Current through Register Vol. 63, No. 9, September 1, 2024
(1) The hospital or other facility which
provides care, custody, and treatment for persons with mental illness or
persons alleged to have a mental illness have available at least one room which
meets the following requirements:
(a) The
room must be of adequate size, not isolated from regular staff of the facility,
and provided with an adequate locking device on all doors and
windows;
(b) The door must open
outward and contain a port of shatterproof glass or plastic through which the
entire room may be viewed from outside and before entering;
(c) The room shall contain no protruding
objects, such as doorknobs, towel or clothes bars, hooks, or racks. There shall
be no exposed curtains, drapes, rods, or furniture, except a portable bed which
can be removed, if necessary. In case of the removal of the bed frame, a
fireproof mattress shall be placed on the floor. Beds which are securely
fastened to the floor must have no protrusions such as bed posts or sharp
corners;
(d) Any windows shall be
made of unbreakable or shatterproof glass, or plastic. Non-shatterproof glass
shall be protected by adequate detention type screening, such as Chamberlain
Detention Screen;
(e) There shall
be no exposed pipes or electrical wiring in the room. Electric outlets shall be
permanently capped or covered with a metal shield which opens with a key.
Ceiling and wall lights shall be recessed and covered with safety-type glass or
unbreakable plastic. Any cover, cap or shield shall be secured by tamper-proof
screws or other means approved by the Division;
(f) The room shall contain no combustible
material, such as matches, lighters, cigarettes, etc. Smoking shall not be
allowed in the room, except under direct supervision of staff;
(g) The room shall meet fire, safety, and
health standards. If sprinklers are installed, they shall be recessed and
covered with a fine mesh metal screening. If pop-down type, sprinklers must
have breakaway strength of under 80 pounds. In lieu of sprinklers, a combined
smoke and heat detector shall be used. Documentation of the breakaway strength
of sprinklers must be on file at the facility.
(2) Bathroom requirements include:
(a) Adequate toilet and sanitary
facilities;
(b) The bathroom shall
contain no shower rods, shower curtains, window curtain rods, curtains, or
towel rods, unless used only with direct staff supervision;
(c) The bathroom shall not lock from the
inside and, if connected to the room, shall be locked when not in
use.
(3) No sharp
objects, such as razor blades, scissors, knives, nail files, etc., shall be
available to the patient, except under direct staff supervision. No poisons or
cleaning materials shall be kept in the room or in the bathroom available for
the room.
