Ariz. Admin. Code § 21-7-231

Current through Register Vol. 31, No. 2, January 10, 2025

Section R21-7-231 - Sleeping Arrangements; Areas; Furnishings

A. The licensee shall provide a child in care with a bedroom.

1. The licensee shall not use mobile dwellings or vehicles as sleeping quarters.

2. The licensee shall provide a child with bedroom space that:

a. Has a direct source of natural light; and

b. Provides at least three feet of floor space between beds and is a minimum:

i. 74 square foot floor area for a single occupant;

ii. 50 square foot floor area for each occupant in a multiple sleeping area; or

iii. 40 square foot floor area for each crib.

3. The licensee shall provide each child with an individual bed that:

a. Is not a sleeper sofa, rollaway bed, couch, cot, mat, bassinet, infant swing, infant rocker, or a portable crib such as a Pack 'n Play;

b. Is proportional to the child's height;

c. Is proportional to the child's weight and at least 30 inches wide;

d. Has a solidly constructed bed frame that is in good condition, free from defects, and keeps the mattress off the floor;

e. All mattresses shall be:

i. Sanitary and free from stains,

ii. Free from holes and tears,

iii. Free from protruding springs or mattress foam,

iv. In service less than seven years from the date of purchase and in good condition, and

v. Replaced if required by the Department.

4. If the licensee uses a bunk bed or similar style bed in which the top of the mattress is elevated four or more feet above the floor:

a. The bed shall be limited to a double bunk;

b. Shall have sufficient head room to allow the occupant on a top tier to sit up;

c. The top tier shall have guard rails that extend at least five inches above the mattress surface;

d. The top tier shall have cross ties under the mattress foundation;

e. The top tier shall be securely fastened to the side frames; and

f. A child in care less than the age of six years, has a disability that limits mobility, or has a seizure disorder shall not sleep on the elevated mattress.

5. The licensee shall use only cribs that have:

a. Bars or slats no more than 2 3/8 inches apart;

b. A mattress that fits snugly into the crib frame so that there is no space between the mattress and frame;

c. No pillows, blankets, bumper pads, or other soft items or surfaces; and

d. No openings through which a child could place their head.

6. The licensee shall provide sheets, pillowcases, and blankets for each child and shall:

a. Ensure bedding is clean and in good repair, without tears or stains;

b. Ensure that sheets and pillowcases are washed at least weekly and more frequently if necessary; and

c. Use water resistant bedding when necessary.

7. The licensee shall provide each child with a dresser or other storage space adequate to contain the child's belongings and a designated space for hanging clothing in the child's bedroom.

8. The licensee shall not have locks on a child's bedroom door.

9. The child shall not share a bed.

10. A child in care, age 6 or older, shall not share a bedroom with a child of the opposite gender.

11. A child in care shall not share a bedroom with an adult or young adult unless one of the conditions listed in this subsection is met:

a. The child is sharing a room with their parent.

b. The child's service plan contains specific reasons and authorization for a shared bedroom from the Placing Entity, or if there is no Placing Entity, the parent or guardian who placed the child.

c. The child has a temporary need for special adult care during sleeping hours and the need is verified by a licensed medical professional and documented in the child's service plan.

d. The child has regularly shared a bedroom with another child in the licensee's care who has reached age 18, and the Placing Entity, or if there is no Placing Entity, the parent or guardian who placed the child, and licensee agree that continuing the shared arrangement is in the best interests of both the child and the young adult.

B. If a child in care has a documented record of behavior that poses a risk to other children, the licensee, in consultation with the Placing Entity, or if there is no Placing Entity, the parent or guardian who placed the child, shall develop special sleeping arrangements for that child, to minimize the risk of harm to other children. The licensee shall document the arrangements in the child's service plan.

Ariz. Admin. Code § R21-7-231

New Section made by final rulemaking at 29 A.A.R. 2231, effective 11/6/2023.