New Mexico Administrative Code
Title 8 - SOCIAL SERVICES
Chapter 321 - SPECIALIZED BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES
Part 8 - ADMISSION CRITERIA FOR ALCOHOL AND SUBSTANCE SERVICES
Section 8.321.8.7 - DEFINITIONS

A. "Admission" means the agency's acceptance of a client for the purpose of providing services on a scheduled basis in accordance with a client treatment plan.

B. "Adult" means an individual who has attained the age of eighteen years.

C. "Advocate" means any individual, group or organization who pleads another's cause.

D. "Agency" means a provider of substance abuse treatment, screening or assessment services receiving funds under contract with the New Mexico health care authority.

E. "Assessment" means the initial and on-going process of appraising the client's strengths, deficits and areas of need for purposes of developing a comprehensive client treatment plan.

F. "Client" means an individual or family requesting or receiving services.

G. "Intake" means the gathering of administrative and clinical data which is used for the screening, admitting and initial treatment of a client.

H. "Medical detoxification" means medically supervised 24 hour care for patients who require hospitalization for treatment of acute intoxication or withdrawal, or a combination of substance abuse/addiction, and other medical conditions which together warrant treatment in this type of setting. Length of stay varies depending on the severity of the disease and withdrawal symptoms.

I. "Minor" means an individual under the age of 18 years.

J. "Outpatient services" means diagnostic and treatment services to clients who will be served, in accordance with a client treatment plan, intermittently or on a scheduled basis in a non-residential setting. Intervention strategies are aimed at reducing the harm to individuals, families and communities due to the use of alcohol and other substances.

K. "Policy" means a statement of principles that guide and determine present and future decisions.

L. "Procedure" means a series of activities designed to implement program goals or policy.

M. "Residential longterm rehabilitation" means a 24 hour residential treatment program for the chronic alcohol or drug dependent client who lacks an adequate social support system. This program provides multi disciplinary treatment designed to achieve a substance-free lifestyle, explore effective ways of functioning in a work setting within the family, and in the community in accordance with the treatment plan.

N. "Residential shortterm rehabilitation" means a 24 hour intensive residential program for clients who require treatment services in a highly structured setting. An organized counseling and education curriculum ordinarily involving a residential stay of 30 day or less. This type of program is appropriate for clients who need concentrated, therapeutic services prior to community residence, and who do not require monitoring of physical withdrawal from alcohol or other drugs.

O. "Residential social detoxification" means a medically supported 24 hour, social rehabilitation residential program which provides physical care, education and counseling as appropriate for the client's health and safety during their process of physical withdrawal from alcohol dependency. Social detoxification provides access into care and treatment of alcoholism through monitored withdrawal, evaluation of present or potential alcohol dependency and other physical ailments, and intervention into the progression of the disease through timely utilization of resources. Length of stay in a social detoxification program varies from three to seven days depending on the severity of the disease and withdrawal symptoms.

P. "Screening" means the method by which the agency selects appropriate clients for admission or referral to other appropriate services.

Q. "Substance abuse" means the use of one or more drugs or other potentially harmful substances, including alcohol, which significantly and negatively impacts one or more major areas of life functioning.

R. "Substance related disorder" means any disorder related to the taking of a drug of abuse (including alcohol), to the side effects of a medication, or to toxin exposure. (American Psychiatric Association: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition. Washington, DC, American Psychiatric Association, 1994, p.175).

S. "Treatment" means the broad range of emergency, outpatient, intermediate and inpatient services and care, including diagnostic evaluation, medical, psychiatric, psychological and social service care, vocational rehabilitation and career counseling, which may be extended to any client.

T. "Treatment plan" means that written strategy which is derived from the client screening/ intake/assessment and contains the written goals and objectives of the services to be provided and a schedule of service delivery.

U. "Treatment staff" means any person employed by an agency which is directly involved in treatment and client care.