether shelter or nonresidential, is provided during times when most survivors need to access and receive services.

b. Survivors are informed of the process by which they may gain access, informally and by appointment, to advocates within the program in which they are receiving services.

c. At the time appointments are made, staff assists individual survivors in developing a safety plan, as necessary, for traveling to and from appointments.

4. Grievance Policy and Procedures
a. The program develops, and exercises the use of, when appropriate, a written grievance policy to be given to every survivor upon admission to services. The procedures shall include, but not be limited to:
i. procedures to follow in the event a survivor believes they have been denied services;

ii. procedures to follow in the event a survivor is dissatisfied with the quality of services;

iii. procedures to follow in the event a survivor is dissatisfied with behaviors of a staff person.

5. Incident Reports
a. The organization provides a written policy to assure serious incidents are properly reconciled. Individual reports will be written for any injuries, accidents, unusual events or circumstances involving staff, volunteers, visitors, vendors, or survivors. Staff are informed regarding what would constitute each. Provisions are made for evaluation of severity of the incident and any follow-up actions needed.

6. Community Relations
a. The program is readily identifiable and visible among its potential users, peer organizations and appropriate publics. Public relations and public education materials are available in other languages for any ethnic group with a presence in the community and the geographic area served and for special needs populations.

b. Policies for community relations and fund development are comprehensive and practical.

c. Relevant goals objectives and plans are established for community relations and fund development.

d. Community relations and fund development are conducted in accordance with applicable professional and ethical and legal principles.

e. The program uses designated personnel to implement its policies and procedures for community relations and financial development.

f. The program follows acceptable practices for public disclosure.

g. The program has accurate statistical data relevant to its services readily available.

h. The program conducts a public education program that raises the community's awareness of the causes, implications and the appropriate community response to family violence.

i. The program conducts a public relations program that projects an accurate positive image throughout its service area and raises the community's understanding of and support for its services.

j. The public education and public relations efforts reflect the program's philosophy and that philosophy is consistent with that of the OWS.

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 46:2122 B and R.S. 46:2127 B1.

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