Current through Register Vol. 46, No. 39, September 25, 2024
(a)
Programs shall have a physical environment, culture and programming to support
the healing of youth who have experienced significant sexual trauma.
(b) Physical Plant. In addition to all
physical plant requirements set forth in Parts 442, 447 and 448 as applicable,
facilities shall additionally maintain a physical environment that is home-like
and welcoming.
(1) Furnishings shall be
maintained in good and clean condition, and be durable without being
institutional in nature, materials and design.
(2) The facility should apply standards of
design and materials that are trauma-responsive as required by the Office. Such
standards include efforts to minimize noise, and the use of color and light to
promote healing and calming responses.
(3) Single occupancy bedrooms should be made
available to each youth. Youth may opt to share a bedroom with one other youth
in a bedroom that meets all requirements with Parts 442, 447 and Part 448 as
applicable.
(c) Program
Requirements.
(1) A program must provide
high-quality residential care and supportive community-based services tailored
to the needs of adolescents and young adults as approved by the Office. The
program must meet the cultural, therapeutic, medical, developmental and
recreational needs of the youth as required by the Office.
(2) Therapeutic model. Programs must utilize
therapeutic approaches that are evidence based or evidence informed to promote
healing for adolescents with complex sexual trauma histories.
(3) Health care and health education.
Programs must provide comprehensive sexual health education and health care
that is responsive to youth with sexual trauma.
(4) Education and vocational supports.
Programs must provide access to community based education and vocational
services and opportunities to children and youth served.
(d) Program culture.
(1) Programs must be strengths based, rooted
in positive youth development, and provide community-based opportunities for
youth to thrive as required by the Office.
(2) The program must create a positive
affirming environment for youth of all racial and ethnic backgrounds and gender
identities and sexual orientations.
(3) The culture should reflect and affirm the
backgrounds and identities of the youth and families and be oriented toward
self-efficacy and risk tolerance.
(e) Youth engagement and positive youth
development. Programs must include meaningful opportunities for youth voice,
choice and leadership in their lives, in the program and in their community.
Such engagement should include input into hiring, program design, behavioral
supports and other areas as required by the Office.
(f) Policies and procedures manual. Programs
must maintain a policy and procedure manual, which is to be updated with input
from youth and families, as required by the Office.
(g) Youth manual. Programs must have a youth
manual written in plain, youth-friendly language that clearly explains the
rights and responsibilities of youth, program rules and other elements as
required by the Office. Manuals must be reviewed annually, and there must be a
process by which youth are involved in the updates.
(h) Engagement of permanency resource(s).
Programs must engage and support youth's permanency resources. Such support may
include but not be limited to:
(1)
Psychoeducation about commercial sexual exploitation and trafficking;
(2) Safety planning, including online
safety;
(3) Prevention for siblings
and other youth in the home, as applicable;
(4) Addressing stigma; and
(5) Therapeutic supports to facilitate a
successful transition and discharge plan;
(i) Staffing.
(1) Programs must have direct care and
supervisors of direct care staff to meet the needs of youth and as required by
the Office.
(2) Programs should
implement a staff recruitment and retention strategy that encourages the
employment of persons with relevant lived experiences.
(3) Programs should provide supportive
supervision and opportunities for self-care to all staff to address any
secondary traumatic stress.
(j) Aftercare. Programs must provide for
aftercare to youth and families as required by the Office.
(k) Admissions and Discharges.
(1) Admission. Youth of all gender identities
and expressions may be admitted to a program; provided however a youth should
not be admitted to a program that primarily serves youth of other gender
identities or expressions unless other options have been explored, or the youth
otherwise meets the requirements for admission to such program and agrees to be
admitted to such program.
(2)
Discharge. Youth shall not be discharged solely due to frequent episodes of
leaving a program without consent or destruction of
property.
(l) Office
approval. Programs must seek Office approval for changes to any approved
program model, staffing plan, therapeutic approach, admission and discharge
procedure, or aftercare services.
