Current through Reg. 49, No. 38; September 20, 2024
(a) A
center must adopt and enforce written policies and procedures to ensure the
care and safety of minors during transport.
(b) A center must appropriately train staff
on the needs of a minor being transported.
(c) A center must properly restrain or secure
a minor when the minor is transported by the center in a motor vehicle, in
accordance with applicable federal motor vehicle safety standards, state law,
Texas Health and Safety Code (THSC) Chapter 248A, and this chapter.
(d) A center must ensure that:
(1) a minor boards and leaves the vehicle
from the curbside of the street and is safely accompanied to the minor's
destination;
(2) there is a first
aid kit with unexpired supplies, including oxygen, a pulse oximeter, and
suction equipment, in each center vehicle;
(3) the center prohibits the use of tobacco
in any form, electronic cigarettes, alcohol and possession of illegal
substances or unauthorized potentially toxic substances, firearms, and pellet
or BB guns, including loaded or unloaded BB guns, in any vehicle;
(4) the driver does not use a hand-held
wireless communication device while operating a center vehicle;
(5) a center's nurse accompanies minors, as
necessary during transport, as determined by the minor's plan of
care;
(6) at least one direct care
staff member, or more depending on the acuity of the minors, accompanies every
seven minors;
(7) the driver or
center's nurse does not leave a minor unattended in the vehicle at any
time;
(8) the driver or the
center's nurse riding in the vehicle inspects the vehicle at the completion of
each trip to ensure that no minor is left in the vehicle; and
(9) the center maintains documentation that
includes the signature of the individual conducting the inspection described in
paragraph (8) of this subsection and the time of inspection.
(e) A center must post near the
emergency exit of each vehicle that transports a minor the following
information in an easily readable font:
(1)
the name of the administrator;
(2)
the center's name;
(3) the center's
telephone number; and
(4) the
center's address.
(f) The
center must adopt and enforce a policy on emergencies while transporting a
minor. The policy must include:
(1) procedures
for mechanical break downs;
(2)
procedures for vehicle accidents; and
(3) procedures for a minor's
emergency.
(g) If a
center conducts a field trip, the center must ensure that the driver or
center's nurse riding in the vehicle must inspect the vehicle and account for
each minor upon arrival and departure from each destination to ensure that no
minor is left in the vehicle after reaching the vehicle's final destination.
(1) A center must ensure that the driver or
center's nurse riding in the vehicle maintains a field trip record for each
trip. The record must include the driver's name, the nurse's name, the time and
date, the vehicle's destinations, and names of all passengers in the
vehicle.
(2) A center must maintain
documentation that includes the signature of the person conducting the
inspection and the time of each inspection during the field trip.
(3) Appropriate staff must be present when a
minor is delivered to the center.
