Current through Reg. 49, No. 38; September 20, 2024
(a) RTC contractors must
be licensed by HHSC Child Care Regulation and have a contract with HHSC to provide
RTC Project services.
(b) The RTC
contractor must provide comprehensive residential treatment services as outlined in
this subchapter, in the HHSC contract, and as described in the HHSC child-care
minimum standards for general residential operations. The RTC must:
(1) provide psychotherapy services that include
individual and family therapy;
(2)
psychopharmacological therapy for the treatment of psychiatric illness with
psychotropic medication on an ongoing basis if indicated based on psychiatric
evaluation;
(3) integrate a
trauma-informed care approach into the care, treatment, and supervision of each
child. Trauma-informed care is care that is child and family-centered and takes into
consideration:
(A) the unique culture,
experiences, and beliefs of the child and family;
(B) the impact traumatic experiences have on the
life of the child;
(C) the symptoms of
childhood trauma;
(D) an understanding
of the child's personal trauma history;
(E) the recognition of the child's trauma
triggers;
(F) methods of responding that
improve the child's ability to trust, to feel safe, and to adapt to changes in the
child's environment; and
(G) the impact
traumatic experiences have on the child's family;
(4) include habilitation activities, such as
vocational services, as appropriate; and
(5) provide services in accordance with the HHSC
provider contract.
(c) The RTC
contractor must assign an LPHA for each child. The LPHA or treatment director must:
(1) ensure the delivery of therapeutic services to
the child;
(2) provide recommendations
for the child's service plan, in consultation with the service planning team;
and
(3) provide recommendations for the
child's discharge plan in consultation with the service planning
team.
(d) The RTC contractor
must notify all members of the service planning team in writing at least two weeks
in advance of the child's service plan meetings.
(e) If the child's service planning team
determines the child needs continued residential treatment beyond six months, and
the RTC contractor does not have an agreement for an extended treatment curriculum
with HHSC, the RTC must:
(1) submit a request to
the RTC Project team for the child's ongoing treatment before the sixth month of
treatment in accordance with the RTC Project policy manual posted on the HHSC
website; and
(2) document in the child's
service plan the need for an anticipated length of stay beyond the six-month
timeframe, and why a less intensive level of care is not
appropriate.
(f) The service
plan must:
(1) be approved by the service planning
team and must meet the requirements outlined in Chapter 748, Subchapter I of this
title (relating to Admission, Service Planning, and Discharge); and
(2) be reviewed monthly, and updated at least
every 90 calendar days, in accordance with Chapter 748, Subchapter I of this title.
If the child's needs change, the service plan must be updated to address the
changes.
(g) The child's LAR
must be included by the RTC contractor in developing the child's service plan, and
in meetings to the greatest extent possible, as provided in the Residential
Treatment Center Project Family Agreement. If the child's LAR, or other parties
responsible for the child's care are unable to participate, the RTC contractor must
review the service plan to ensure that the child's service plan goals and level of
care adequately address the child's treatment needs.
