POLICY TITLE: Special Treatment and Safety Measures Policy Number: Owner: PI Department Effective Date: Previous CEO & Director of Operations Approved By: & Efficiencies Revision: Date Approved: Replaced: February 2015 July 2011 Place an "X" next to the department/program to which this policy applies ALL All Staff x INTK Intake ACCT Accounting IT Information Technology BILL Billing MAINT Maintenance x CLIN All Clinical staff MKT/DEV Marketing and/or Development x CPST CPST x OFS Outpatient Family Services x DEAF Deaf Services OPER Operations Compliance (Performance & DIET Dietary P&I Improvement) ECMH ECMH x RES Residential x EDPH Extended Day x TSA Therapeutic School Age x FC Foster Care x TPS Therapeutic Preschool x H/L Hispanic/Latino x TRANS Transportation x IHB Intensive Home Based OTH Other (specify): 1.0 PURPOSE AND POLICY PURPOSE SVFC must develop, implement, and regularly review a documented program for the use of Special Treatment/Safety Measures (ST/SM). The program includes a list of the interventions that are to be used with clients by trained staff members. Staff will be trained on proper interventions, limitations, appropriate documentation, and the quality improvement review of all interventions performed. All SVFC staff members will be provided with sufficient training and supporting reference materials to enable them to appropriately use ST/SM. All new staff members must receive appropriate training prior to initiating ST/SM. POLICY SVFC is committed to providing a safe environment for clients and staff members through the implementation of appropriate interventions. 2.0 KEY TERMS TERM DEFINITION Special Treatment and Safety Measures (ST/SM) Interventions used in accordance with either a behavior management plan/safety plan or in response to a crisis situation where there exists an imminent risk of danger to the individual or others and no other effective, safe, less restrictive intervention is possible. OAC 5122.26.16. Behavior Management Plan (BMP) Functional analysis of a child’s high risk behavior that is conducted Safety Plan Manual Restraint/Physical Restraint Contraindications Therapeutic Crisis Intervention (TCI) Minor Aversive Behavioral Interventions Major Aversive Behavioral Interventions Time-Out Individual Service Plan (ISP) Risk Management Committee Performance Improvement Committee Life Space Interview Child’s Point Sheet every 90 days. Should a client move to a lower level of care such as Community Psychiatric Support Treatment, Foster Care, or Outpatient Family Services the child’s BMP is no longer valid. Functional analysis of a child’s high risk behavior used for children receiving Community Psychiatric Support Treatment, Outpatient Family Services, and Deaf Services. This is reviewed every 6 months. Method of physically restricting a person’s freedom of movement by the use of physical holds with the goal of assisting the person to regain internal and behavioral control or stopping a dangerous behavior. OAC 5122.26.16 Items that place a person at greater risk for the use of ST/SM. Includes gender, age developmental issues, ethnicity, history of physical abuse, history of sexual abuse, medical conditions and physical disability. OAC. 5122.26.16. Also, includes psychological factors such as psychosis or claustrophobia. Special attention will be given to individuals who receive any asthma or cardiac medications. Verbal intervention and Manual restraint techniques developed by Cornell University. Interventions such as time-out, loss of tokens, the contingent removal of items that are reinforcing to the person that are not listed as major aversive behavioral interventions and the contingent loss of access to the person’s room. Interventions such as the contingent loss of the regular meal, the contingent loss of bed and the contingent use of unpleasant substances or stimuli such as bitter tastes, bad smells, splashing with cold water and loud or annoying noises. OAC 5122.26.16. When a child is required to remove themselves from positive reinforcement to a specified place for a specified period of time or until ready behavior occurs. OAC 5122.26.16. Time-out is further defined by the Agency as an instance when a child leaves or is asked to leave programming for a specified period of time and requires a one-on-one intervention to regain control and return to programming. Time-out can occur in the hallway outside of programming or in the quiet rooms, which are further separated from the groups. a. Identifies symptoms, goals, and interventions for both the client/youth and treatment team b. Identifies clinical and/or rehabilitative services c. Permanency planning d. Available options that SVFC offers to achieve the child/youth’s goals and desired outcomes with specific timeframes for achieving each specific goal The committee identifies and rectifies potential risk and safety concerns affecting clients and personnel. Additionally, the committee reviews critical incidents and identifies potential risks relating to health, safety, and facility related issues. Annually, the committee develops a risk assessment analysis, which is used to assess SVFC’s highest risk impacts. This committee is a meeting between the chairs of all performance improvement committees and the executive team members to summarize the events of each committee and give suggestions for improvement. A therapeutic, verbal strategy for intervening with a young person. A positive reinforcement method that helps monitor a child’s behaviors and progress. It is a program to help promote a safe and stable environment. 