(A) In Level IV facilities with Community
Support Residents, the Support Services Coordinator must develop a Support
Services Plan. The plan shall be written as soon as possible but no later than
two weeks after admission for new resident admissions and as soon as possible
for Community Support Residents already residing in a facility. The Support
Plan must describe the service needs of the resident, including those service
needs specified in his or her Mental Health Treatment Plan. The Support Plan
must be developed by the Community Support Resident and the Support Services
Coordinator, in consultation with the resident's social worker, physician,
psychiatrist, and other staff.
(1) Each plan
must include, but is not limited to, the following:
(a) A narrative statement describing the
resident's service needs. These needs must include those specified in the
mental health treatment plan. It should also include service needs consistent
with the mental health treatment plan but are not mental health needs, such as
other health needs, educational or vocational needs, and recreational or
socialization needs.
(b) Within
each area of specified need, goals and objectives, as well as time frames for
the beginning of services and the achievement of objectives should be
developed.
(2) Each plan
should be reviewed 30 days after it is first developed, and every 90 days
thereafter. At the time of the plan review, goals and objectives should be
evaluated, and revised as needed. If objectives have not been met, new
strategies may need to be developed. The plan should be adjusted at any time a
significant change is made in the resident's mental health plan that affects
the service needs specified in the Support Plan, or requires new service needs
to be met. The Coordinator, in consultation with the social worker may revise
the Support Plan as often as the Coordinator feels it is inadequate.
(3) No support services plan may be
implemented without the written consent of the resident or the resident's
guardian.
(4) If a support services
plan is declined by a resident the attending Support Services Coordinator, in
consultation with the resident's psychiatrist and physician, shall make all
efforts to meet with the resident to determine how a plan might be developed
and/or modified in order to accommodate the resident's objections, concerns,
and suggestions. Reasons for partial or total rejection of the plan must be
noted in the resident's record.
(B)
Support Services
Coordinator. All Level IV facilities with Community Support
Residents shall employ a Support Services Coordinator. The Coordinator is
responsible for arranging and coordinating Support Services. Support Services
is a term applied to a variety of services including health and mental health
visits, educational and vocational services, as well as recreational services
which are intended to enhance the psychosocial and physical functioning of
Community Support Residents. Some of these services will be specified in the
resident's Mental Health Treatment Plan. Others can be identified by the
resident, the Coordinator or other staff. The Coordinator is responsible for
ensuring all of the services received by a Community Support Resident either
within the facility or in the community, are consistent with the Mental Health
and Support Services plans. When questions or conflicts arise among the various
staff and consultants involved with these residents, it is the responsibility
of the Coordinator to arrange and facilitate communication among the others.
This may involve arranging meetings among facility staff, referring agency
staff, consultant staff or others. It is the role of the Coordinator to
minimize duplication of service, and to ensure the Mental Health Plan required
by these regulations is the focus of a consistent and well organized care plan.
The Coordinator should meet regularly with Community Support Residents as well
as with the social worker and other facility staff. The Coordinator may also
wish to visit other agencies and staff to facilitate linkage and coordination.
Minimum Support Services Coordinator Personnel
Requirements:
(1) Two hours of Support
Services shall be provided to each Community Support Resident per week (One
full time equivalent per 20 Community Support Residents).
(2) In the event a facility experiences a
change in the number of Community Support Residents by five residents more or
less, the facility must notify the Department of Public Health to discuss the
need for a change in staffing.
(3)
The Support Services Coordinator shall receive clinical supervision from the
social worker, and shall meet at least monthly, preferably weekly, with the
social worker to discuss the resident's care plans.
(4) The Support Services Coordinator shall,
prior to employment by a Community Support Facility, possess a BA or BS degree
in a human services field of study such as Psychology, Nursing or Social Work,
have documented evidence of having received appropriate training in the
psychosocial problems and needs of Community Support Residents, have knowledge
of the Support Services available to Community Support Residents, and have
adequate training, as determined by the Department, in the effects and side
effects of those drug therapies prescribed for Community Support
Residents.
(5) Duties of the
Support Services Coordinator shall be restricted to the day shift.
