Title 7 . Health and Social Services

Chapter 50 . (Reserved)

Section 330. Assessment and treatment plan in residential child care facilities

7 AAC 50.330. Assessment and treatment plan in residential child care facilities

(a) A residential child care facility shall observe and assess each child admitted and develop an initial treatment plan within 15 days after a child's admission. The treatment plan shall be completed within 30 days following the child's admission.

(b) The plan specified in (a) of this section must include

(1) the findings of an on-site evaluation of the child;

(2) an identification of the child's specific needs that are in addition to the child's needs for food, clothing, shelter, routine care, and supervision, including physical, medical, familial, educational, social, emotional, and behavioral needs;

(3) an assessment of the child's and family's strengths, weaknesses, and needs;

(4) clearly stated goals, specific treatment objectives, techniques, or activities, time frames, and task assignments to meet the needs of the child and the child's family, where appropriate, in the following areas:

(A) care, education, health, religion, culture, and community activities;

(B) specialized services as required to meet the child's specific needs;

(C) group living experience planned individually for the child;

(D) individualized, family, or group counseling;

(E) the family's involvement in the planning and carrying out of the plan;

(F) the estimated length of stay, preliminary plans for discharge, and conditions under which the family will be reunited, if applicable; and

(G) the date for the first or next review of progress toward goals;

(5) tasks and resources to be provided by the facility, placement worker, child, family members, and other community resources, and the time frames necessary to achieve objectives;

(6) initial discussions of postdischarge plans; and

(7) the method to be used for evaluating the child's progress and the progress of family members toward objectives and time frames for the periodic review.

(c) A facility shall invite the child, the child's parent, placement worker, therapist, and school representative to participate as members of a treatment team and to assist in the development of the treatment plan and all subsequent revisions.

(d) A facility shall inform each staff member working with the child about the child's treatment plan, results of plan reviews, and updates and any changes in goals, objectives, techniques, or procedures. A facility shall ensure that staff who work with a child follow and implement the child's treatment plan.

(e) A facility shall review each child's plan at least every three months. This review must include

(1) an evaluation of the progress toward meeting identified specific needs and goals;

(2) identification of any new specific needs and goals determined since the plan was developed or last reviewed and strategies to meet the specific needs and goals; and

(3) an update of the child's estimated length of stay and plans for the child's discharge, if changed.

(f) A facility shall document in the child's record the reasons for retaining the child in the facility if, since the treatment plan was developed or last reviewed, a child shows limited progress toward achieving goals and objectives.

(g) A facility shall give a copy of a child's treatment plan or summary, plan review and updated plan, or summary of the review and updated plan to the child, if appropriate, and to the child's parent and placement worker. If the plan or update is not shared with the child, the child's record must reflect satisfactory justification for this decision, such as the child's mental capacity.

History: Eff. 1/1/96, Register 136; am 3/1/98, Register 145

Authority: AS 44.29.020

AS 47.35.010