Section 52.59. Respite care services programs.

 

(1)   Applicability. A residential care center for children and youth may operate a respite care services program with approval of the department. A residential care center for children and youth that chooses to provide respite care services shall comply with the provisions of this chapter except as stated in this section.

(2)   Definitions. In this section:

(a) "Respite care" means temporary care for a child with a disability or special care need, usually on behalf of a parent or regular caregiver for the purpose of providing relief to the parent or regular caregiver from the extraordinary and intensive demands of providing ongoing care for the child, but also for when a parent or regular caregiver may be at risk of abusing a child due to stress and, therefore, requires relief from caregiver duties, or the parent or regular caregiver is in a crisis situation that can be alleviated by providing temporary relief from caregiver duties.

(b) "Respite care services episode" or "episode" means a period of time during which respite care is provided to a parent or regular caregiver by placing a child, otherwise under the parent's or regular caregiver's care, at a residential care center.

(c) "Respite care services program" means a center-provided program of respite care services for a child with a disability or special need on behalf of a parent or regular caregiver and includes, for the child, individualized personal care and services at the level necessary to meet the child's immediate needs, along with room and board provided in comfortable surroundings.

(3)   Exceptions for respite care programs. Respite care programs shall comply with all provisions of this chapter except the following:

(a) Section DCF 52.21 (1) , (2) , (5) (a) and (8) (a) .

(b) Sections DCF 52.22 and 52.23 .

(c) Section DCF 52.41 .

(d) Section DCF 52.49 (2) (b) 1. a. to g. and 3.

(4)   Program statement. A center accepting respite care clients shall have a program statement describing its respite care services program. The program statement shall cover at minimum all of the following:

(a) The purposes for which respite care is provided and the type of population served.

(b) Specific center assessment procedures and services available for care arrangements in assisting a child admitted for respite care.

(c) Compatibility of the respite care services program component with other programs of the center.

(d) Staffing arrangements for respite care services.

(e) Health care arrangements for respite care placements, including the process for securing medical authorizations for general and emergency medical care including surgery.

(f) Recreational activities and programming for respite care placements.

(5)   Admissions. A center operating a respite care services program shall have all of the following written policies and procedures for admission of a prospective respite care resident:

(a) A policy regarding the type of respite care children who can be served, such as those who are emotionally disturbed, physically handicapped, medically needy or developmentally disabled, including the specific types of developmental disabilities served.

(b) Procedures for screening children referred for respite care to ensure that they are appropriate for the center's respite care program.

(c) Procedures for obtaining parent or guardian written consents for emergency medical care and authorization for administration of medications.

(d)

1. Procedures for obtaining from the parent or other regular caregiver necessary and essential information for the temporary care of the child, which may include medical, behavioral, dietary, or emotional concerns and appropriate responses or instructions. Assessment shall cover at minimum the following areas: eating, toileting, mobility, communication, health problems, behavioral issues, socialization, supervision needs, and personal self-help.

2. Procedures for obtaining identifying information at the time of admission on the child and his or her family and information about current special needs of the child, including usual day activities; transportation arrangements; any appointments; current health problems; special equipment used; communication issues; behavioral issues; eating habits, schedule and preferences; sleeping habits and any usual bedtime routine; toileting concerns; safety concerns; discipline or behavioral management recommendations; preferred leisure time activities; and any other comments from the parent or regular caregiver.

(e) Procedures as described under s. DCF 52.21 (7) for orienting a child to the center's respite care program, available care staff and room arrangements, and assisting the child in any adjustment issues to the child's temporary stay.

(f) Procedures for assigning specific care staff to a respite care child.

(g) Procedures for contacting the parent or other regular caregiver regarding care questions or in emergency situations.

(h) A policy on who may pick up the child or youth at the end of respite care and policies and procedures for establishing the date and time at which the child or youth is to be picked up.

(i) Procedures for making a record of all of the child's personal belongings and medications upon arrival at the center.

(j) Procedures for maintaining a log with dates of all respite care episodes for each child.

(6)   Staffing. A center shall assign a staff person to have primarily responsibility for the center's respite care services program. This person shall have experience in serving the type of disability or population the center serves. Staff-to-child ratios shall at minimum meet the ratio as otherwise prescribed in s. DCF 52.12 or be as needed to meet the needs of the respite care persons in care. The responsible staff person shall have access to medical, psychiatric, dietary and social services consultation as needed.

(7)   Written care plan.

(a) Written care plan. A center shall develop a written plan of care for each child admitted to the center for respite care.

(b) Planning for the child.

1. The written care plan shall be prepared in consultation with the child's parent or other regular caregiver and prior to placement, except if the reason for placement is of a crisis emergency nature.

2. The written care plan shall provide for necessary service supports to meet social, emotional adjustment, medical, and dietary needs; physical environment accommodation; means for the respite care child to contact his or her parent or other regular caregiver; accommodations to meet physical disabilites such as requiring, if needed by the child or youth, a TTY device for the hearing impaired, handrails, or visual devices; and a planned variety of recreational activities. The educational needs of the child shall be attended to while in placement as prescribed by the parent or other regular caregiver.

(c) Length of stay. A respite care placement shall not extend beyond 9 days per episode unless department approval is first obtained.

(8)   Discharge. When a child is discharged from respite care, the residential care center shall document all of the following in the child's respite care record:

(a) The dates of the child's stay, a summary of the child's stay with any significant incidents noted, and the name of the person to whom the child was discharged.

(b) A list of all personal belongings, medications, and medical equipment that went with the child upon discharge.

(9)   Training and evaluation.

(a) Training.

1. Training for staff of a respite care services program shall include training in the areas of arranging for transitional care and transitional placement planning principles and methods.

2. Staff shall have respite care training designed around the specific needs of individuals for which care is provided, such as autism, epilepsy, cerebral palsy and mental retardation. As part of this training, staff who have not already had some experience working with the type of individual to be cared for shall have at least 8 hours of supervised experience by someone who is knowledgeable in working with the type of individual or more than 8 hours if necessary to ensure the provision of competent care.

(b) Evaluation. After each respite care episode, a residential care center shall evaluate the care provided through a survey to be completed by the parent or other regular caregiver and, if possible, the child. The center shall use the survey information to improve, as necessary, its respite care services program and shall keep these surveys on file for one year from their completion.

(10)   Client records. A center with a respite care services program shall meet the resident record requirements found under this section and under s. DCF 52.49 , except requirements under s. DCF 52.49 (2) (b) 1. a. to g. and 3. A respite care resident's record shall include all documentation required under this section.

History: Cr. Register, February, 2000, No. 530 , eff. 9-1-00; corrections in (3), (5) (e), (6) and (10) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7. , Stats., Register November 2008 No. 635 ; CR 14-054 : am. (2) (a) to (c), (4) (b), (5) (a), (b), (d) 1., 2., (e), (f), (i), (7) (a), (b), (8), (9) (b) Register April 2015 No. 712 , eff. 5-1-15.