R501-15-6. Staff Requirements

1. Each owner and board member of a therapeutic school shall successfully complete a minimum of 8 hours of annual training relating to therapeutic school services.

2. A therapeutic school shall employ a director who is responsible for daily client supervision and operation of the program.

a. A director shall be on duty or on call at all times.

b. The director shall:

i. be at least 25 years of age;

ii. have a BS or BS social services degree, or a minimum of three years of documented training or experience in providing therapeutic school or residential treatment services;

iii. have a minimum of two years of therapeutic school or residential treatment program supervisory experience; and

iv. demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge of this R501-15, R495-876, R501-1, R501-2, R501-3, R710-4, R710-9, and all applicable local, state, and federal laws.

c. The governing body of a therapeutic school may appoint an acting director to fulfill the responsibilities of the Director.

i. An acting director shall satisfy all requirements of Subsection R501-15-6.2.b at the time of appointment.

3. A therapeutic school shall have a minimum of one supervisor or supervisor designee on duty at all times.

a. A supervisor or supervisor designee shall have:

i. a demonstrated, documented competency and proficiency in providing services to children in out-of-home placements;

ii. qualifications, including education, experience, licensing or certification requirements, and current annual continuing education and training, directly related to providing:

A. specialized structure and supervision of clients; or

B. services or treatment related to a client's disability, emotional development, behavioral development, familial development, or social development;

iii. current certification in standard first aid;

iv. current certification in CPR;

v. current certification in passive restraint techniques; and

vi. current background screening clearance.

4. A therapeutic school shall maintain a staff manual, which shall include specific:

a. job descriptions for each staff position;

b. qualifications, including education, experience, and licensing or certification requirements, for each staff position;

c. competency and proficiency requirements for each staff position; and

d. continuing education and training requirements for each staff position.

5. Each staff with direct access to a client shall be directly supervised by a supervisor or supervisor designee until the staff:

a. achieves the qualifications, competency and proficiency requirements, and training requirements of the applicable job description;

b. receives current certification in standard first aid;

c. receives current certification in CPR;

d. receives current certification in passive restraint techniques;

e. successfully completes annual training in working with clients who have a history of failing to function at home or in school;

f. receives current background screening clearance; and

g. demonstrates a working knowledge of:

A. R495-876, Provider Code of Conduct;

B. R501-2, Core Standards;

C. R501-15, Therapeutic Schools;

D. the current therapeutic school policy and procedure manual;

E. the current therapeutic school client manual and

F. all applicable local, state, and federal laws.

6. A therapeutic school shall have a policy, subject to the approval of the Office of Licensing, which clearly defines the minimum levels of supervision of clients by direct care staff.

a. A therapeutic school shall submit a proposed minimum direct care staff-to-client ratio with its license application and each time the activities or the client population of the therapeutic school are modified.

b. A therapeutic school shall identify the minimum direct care staff-to-client ratio for each type of activity its clients engage in, including but not limited to various types of on-site and off-site activities, specific low risk and high risk activities, individual and group activities, and waking and sleeping hours.

c. A therapeutic school shall consider factors particular to its client population, including but not limited to clients' presenting problems, risk to the community, age, maturity, behavior, and daily schedule, in determining its minimum direct care staff-to-client ratio.

d. A minimum of 2 staff shall be on duty at all times.

e. A minimum of one male staff shall be on duty when a male client is present, and a minimum of one female staff shall be on duty when a female client is present.

f. A client who has earned the privilege of unsupervised time off site shall be required to engage in two-way communication with on duty direct care staff once every 4 hours.

i. A therapeutic school shall develop and adhere to a policy that specifies what measures shall be taken if a client fails to check-in with staff when scheduled.

g. A therapeutic school's approved minimum direct care staff-to-client ratio shall be visibly posted.

h. A therapeutic school shall comply with approved minimum direct care staff-to-client ratios.

i. Support staff shall not be counted when ascertaining compliance with the approved minimum direct care staff-to-client ratios.

7. A therapeutic school shall be required to justify, to the satisfaction of the Office of Licensing, basic low risk, on-site "waking hours" direct care staff-to-client ratio that does not meet or exceed:

a. two direct care staff on duty for 1-8 clients;

b. three direct care staff on duty for 9-24 clients;

c. four direct care staff on duty for 25-48 clients;

d. five direct care staff on duty for 49-96 clients;

e. 1:20 direct care staff-to-client ratio for 97 or more clients, and never any less than six direct care staff on duty.

8. A therapeutic school shall be required to justify, to the satisfaction of the Office of Licensing, any "sleeping hours" direct care staff-to-client ratio that does not meet or exceed:

a. two direct care staff on duty for 1-48 clients;

b. a 1:40 direct care staff-to-client ratio for 49 or more clients, and never any less than three direct care staff on duty.