Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 18, September 16, 2024
(a) Any home or agency that provides services to
pregnant adolescents and adolescent parents caring for their children shall meet all
requirements of this subchapter and all applicable requirements of subchapters 1
through 9 of this manual (N.J.A.C. 3A:56-1 through 9).
(b) The home or agency shall provide services that
include, but are not limited to the following:
1.
Services regarding paternal involvement;
2. Services to the adolescent's family;
3. Parenting education;
4. Infant stimulation;
5. Health education and physical care of the
adolescent mothers and infants;
6.
Nutrition; and
7. Life skills
development.
(c) The home
shall provide the following indoor space:
1. A
private place where adolescents can store their belongings and those of their infant
and shall provide the adolescents access to this place at all times;
2. Sufficient space to accommodate tables and
chairs for all adolescents and on-duty child care staff to eat meals
together;
3. Adequate space for the
implementation of treatment services including individual counseling sessions,
parent training sessions, family counseling sessions and case management planning
meetings; and
4. The following floor
space for bedrooms:
i. At least 70 square feet for
the first occupant of a bedroom and 50 additional square feet for each additional
occupant. The home shall not allow more than four occupants, including adolescents
and/or infants, to sleep in the same bedroom; and
ii. For each adolescent and infant, at least 35
square feet of common living space, defined as those areas that adolescents and
infants can use for socializing or recreation during waking hours. The dining area
shall not be included in determining compliance with this requirement, unless the
dining area is accessible to adolescents and infants outside of meal time.
(d) The home shall maintain
all indoor areas in a safe and sanitary manner by ensuring that:
1. There are no poisonous plants;
2. Any corrosive agents, insecticides, bleaches,
detergents, polishes, any products under pressure in an aerosol spray can, and any
toxic substance are stored in locked cabinets or enclosed in areas not accessible to
infants;
3. All electrical outlets
accessible to infants have protective covers;
4. All fluorescent tubes and incandescent light
bulbs have protective covers or shields;
5. All windows and other glass surfaces that are
not made of safety glass and that are located within three feet above the floor
shall have protective guards unless the home does not provide services to ambulatory
infants or toddlers;
6. Staff has access
to any bedrooms that the adolescents are allowed to lock;
7. Non-permanent safety barriers (safety gates)
are installed to prevent infants from falling if the home has stairs, ramps,
balconies, porches or elevated play areas;
8. Materials and furniture for indoor and outdoor
use are of sturdy and safe construction, easy to clean and free of hazards that may
be injurious to adolescents and infants;
9. Infants are kept away from hot stoves, irons
and ironing boards, knives, glassware and other equipment that may cause injury;
and
10. Poisons, insect traps, and
rodent traps are kept out of the reach of infants.
(e) The home shall maintain all outdoor areas in a
safe and sanitary manner by ensuring that:
1.
Non-permanent safety barriers (safety gates) are installed to block steps used by
infants, unless the steps are blocked by a door;
2. Snow is removed from sidewalks and from the
walkways and paths leading to the entrances and exits of the home:
i. Within 24 hours of cessation of snowfall;
or
ii. According to local ordinance;
and
3. All drains and wells
have protective coverings.
(f) The home shall provide a crib for each infant
under 18 months of age but may allow infants to sleep in a playpen or on a mat at
least one-inch thick on the floor for naps during the daytime.
(g) The home shall provide a crib or bed for each
infant 18 months of age or older.
(h)
The home shall ensure that:
1. Crib and playpen
slats are no more than 2 3/8 inches apart;
2. Crib, bed and playpen mattresses are fire
retardant;
3. The top rails of the crib
or playpen are at least 19 inches above the mattress;
4. Drop-side cribs are not used and all cribs in
use meet all additional Federal standards as evidenced by possession of a
certificate of compliance;
5. The
mattress used in all cribs and playpens fits snugly;
6. Each infant has sheets for his or her exclusive
use, which are:
i. Immediately replaced when wet,
soiled or damaged; and
ii. Laundered at
least once a week;
7. Cribs
and playpens are free of hazards including, but not limited to, use of mobiles (for
infants six months of age or older, unless the infant/toddler is developmentally
delayed and would benefit from a mobile) soft objects, loose bedding, pillows,
blankets, and bumper pads and toys;
8.
Beds or cribs not used solely for a specific infant shall have sheets replaced with
clean sheets before each use;
9. Wedges
and positioners are not used;
10.
Infants are placed on their backs to sleep, unless medically directed to sleep in a
different position;
11. Infants' heads
are not covered while sleeping; and
12.
Car seats and other sitting devices are never used for routine sleeping.
(i) The home shall provide beds for all
adolescents and ensure that parenting adolescents do not co-sleep with their infants
in the bed.
(j) The home shall prohibit
use of bunk beds for pregnant adolescents, adolescent mothers and infants.
(k) The home shall not use lead paint on and shall
remove lead paint from any interior or exterior surfaces of a building, or on any
furniture, toys, or other equipment used therein if deemed hazardous by a
governmental agency, as specified in N.J.A.C.
3A:56-4.4(g)
.
(l) The home shall ensure that
each adolescent and infant has a personal supply of adequate, clean, well-fitting,
and attractive clothing appropriate to his or her age, gender, individual needs,
community standards, and season.
1. The home shall
ensure that each adolescent's and infant's clothing is kept clean and in good
repair; and the home may require adolescents to do their own laundry and that of
their infant.
2. The home shall not
require adolescents or infants to wear any article of clothing that would identify
them as a resident of the home.
3. The
home shall supply adolescents with necessary personal hygiene items.
