La. Admin. Code tit. 48 § I-5094

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 8, August 20, 2024

Section I-5094 - Operational Requirements for the Supervised Independent Living Module

A. A provider shall ensure that the living situation is freely selected by the client from among non-disability specific settings. An SIL residence may be owned or leased by either the provider or the client. At the expense of the owner or lessee, a provider shall ensure that the living situation shall be:

1. accessible and functional, considering any physical limitations or other disability of the client;

2. free from any hazard to the health or safety of the client;

3. properly equipped with accommodations for activities of daily living;

4. in compliance with applicable health, safety, sanitation and zoning codes;

5. a living situation that affords the client's individual privacy, including the ability to lock entrance doors;

6. arranged such that if there is more than one client in the living situation, the living environment does not conflict with the individual ISP of either client;

7. equipped with a functional kitchen area including space for food storage and a preparation area;

8. equipped with a functional private full bathroom. There shall be at least one full or half bathroom for every two clients residing at the SIL;

9. equipped with a living area;

10. equipped with an efficiency bedroom space or a separate private bedroom with a door that locks from the inside for privacy, if not contraindicated by a condition of the client residing in the room:

a. There shall be at least one bedroom for each two unrelated clients living in the SIL;

b. Each client shall have the right to choose whether or not to share a bedroom and a bed with another client;

11. equipped with hot and cold water faucets that are easily identifiable. If an assessment has been made that the client is at risk of scalding, the hot water heater shall be adjusted accordingly;

12. equipped with functional utilities, including:

a. water;

b. sewer; and

c. electricity;

13. equipped with functional air conditioning and heating units which is capable of maintaining an ambient temperature between 65 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit throughout the SIL;

14. kept in a clean, comfortable home-like environment;

15. equipped with the following furnishings if owned or leased by a provider:

a. a bed unit per client which includes a frame, clean mattress and clean pillow;

b. a private dresser or similar storage area for personal belongings that is readily accessible to the resident. There shall be one dresser per client;

c. one closet, permanent or portable, to store clothing or aids to physical functioning, if any, which is readily accessible to the resident. There shall be one closet per bedroom;

d. a minimum of two chairs per client;

e. a table for dining;

f. window treatments to ensure privacy; and

g. adequate light in each room, hallway and entry to meet the requirements of the activities that occur in those areas; and

16. equipped with functional smoke detectors and a fire extinguisher.

B. A provider shall ensure that any client placed in the living situation has:

1. 24-hour access to a working telephone in the SIL;

2. access to transportation;

3. access to any services in the client's approved ISP; and

4. privacy within their living and sleeping units.

C. The department shall have the right to inspect the SIL and client's living situation as deemed necessary.

D. An SIL provider shall ensure that no more than four unrelated clients are placed in an apartment, house or other single living unit utilized as a supervised independent living situation.

1. A SIL living situation shall make allowances for the needs of each client to ensure reasonable privacy which shall not conflict with the program plan of any resident of the living situation.

2. No clients shall be placed together in a living situation against their choice. The consent of each client shall be documented in the clients' record.

E. Supervision

1. For purposes of this Section, a supervisor is defined as a person, so designated by the provider agency, due to experience and expertise relating to needs of client's with developmental disabilities.

2. A supervisor shall have a minimum of two documented contacts per week with the client. The weekly contacts may be made by telephone, adaptive communication technology or other alternative means of communication. There shall be documentation of what was discussed with the client and any outcomes.

a. The supervisor shall have a minimum of one face-to-face contact per month with the client in the client's home. The frequency of the face-to-face contacts shall be based on the client's needs. There shall be documentation of what was discussed with the client and any outcomes.

b. In the event that the client has been admitted to a hospital or other inpatient facility, a face-to-face contact in the facility may substitute for a face-to-face contact in the client's home.

c. Providers may make as many contacts in a day as are necessary to meet the needs of the client. However, only one of those contacts will be accepted as having met one of the two documented weekly contacts or the one monthly face-to-face contact.

3. Attempted contacts are unacceptable and will not count towards meeting the requirements.

F. In addition to the core licensing requirements, the SIL provider shall:

1. provide assistance to the client in obtaining and maintaining housing;

2. allow participation in the development, administration and oversight of the client's service plan to assure its effectiveness in meeting the client's needs;

3. assure that bill payment is completed timely in accordance with the individual service plan, if applicable; and

4. assure that staff receive training in identifying health and safety issues including, but not limited to, scald prevention.

G. An SIL provider shall assess the following in conjunction with the client or client's legal representative when selecting the location of the SIL situation for the client:

a. risks associated with the location;

b. client cost;

c. proximity to the client's family and friends;

d. access to transportation;

e. proximity to health care and related services;

f. client choice;

g. proximity to the client's place of employment; and

h. access to community services.

La. Admin. Code tit. 48, § I-5094

Promulgated by the Department of Health and Hospitals, Bureau of Health Services Financing, LR 38:93 (January 2012), Amended by the Department of Health, Bureau of Health Services Financing, LR 432521 (12/1/2017).

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 36:254 and R.S. 40:2120.1.