Mississippi Administrative Code
Title 31 - Public Safety
Part 9 - REGULATION REGARDING THE LICENSURE OF JUVENILE DETENTION FACILITIES
Chapter 2 - Classification, Assessment, Healthcare And Data
Rule 31-9-2.10 - Healthcare Services

Universal Citation: MS Code of Rules 31-9-2.10

Current through September 24, 2024

1. The facility provides diagnosis and treatment, or arranges for the treatment, for conditions discovered during the screening and assessment of youth and for youth with medical problems that arise after admission as long as juvenile is under the care of the facility.

2. Chronic disease care shall be provided by qualified health professionals who have appropriate training.

3. Written policies, procedures, and actual practices ensure that:

a. Sick call for detained youth is accessible every day.

b. Youth may request to be seen by qualified health professionals without disclosing the medical reason and without non-health care staff evaluating the legitimacy of the request.

c. Youth requesting sick call see a qualified health professional.

4. Services are accessible to meet the medical needs of youth in the facility.

5. 24-hour on-call or emergency medical and mental health services, including transportation, are accessible through on-site staff, by contract, or by way of other immediately available services.

6. Facility maintains a responsible health authority to provide health care services pursuant to a contract or job description.

7. The health authority develops, approves, reviews, and revises at least annually, the written policies, procedures, and actual practices regarding medical and mental health care.

8. Written job descriptions define the duties and responsibilities of personnel in the facility health care services.

9. Medical and mental health professionals are professionally licensed or certified as required by state law to perform the functions required in their respective positions.

10. Female health professionals are available for health and mental health services for detained female youth. Female staff are always present during physical examinations of girls.

11. The health authority and facility administrator or his/her designee approve a written plan for medical and mental health emergencies and review the plan at least annually.

12. All staff supervising youth are trained in the following:

a. Signs and symptoms of medical emergencies.

b. Action required in emergencies, including referral policies and procedures.

c. First aid procedures.

d. Procedures for transferring patients to medical facilities.

e. Protocols for both male and female youth.

13. All staff supervising youth shall receive training in recognizing characteristics and reporting of the following:

a. Mental illness, emotional disturbance, and suicide risk.

b. Cognitive, intellectual, and developmental disabilities.

c. Chemical dependency, including withdrawal from drugs and alcohol.

d. Signs and symptoms of child abuse (including sexual abuse) and trauma-related disorders.

14. The health authority ensures that staff serving as "health-trained staff" to perform admission screenings are properly trained to fulfill those duties.

15. The facility shall provide private areas for health examinations, both physical and mental, and for handling youth with special medical needs.

16. Providers are to advise youth about the limits of confidentiality prior to initiating any medical or mental health services.

17. Medical examination and treatment conform to state laws for informed consent and the right to refuse treatment. Written policies, procedures, and actual practices ensure that:

a. Medical staff obtain informed consent from youth and/or parent or guardian as required by law, and honor refusals of treatment.

b. Where medical or mental health staff believe that involuntary treatment is necessary, the treatment is conducted in a hospital and not at the facility after compliance with legal requirements.

c. Staff document the youth and/or a parent's or guardian's consent or refusal, and counseling with respect to treatment, in youth's medical records.

18. In the event such measures are necessary, designated areas and/or policies shall exist for medically isolating youth from the general population. Health care beds are not to be used to remedy overcrowding.

19. For those detention facilities that have an infirmary, youth housed in the infirmary are admitted only by a qualified health professional. Twenty-four-hour staffing by qualified health professionals is maintained in the infirmary, with 24-hour on-call physician staffing.

20. Staff provide notification and/or obtain consent of parent(s) or guardian(s) in case of serious medical or psychological problems, consistent with state law. If a minor is committed to a hospital and held overnight, written policies, procedures and actual practices ensure that staff make reasonable attempts to notify parent(s) or guardian(s) within one hour of the hospitalization.

21. Pregnant youth shall receive prompt prenatal care, including physical examinations, nutrition guidance, childbirth and parenting education, counseling, and provisions for follow up care. Pregnant youth shall receive a modified diet and vitamins to meet their nutritional needs.

22. The facility provides regular health education in self-care skills, including personal hygiene, oral hygiene and dental care, nutrition, preventive health care, STDs and STD prevention, stress management, drug/alcohol/tobacco education, and physical fitness. The facility provides youth with education tailored to the particular health needs of the youth.

23. HIV positive youth:

a. Staff do not automatically segregate youth with HIV.

b. Staff limit the sharing of confidential information regarding youth with HIV to those necessary to provide for the safety, security, health, treatment, and continuity of care for youth, consistent with state law.

c. A trained, qualified health professional is available to provide appropriate treatment for youth with HIV/AIDS. Youth with HIV are managed by a qualified health professional trained in HIV treatment.

d. All staff supervising youth receive training on and exercise universal safety precautions.

24. Written policies, procedures, and actual practices ensure that:

a. Youth receive substance abuse treatment, if needed.

b. Youth who are victims of sexual abuse are handled appropriately, including: the collection of evidence; testing for STDs as appropriate; evaluation for counseling and referral to the rape crisis medical staff at the local hospital; reporting to the facility administrator or his/her designee; and reporting to child protective authorities.

c. Staff respond sensitively to the psychological impact of sexual abuse. Female medical staff are available to examine female youth in these situations if requested and male medical staff are available for male youth if requested.

d. Youth reporting to the health unit with an injury are questioned by qualified health professionals outside the hearing of other staff or youth regarding the cause of injury. If the health care provider suspects abuse, the provider immediately takes steps to preserve evidence of the injury; reports the suspected abuse; documents the injury in the youth's medical record; and completes an incident report.

25. Facility and qualified health professionals, when applicable, shall prepare discharge plans to provide to youth court counselors and the youth's parent or guardian to ensure that youth leaving custody receive continuity of care for ongoing illnesses or conditions.

Miss. Code Ann. §§ 43-21-901 to 43-21-915 (Rev. 2016).

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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