Current through September 24, 2024
A. Each holding
facility must have a manual that includes the written policies and procedures
for operating and maintaining the facility holding people involved in the civil
commitment process or those awaiting transportation to a certified/licensed
mental health facility. Written policies and procedures must give sufficient
details for implementation and documentation of duties and functions so that a
new employee or someone unfamiliar with the operation of the holding facility
and services would be able to carry out necessary operations of the holding
facility.
B. The policies and
procedures must:
1. Be reviewed annually by
the governing authority of the county, with advice and input from the regional
Community Mental Health Center, as documented in the governing authority
meeting minutes;
2. Be updated as
needed, with changes approved by the governing authority before they are
instituted, as documented in the governing authority meeting minutes. Changed
sections, pages, etc., must show the date of approval of the revision on each
page;
3. Be readily accessible to
all employees on all shifts providing services to people in the holding
facility, with a copy at each service delivery location;
4. Describe how the policies and procedures
are made available to the public; and,
5. Have a copy of the Memoranda of
Understanding or contract between the holding facility and the Community Mental
Health Center to describe how mental health services will be provided while
people are being held in the holding facility.
C. A personnel record for each employee and
contractual employee, as noted below, must be maintained and must include, but
not be limited to:
1. The application for
employment, including employment history and experience.
2. A copy of the current Mississippi license
or certification for all licensed or certified personnel.
3. A copy of college transcripts, high school
diploma, and/or appropriate documents to verify that educational requirements
of the job description are met.
4.
Documentation of an annual performance evaluation.
5. A written job description that shall
include, at a minimum:
(a) Job
title;
(b) Responsibilities of the
job; and,
(c) Skills, knowledge,
training/education and experience required for the job.
6. For contractual employees, a copy of the
contract or written agreement which includes effective dates of the contract
and which is signed and dated by the contractual employee and the director of
the holding facility or county supervisor.
7. For all employees (including contractual
employees) and volunteers, documentation must be maintained that a criminal
records background check (including prior convictions under the Vulnerable
Adults Act) and child registry check (for employees and volunteers who work
with or may have to work with children/youth) has been obtained and no
information received would exclude the employee/volunteer. (See Sections
43-15-6,
43-20-5,
and
43-20-8
of the Mississippi Code of 1972, Annotated) For the purposes
of these checks, each employee/volunteer hired after July 1, 2002, must be
fingerprinted.
D. Each
holding facility shall have written procedures for admission of people who have
been involuntarily civilly committed and are awaiting transportation. These
procedures shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
1. Make a complete search of the person and
his/her possessions;
2. Properly
inventory and store person's personal property;
3. Require any necessary personal hygiene
activities (e.g., shower or hair care, if needed);
4. Issue clean, laundered clothing or
appropriate garments (e.g., suicide risk reduction garments);
5. Issue allowable personal hygiene
articles;
6. Perform health/medical
screening;
7. Record basic personal
data and information to be used for mail and visiting lists; and,
8. Provide a verbal orientation of the person
to the holding facility and daily routines.
Section
41-4-7
of the Mississippi Code, 1972, as Amended