2 3.0 PROCEDURES Admission 1. Upon admission to an Agency program, the least restrictive, safest, and most effective interventions for a child will be determined through the assessment. The assessment will include: a. Documentation of special needs. b. Input from the child and their parent/guardian to identify triggers and techniques that would help the child control their behavior. c. Potential risk of harm to self and others. d. Antecedents to out of control behavior. e. The effectiveness of previous uses of ST/SM. f. Contraindications (psychological, social, medical factors, ext.). i. These will be documented throughout the child’s receipt of services at the Agency. 2. 3. The assessment will be used to develop a behavior management plan. Content the behavior management plan: a. b. c. d. 4. 5. Results of initial assessment. Specifics about interventions that may or may not be used. Signature of parent guardian. The behavior management plan will be reviewed and updated when appropriate. When a child enters a lower level of care (Outpatient Family Services, Community Psychiatric Supportive Treatment, Medication Management Clinic and Foster Care) the child’s behavior management plan will be modified, as manual restraints are no longer permitted at these lower levels of care. Upon admission, annually thereafter, and when clinically warranted, the child and their parent/guardian will receive a copy of this ST/SM Policy and will be informed of the Agency’s philosophy on the use of ST/SM. Family members will be given the opportunity to ask questions about this policy. Note: This does not involve individuals within the Foster Care Program. 6. 7. 8. 9. The parent/guardian will be asked to sign an acknowledgement of awareness of the use of the ST/SM policy. ST/SM will not be used as a form of discipline or for staff convenience. ST/SM is not to be performed by SVFC clients, by foster caregivers, or by a non-TCI trained staff member. Should a child experience repeated or sustained use of these measures, a transfer to a more structured treatment environment with the capacity to meet the child’s needs may be considered. Overview of ST/SM 1. 2. ST/SM will be used only to ensure the safest possible control of clients’ dangerous behaviors who are unable to respond to less restrictive interventions and are a clear danger to themselves and/or others. The approved methods of ST/SM are time-out and manual restraint. Time-out and manual restraint are to immediately cease as soon as the child has re-established 3 control or if the techniques produce any adverse side effects such as illness, injury, severe emotional stress, and/or severe physical stress. a. Time-out is to be used in response to escalating client behavior, such as the antecedents to aggression. b. A manual restraint will be used as a response to an emergency only with the goal of assisting the child to re-establish internal and behavioral control and/or stopping a dangerous behavior when verbal directions and/or non-verbal prompts have been ineffective. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. The interventions used with a client will include attention to the preservation of the person’s health, safety, rights, dignity, and well-being. Respect for the child is to be maintained during initiation and application of such measures. Staff will ensure that body temperature and modesty are maintained. The environment will be kept safe and clean. Well-being will be preserved through adequate exercise, nourishment, and personal care. Prohibited Interventions The below interventions are prohibited by the agency. Any use of these methods will lead to disciplinary action up to and including termination. Chemical restraint Corporal punishment Excessive use of ST/SM Face down holds Forced exercise Group punishment for individual behavior Handcuffs or any type of mechanical restraint Interventions that involve withholding hydration and nutrition or forced exercise Major aversive interventions Pepper spray Punishment by peers Techniques that impede breathing Techniques that restrict the child’s ability to communicate Techniques that obstruct vision Use of restraints in noncrisis, non-emergency situation, or any non-TCI methods Training 1. TCI training is broken down into two sections, verbal techniques and proper physical holds. Staff are required to attend the following trainings: a. Verbal Techniques i. Direct care staff (Adaptive Behavior Specialist) ii. Licensed providers (Clinicians “Therapeutic Pre-school , Therapeutic School Age, Therapeutic After School, Residential, Parent Child Interaction Therapy, Intake”) iii. Community Psychiatric Support Therapy (includes Deaf Services) iv. Program Directors v. Nursing Staff vi. Performance Improvement Staff b. Physical Hold i. Direct care staff (Adaptive Behavior Specialist) 4 ii. Licensed providers (Clinicians “Therapeutic Pre-school , Therapeutic School Age, Therapeutic After School, Residential, Parent Child Interaction Therapy, Intake”) iii. Program Directors iv. Nursing Staff v. Performance Improvement Staff 2. The HR Department is responsible for ensuring completion of ST/SM training and for tracking training and eligibility requirements. Any staff ineligible to perform ST/SM will receive a cease and desist order from HR that is provided to the staff member’s supervisor. 3. For new staff, training will occur during orientation, which occurs within 30 days of hiring. 4. New staff receive 24 hours of initial training on the following: a. b. c. d. Recognizing situations, including medical conditions that can lead to a crisis. Understanding staff influence on client behavior. Identifying the earliest precipitant to aggression in order to prevent escalation. Non-physical techniques for the de-escalation of disruptive and/or aggressive acts, persons and/or situations, including the use of time-out. e. Approved Manual/Physical Restraint techniques. f. Assessment of physical and mental status. g. Assessment of physical need (hydration, nutrition, readiness to discontinue manual restraint, etc.) h. Understanding when emergency medical personnel are needed. i. Identification and assessment of contraindications. j. Experiencing a physical restraint. 5. 6. 7. 8. Training will include post-testing in order to ensure competency in the above areas. The curriculum used to train staff will be documented and be made available on request. Annually, staff must attend a refresher course to remain certified. All staff utilizing ST/SM will be required to be CPR and First Aid certified. a. New staff certification will occur during orientation, unless the staff member is already certified. b. CPR and First Aid certifications must be renewed every two years, unless specified otherwise. 9. All administrative and support staff are trained on procedures for witnessing clients in crisis. Administrative and support staff are not permitted to use any ST/SM with the exception of Program Directors and the Agency’s Clinical Director. 10. Staff that have successfully completed the verbal technique and physical hold TCI training and hold current CPR and First Aid certificates are authorized to use ST/SM. Performance Improvement (PI) 1. Interventions are to be documented on appropriate forms and are reviewed by the staff member’s supervisor. Completed forms become part of the clinical record and are forwarded to the PI department. 2. Quality reviews and data analysis are performed by the PI Department. 3. The PI Department will review forms and the supervisors input and will update the Restraint Log accordingly. a. Content of the Restraint Log: i. Client name. ii. Account number. 5 iii. Age, gender and ethnicity of the child. iv. Date, start and end time, and duration of special treatment and safety measure used. v. Type of intervention (time-out, manual restraint). vi. Program intervention occurred in. vii. Names of staff involved in the intervention. b. The log will be maintained electronically, in a spreadsheet format to allow for data analysis. c. As required by the State and pursuant to OAC 5122.26.16, a log will be maintained for each incident of manual restraint and each incident of time-out that lasts longer than 15 minutes. The log will be maintained by the PI Department. 4. Monthly data are created, aggregated, and reviewed. a. Such information will include descriptive statistics that examine demographics, program characteristics, staff, and client thresholds. b. The Performance Improvement Specialist will identify clients and staff that have exceeded the restraint threshold to Program Directors on a monthly basis. c. The PI Committee reviews areas including, but not limited to, number of children restrained, number of minutes of restraint, restraints by demographic characteristics, and total number of restraints performed. d. The Performance Improvement Specialist aggregates data for each relevant Agency program. 5. Annually, the Agency will research current best practices related to behavior management and compare those practices to the current processes. Use of Time-Out 1. Time-out is to be used as a de-escalation technique that is part of the child’s ISP. Note: Children may ask for a time-out in order to manage their feelings and behavior. 2. Time-out is also to be used in response to sensory issues (over or under stimulation) and in response to safety issues, such as the antecedents to aggressive behavior. 3. Prior to initiating a time-out, staff should offer a less restrictive alternative such as moving to a quiet place within the room that programming is occurring. 