Compilation of Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgia › Department 111 - RULES OF DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY HEALTH › Chapter 111-8 - HEALTHCARE FACILITY REGULATION › Subject 111-8-19 - RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR DRUG ABUSE TREATMENT AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS › Rule 111-8-19-.26 - Behavior Management and Emergency Safety Interventions

Current through Rules and Regulations filed through June 27, 2024
(1) Behavior
				Management.
(a) The program shall develop and
				implement policies and procedures on behavior management. Such policies and
				procedures shall set forth the types of clients served in accordance with its
				program purpose, the anticipated behavioral problems of the clients, and
				appropriate techniques of behavior management for dealing with such behaviors.
(b)Program staff shall be made
				aware of each client's known or apparent medical and psychological conditions
				and family history, as evidenced by written acknowledgement of such awareness,
				to ensure that the staff have adequate knowledge to deliver safe and healthy
				care to the client.
(c)Behavior
				management policies and procedures shall incorporate the following minimum
				requirements:
1. Behavior management
				principles and techniques shall be used in accordance with the individual
				treatment plan and written policies and procedures governing service
				expectations, treatment goals, safety, security, and these rules and
				regulations.
2. Behavior management
				shall be limited to the least restrictive appropriate method, as described in
				the client's treatment plan pursuant to Rule .14(a),(b)1. -5. and in accordance
				with the prohibitions as specified in these rules and
				regulations.
(b) Behavior
				management techniques shall be administered by trained staff and shall be
				appropriate for the client's age, intelligence, emotional makeup and past
				experience. The following forms of behavior management s hall not be used by
				program staff with client's receiving services through the program:
1. Assignment of excessive or unreasonable
				work tasks;
2. Denial of meals and
				hydration;
3. Denial of
				sleep;
4. Denial of shelter,
				clothing, or essential personal needs;
5. Denial of essential program
				services;
6. Verbal abuse,
				ridicule, or humiliation;
7. Manual
				holds, chemical restraints, or mechanical restraints not used appropriately as
				emergency safety interventions;
8.
				Denial of communication and visits unless restricted in accordance with Rule
				.13(2);
9. Corporal
				punishment;
10. Seclusion or
				confinement of a client in a room or area which may reasonably be expected to
				cause physical or emotional damage to the client; or not used appropriately as
				an emergency safety intervention; and
11. Seclusion or confinement of a client to a
				room or area for periods longer than those appropriate to the client's age,
				intelligence, emotional make up and previous experience, or confinement to a
				room or area without the supervision or monitoring necessary to ensure the
				client's safety and well-being.
(e) Clients shall not be permitted to
				participate in the behavior management of other clients or to discipline other
				clients, except as part of an organized therapeutic self-governing program in
				accordance with accepted standards of clinical practice that is conducted in
				accordance with written policy and is supervised directly by designated
				staff.
(f) Programs shall submit to
				the department electronically or by facsimile a report within 24 hours whenever
				the program becomes aware of an incident which results in any injury to a
				client requiring medical treatment beyond first aid that is received by a
				client as a result of or in connection with any behavior management.
(g) All forms of behavior management or
				emergency safety interventions used by staff shall also be documented in case
				records in order to ensure that such records reflect behavior management
				problems.
(h) The program shall
				take appropriate corrective action when the program staff become aware of or
				observe the use of prohibited forms of behavior management, as specified in
				sections .26(1)(d)1. through 10. Documentation of the incident and the
				corrective action taken by the program shall be maintained in the case records
				of the client.