Mississippi Administrative Code
Title 24 - Mental Health
Part 2 - Operational Standards for Mental Health, Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Use Community Service Providers
Chapter 13 - Health and Safety
Rule 24-2-13.9 - Disaster Preparedness and Response

Universal Citation: MS Code of Rules 24-2-13.9

Current through September 24, 2024

A. An Emergency/Disaster Response Plan must be developed and maintained for each location. Information may be similar to other locations, but specific location information is required. A Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP) must be developed for each agency provider and a copy maintained at each location.

B. Agency providers must develop and maintain an Emergency/Disaster Response Plan for each facility/service location that is specific to each certified service location, approved by the governing body, for responding to natural disasters and manmade disasters (fires, bomb threats, utility failures and other threatening situations, such as workplace violence). The plan should identify which events are most likely to affect the facility/service location. This plan must address at a minimum:

1. Lines of authority and Incident Command;

2. Identification of a Disaster Coordinator;

3. Notification and plan activation;

4. Coordination of planning and response activities with local and state emergency management authorities;

5. Assurances that employees will be available to respond during an emergency/disaster;

6. Communication with people receiving services, employees, governing authorities, and accrediting and/or licensing entities;

7. Accounting for all people involved (employees and people receiving services);

8. Conditions for evacuation;

9. Procedures for evacuation;

10. Conditions for agency provider closure;

11. Procedures for agency provider closure;

12. Schedules of drills for the plan;

13. The location of all fire extinguishing equipment, carbon monoxide detectors (if gas or any other means of carbon monoxide emission is used in facility) and alarms/smoke detectors;

14. The identified or established method of annual fire equipment inspection;

15. Escape routes and procedures that are specific to location/site and the type of disaster(s) for which they apply; and,

16. Procedures for post event conditions (i.e., loss of power, telephone service, ability to communicate).

C. Agency providers must develop and maintain a Continuity of Operations Plan, approved by the governing body, for responding to natural disasters, manmade disasters, fires, bomb threats, utility failures and other threatening situations, such as workplace violence. This plan must address at a minimum:

1. Identification of agency provider's essential functions in the event of emergency/ disaster;

2. Identification of necessary staffing to carry out essential functions;

3. Delegations of authority;

4. Alternate work sites in the event of location/site closure;

5. Identification of vital records and their locations; and,

6. Identification of systems to maintain security of and access to vital records.

D. Copies of the Emergency/Disaster Response Plan and the Continuity of Operations Plan must be maintained on-site for each facility/service location and at the agency provider's administrative offices.

E. All agency providers must document implementation of the written plans for emergency/disaster response that are specific to that location/site and continuity of operations. This documentation of implementation must include, but is not limited to the following: (Exception: Supported Living and Shared Supported Living that are not owned or controlled by a certified agency provider, and Host Homes.)

1. Quarterly fire drills for each facility and service location.

2. Monthly fire drills for Supervised Living and/or Residential Treatment service locations, conducted on a rotating schedule per shift.

3. Quarterly disaster drills, rotating the nature of the event for the drill based on the Emergency/Disaster Plan, for each facility and service location.

4. Annual drill of Continuity of Operations Plan for the agency provider with documentation maintained at the main office.

F. All Supervised Living, residential treatment service locations, and/or Crisis Residential Units must maintain current emergency/disaster preparedness kits to support people receiving services and employees for a minimum of seventy-two (72) hours post-event. At a minimum, these supplies must be kept in one (1) place and include the following:

1. Non-perishable foods;

2. Manual can opener;

3. Water (one [1] gallon per person per day);

4. Flashlights and batteries;

5. Plastic sheeting and duct tape;

6. Battery powered AM/FM radio; and,

7. Personal hygiene items.

G. All Supervised Living, residential treatment service locations, and/or Crisis Residential Units must have policies and procedures that can be implemented in the event of an emergency that ensure medication, prescription and nonprescription, based on the needs of the people in the service and guidance of appropriate medical personnel are available for up to seventy-two (72) hours post-event.

Section 41-4-7 of the Mississippi Code, 1972, as Amended

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Mississippi may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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