Rules & Regulations of the State of Tennessee
Title 0250 - Children's Services
Subtitle 0250-04 - Standards for Regulated Institutions
Chapter 0250-04-10 - Standards for Runaway House Agencies
Section 0250-04-10-.05 - PERSONNEL

Universal Citation: TN Comp Rules and Regs 0250-04-10-.05

Current through September 24, 2024

(1) General Qualifications for Staff

(a) Agency employees shall be persons of good character. They shall possess the health, emotional stability and ability necessary to carry out assigned duties.

(b) An agency shall obtain references, attesting to the character, integrity, and ability to perform the tasks required for the position, for each employee.

(c) Report of a physical examination completed within no more than six months prior to hire date, shall be on file for all employees who have direct contract with residents. All employees, in contact with the residents as often as one-time per week must have a TB skin test prior to being allowed to care for the residents.

(2) An agency shall establish a job description for each position setting forth duties and defining the education and training required for the position.

(3) The agency shall have written policies regarding evaluations, salary, annual and sick leave. educational leave, attendance at conferences, working hours, vacations, holidays, retirement, insurance, and cause for dismissal. These policies shall be available to all staff members.

(4) Personnel records shall be kept in a locked file at the agency. These records shall include: the application, reports from references, the health record, record of positions held by the person during employment at the agency, record of training, and annual evaluations of the quality of the work done by the employee. Records of former employees shall also include a statement of date and reason for leaving the agency.

(5) The agency shall not knowingly employ any individual who has been convicted of any offense against children

(6) Staff Positions.

(a) Administrator or Executive Director. The administrator or executive director shall have ability as an administrator as this person is in full charge of the management of the agency. The administrator shall make regular reports to the board on all phases of its operation and assume the responsibility for interpreting these standards to the board. The administrator is responsible for organizing a program of education and professional growth for the continued training and development of the staff and to develop a cooperative relationship among all staff. It is also the administrator's responsibility to establish and maintain good working relationships with other social agencies and interpret the agency's program to the community.

The board must select an administrator who is competent to carry the total responsibility for the administration of the agency's program. As the board should delegate this responsibility to the administrator, he/she in turn, shall be able to delegate responsibility to appropriate staff members.

1. The executive director must be a graduate of an accredited graduate program in social work, or hold an equivalent, professional credential, e.g., masters of clinical psychology, masters of guidance and counseling. The executive director must have a minimum of two years' experience in a social agency.

2. The executive director must have a minimum of one year's experience in supervisory or administrative roles.

3. The executive director must prepare the facility's budget with the assistance of appropriate staff and must be responsible for all customary purchases, securing board approval for all items not authorized in the budget.

4. The executive director must be responsible for employing and discharging all members of the staff

5. The executive director must be responsible for the overall functioning of all programs within the agency.

(b) Director of Casework.
1. Each agency is required to have a director of casework' however, the director of casework may also act as the director of programs.

2. The director of casework must be a graduate of an accredited master's program of social work, or hold an equivalent professional credential, e.g., masters in clinical psychology, masters of guidance and counseling. The director of casework must have a minimum of two years' experience in direct casework practice.

3. The director of casework must be responsible for the overall provision of counseling, therapy, or casework services within the agency.

(c) Director of Programs
1. The requirements and duties of the Director of Programs shall be the same as those for Director of Casework and shall differ only in that:
(i) It is not required that the agency employ a Director of Programs, and

(ii) The Director of Programs must be responsible for the administration of the treatment program, the overall supervision of house activities relating to the residents of the agency and must participate in policy making relevant to the overall program of the agency.

(d) Caseworker
1. It is required that one (1) caseworker, in addition to the Director of Casework, be added at such time that the average daily census of children, as computed over the immediately preceding 12 month period, exceeds six (6).

2. At least one-half of the casework staff must hold degrees directly relating to the provision of therapy services, and such degrees must be of a level higher than an undergraduate degree.

3. Those caseworkers that do not hold an advanced degree must have at least one of the following:
(i) A bachelor's degree in a related field and at least one year of direct experience in the provision of social services.

(ii) A bachelor's degree in a non-related field and at least two years' direct experience in the provision of social services.

(iii) An advanced degree in a non-related field and at least two years' direct experience in the provision of social services.

(7) Volunteers.

(a) If volunteers are used, a process of application and screening must be established in the agency to insure that volunteers are of such character and competence as to meet the agency's needs.

(b) The use of volunteers must be encouraged and they must have the same qualities of character as paid staff performing comparable duties.

(c) A program of ongoing training and orientation to the philosophies and practices or the agency must be provided each volunteer within the agency.

(d) Adequate supervision of volunteers must be maintained in the agency by a staff member.

(e) An individual file including application to participate as a volunteer, the results of the screening process, and reports of references, must be maintained by the agency on each volunteer.

(8) Child Care Staff.

(a) The child care staff must work under an appropriate supervisor.

(b) Each member of the child care staff must have at least a high school diploma or its equivalent (GED). Child care workers must be at least 18 years of age. Tasks must be assigned appropriate to their competence.

(e) A program of ongoing orientation and in-service training must be provided for the child care staff.

(9) Staff Development.

(a) Regularly scheduled in-service training sessions must be made a part of the ongoing yearly plan of the agency.

(b) Both formal and informal ongoing training must be provided to all staff, both paid and volunteer, relating to the program's standardized operating procedures in tire following areas:
1. Evaluation of emergency service needs ,

2. Conducting the intake interview

3. Completion of Intake form.

4. Legal rights of the child and parents.

5. Client referrals and follow-up.

6. Termination of services.

(10) Staff Ratio,

(a) There must be at least two (2) staff members (one of whom must be a paid staff member) present and awake in the agency at all times. When the total number of children exceeds twenty (20) during waking hours, an additional staff member must be present for every increment of six (6) children.

(b) During sleeping hours, staff must consist of at least two (2) staff members whose primary responsibility is supervision within the agency. There must be one such staff member of each sex.

(c) Provisions must be made for emergency relief, standby staffing to insure the maintenance of this staff ratio.

(d) Adequate provision must be made for vacations and days off for child care staff.

Authority: T.C.A. §§ 4-5-226(b)(2);37-5-101; 37-5-105; 37-5-106; 37-5-112(a); 37-1604 and 37-1605.

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Tennessee 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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