N.J. Admin. Code § 10:37I-5.6

Current through Register Vol. 57, No. 1, January 6, 2025

Section 10:37I-5.6 - Service planning and services to be provided

(a) IFSS PAs shall include single family consultations in the service package they offer to families.

1. Single family consultations shall be scheduled in the family home or other sites and at times convenient to the family.

2. Single family consultations shall include, but not be limited to, individualized strategies for coping, problem solving, support, education, direct assistance, referral and advocacy.

3. IFSS staff shall provide the type of information related to the goals of the IFSS program, as delineated in N.J.A.C. 10:37I-5.1(b) to family members according to their individual needs.

4. IFSS PAs shall have mechanisms in place to respond to a family in crisis during off-hours including evenings and weekends.

(b) IFSS PAs shall include psychoeducational groups in the service package they offer to families.

1. Psychoeducation groups shall be conducted according to the principles of evidence-based, best and/or promising practices and shall at a minimum include the following:

i. Support for the family including exploration of feelings and attitudes about the illness and its impact on the loved one;

ii. Clear presentations about the biological causes of specific mental disorders, as well as facts about how the illness is likely to affect the ill family member's thinking, feelings and behaviors;

iii. Review of positive and negative symptoms of mental illness, along with discussions of methods of symptom management;

iv. Explanations of the role of medication in the management of mental illness, including discussions of the major drug classes and their therapeutic and side effects;

v. Reduction of relapse and rehospitalization by enlisting families in early identification of prodromal symptoms;

vi. Training in coping and stress reduction strategies, minimally including limit setting, problem solving and communication techniques;

vii. Adjustment of family expectations concerning the social functioning of the family member with a serious mental illness and introduction of the idea of incremental progress and recovery, rather than cure;

viii. Education about the role of the mental health system and strategies to promote continuity of care;

ix. Attempts to increase family social support networks in order to reduce isolation;

x. Information about other available resources, such as residential and substance abuse programs and self-help groups; and

xi. Strategies for future planning, such as estate management and guardianship, and vocational options.

2. Groups shall be geographically, linguistically and culturally accessible to eligible families.

3. Groups shall be scheduled at times convenient for family participation.

4. The NAMI-NJ Family to Family Education Program shall be made an option for families receiving IFSS. The schedule of IFSS psychoeducation series and NAMI New Jersey's Family to Family Education program shall be coordinated, where both services are available.

(c) Additional services shall be offered to families based on local and individual family needs as determined by families in consultation with the PA. Consultation with local family groups on the menu of services offered shall occur annually.

1. The PA shall identify existing resources or develop new ones in response to family requests for assistance which may change over time.

2. If needed, additional services may include, but not be limited to, the following:

i. Respite services which may be provided in the home, out of the home and as a day, evening or overnight service;

ii. Family support groups including specialized groups targeted to parents, children, spouses;

iii. Advocacy; and

iv. Referral/linkage.

N.J. Admin. Code § 10:37I-5.6

Recodified from N.J.A.C. 10:37I-5.7 and amended by R.2003 d.475, effective 12/15/2003.
See: 35 N.J.R. 3011(a), 35 N.J.R. 5553(b).
In (c)2, substituted "If needed, additional" for "Additional" preceding "services". Former N.J.A.C. 10:37I-5.6, Criteria for termination of services, recodified to N.J.A.C. 10:37I-5.5.
Amended by R.2009 d.186, effective 6/15/2009.
See: 40 N.J.R. 6898(b), 41 N.J.R. 2476(a).
In (a)2, deleted "linkage and" preceding "advocacy"; in (a)3, inserted "the type of" and "related to the goals of the IFSS program, as delineated in N.J.A.C. 10:37I-5.1(b)", and deleted the last two sentences; in the introductory paragraph of (b)1, inserted "be conducted according to the principles of evidence-based, best and/or promising practices and shall"; in (b)1iii, inserted "positive and negative", and deleted "including positive and negative ones," preceding "along"; and in (b)1vii, deleted "patient's" preceding "social", and inserted "of the family member with a serious mental illness".