4. If a child is unable to maintain their behavior, staff will direct the child to the hallway outside of the programming they are participating in. 5. If the child continues to be unable to maintain their behavior, staff will direct them to a separate quiet room. 6. The quiet room will not be locked and children should not be prevented from leaving the room. 7. Only one child at a time should be present in the quiet room. 8. Staff must continuously monitor the child through the period of time-out. 9. Every 15 minutes the client will be assessed to determine if time out should continue. 10. The child will have access to nutrition, hydration, and use of the lavatory (if requested) during the period of time-out. 11. After the child has de-escalated, staff must: a. Complete the Life Space Interview. b. Return the child to programming. 6 12. A Time-Out/Restraint form must be completed by the end of the work day. The completed form is to be given to the supervisor for review, which is forwarded to the PI Department upon the supervisor’s approval. Use of Manual Restraint 1. Manual restraint can only be used if it is indicated in the child’s Behavior Management/Safety Plan. 2. Manual restraint is to be used only as a response to an emergency situation where the child poses a safety risk to themselves or others. a. The goal is to assist the child with re-establishing internal and behavioral control and/or stopping a dangerous behavior. b. Manual restraint is to be used only when all less restrictive means (verbal directions and/or non-verbal prompts) have been ineffective and the child poses a risk to themselves and/or others. c. If the child is unable to de-escalate or continues to escalate, manual restraint should be applied according to TCI procedures. d. A TCI restraint should be completed by two trained staff members. Note: One staff member can perform the proper physical hold while the other staff member acts as a support witness, so long as both are TCI trained staff. 3. An AIR must be completed if only one staff member is involved and/or the second staff person is not TCI trained. 4. For children under the age of five, the child’s age has to be listed as a contraindicator on the Time-Out/Restraint form. 5. Restraints should not last longer than 15 minutes for children nine or under. 6. Restraints should not last longer than 30 minutes for children 10 and older. 7. In the case of chronic, high-risk or self-harming behaviors, extended time frames may be authorized by a physician, nurse, or qualified clinician. 8. Every 15 minutes, a client will be assessed by a physician, nurse, or qualified clinician for harmful health or psychological reactions. Vital signs, circulation, range of motion, nutrition, hydration, hygiene, toileting, and need for continued restraint should be reviewed. 9. After the child has de-escalated, staff must: a. Complete the Life Space Interview. b. Return the child to programming. c. Staff must also complete a Time-Out/Restraint immediately following the use of ST/SM. The completed form is to be given to staff’s supervisor for review and forwarded to the PI Department. d. A child’s parent/guardian is notified that the child had to be restrained via point sheet and phone call. Documentation 1. Each incident of time-out or manual restraint is to be documented on the TimeOut/Restraint form and maintained in the child’s clinical record. a. Content of the form includes: i. Demographic information. ii. Medications. iii. Contraindicators. 7 iv. v. vi. vii. viii. ix. x. xi. xii. xiii. 2. 3. 4. ST/SM type. Description of precipitating behavior. Less restrictive interventions that were attempted. Explanation to the child regarding the reason for implementation of the intervention and the required behaviors of the child that would indicate sufficient behavioral control. Description of child’s response to the intervention. Description of post-intervention processing with the child. Review of child’s plan to maintain control and return to programming. Notation that relevant contraindications were reviewed if a manual restraint was utilized. Assessment for the need for ambulating, fluid intake, toileting, and other needs if a manual restraint was utilized. Documentation of any injury if a manual restraint was utilized. Debriefing will be documented on the Restraint Form when a manual restraint occurs and becomes part of the child’s clinical record. An AIR will be completed whenever there is an incident that poses a risk to a staff member or client, when an abnormal incident occurs, and when a one person restraint is conducted. Each program director will have the appropriate forms available for staff. Forms will also be available to staff through the Agency Intranet. 4.0 SVFC POLICY INTERACTIONS 5.0 FORMS AND STORAGE LOCATION 6.0 Time-Out/Restraint form Adverse Incident form REGULATORY STANDARDS/INTERFACES, RESOURCES & REFERENCES (TO INCLUDE COA, ADAMH, ODJFS, ODAMH etc.) OAC: 5122.26.16 OAC: 5122.30 COA: BSM Standard 8