SECTION 448.910. Treatment Services for Women and Children

(a) Clients shall receive gender-specific services in female-only specialized programs.

(b) When appropriate, pre-admission service coordination shall be provided to reduce barriers to treatment, enhance motivation, stabilize life situations, and facilitate engagement in treatment.

(c) Services shall address relationship issues, including past or current experience with sexual, physical, and emotional abuse.

(d) Providers shall develop and implement a mechanism to ensure that all direct care staff in programs that treat women and children have the knowledge, skills, and abilities to provide services to women and children, as they relate to the individual's job duties. Providers must be able to demonstrate through documented training, credentials and/or experience that all direct care staff are proficient in areas pertaining to the needs of and provision of services to women and children.

(e) Individuals responsible for the planning and supervision of the program shall participate in at least 15 clock hours of training annually in understanding children, child development, and/or early childhood education.

(f) Clients shall receive access to appropriate primary medical care, including prenatal care and reproductive health education and services.

(g) Pregnant clients, women with children in custody, and women with dependent children shall receive parenting education and support services.

(h) Women and their dependent children shall be treated as a unit, and both the woman and her children will be admitted into treatment when appropriate.

(i) Children shall receive services to address their needs and support healthy development, including primary pediatric care, early childhood intervention services, substance abuse prevention services, and/or other therapeutic interventions.

(j) Facilities housing children shall comply with the provisions of 40 TEX. ADMIN. CODE ch. 746 (2003)(relating to Minimum Standards for Child-Care Centers) set forth below:

(1) Subchapter B, Administration and Communication §§746.307(a)(b), 746.405(a)(1)(2)(3) and 746.501(6-16)

(2) Subchapter C, Record Keeping, §§746.603(a)(3)-(6), 746.605-627, 746.801(22) and 746.901(3)

(3) Subchapter D, Personnel §§746.1105(2) and 746.1303(2)(3)

(4) Subchapter E, Child/Caregiver Ratios and Group Sizes §§746.1501-2117

(5) Subchapter G, Basic Care Requirements for Children with Special Care Needs §746.2301

(6) Subchapter H, Basic Care Requirements for Infants §§746.2401-2429

(7) Subchapter I, Basic Care Requirements for Toddlers §§746.2501-2509

(8) Subchapter J, Basic Care Requirements for Pre-Kindergarten Age Children §§746.2601-2607

(9) Subchapter K, Basic Care Requirements for School-age Children §§746.2701-2707

(10) Subchapter L, Discipline and Guidance §§746.2801-2813

(11) Subchapter N, Field Trips §746.3001(1)(8)

(12) Subchapter Q, Nutrition and Food Service §§746.3301, 746.3307 and 746.3311

(13) Subchapter R, Health Practices §§746.3407, 746.3423, 746.3501 and 746.3503

(14) Subchapter S, Safety Practices §§746.3701, 746.3709 and 746.3901-4101

(15) Subchapter T, Physical Facilities §§746.4201, 746.4217, 746.4301, 746.4305-4309, 746.4419-4501, 746.4505 and 746.4509

(16) Subchapter U, Outdoor Safety and Play Equipment §§746.4601-4913

(17) Subchapter V, Swimming Pools and Wading/Splashing Pools §§746.5001-5015

(k) The facility shall adopt program specific rules regarding child care.

(1) These program rules will include provisions addressing:

(A) clients supervising the children of other clients, and

(B) opportunities for indoor and outdoor activities for the children.

(2) The facility shall not allow a client to supervise more than two additional children at any time.

(3) The facility shall provide each client with a copy of these program rules within 24 hours of admission.

(4) Off-site contracted daycare providers shall be licensed by the Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory Services.

(5) If a program has an attendance of more than 30 children at lunch or dinner time, staff shall be provided for meal preparation, serving and cleanup. The staff providing meal services shall not be included in staff to child ratios during this time.

(l) The program shall assist the parent/guardian as necessary to ensure educational opportunities for school age children in accordance with the requirements of the Texas Education Agency.

(m) School age children shall have access and transport to school.

(n) The program shall document any services provided to children, including daycare and community support. The record shall document the child's developmental, physical, emotional, social, and educational needs, and family background and current status.

Source Note: The provisions of this §448.910 adopted to be effective September 1, 2004, 29 TexReg 2020; transferred effective September 1, 2004, as published in the Texas Register September 10, 2004, 29 TexReg 8842