N.J. Admin. Code § 3A:56-3.10

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 23, December 2, 2024

Section 3A:56-3.10 - Quality assurance (QA) for psychiatric community homes for children

(a) Each psychiatric community home for children shall maintain an ongoing and systematic process to monitor and evaluate important aspects of care with participation by all levels of staff. This process shall be written and referred to as the QA plan.

1. The QA plan shall describe outcome indicators, evaluation criteria and procedures for monitoring problem correction.

2. The QA plan shall include the review of open and closed records to evaluate the quality and appropriateness of treatment and compliance with documentation requirements.

3. The QA plan shall describe the process, frequency and criteria for case selection.

4. The QA plan shall identify the persons responsible for QA activities and the administrative structure for QA oversight and implementation.

(b) Each QA plan shall include a risk management (RM) component, which shall address areas that are deemed to be high risk, high volume or problem prone. The RM component shall include, but is not limited to:

1. The monitoring of the home's or agency's policies and procedures regarding the use of medication and restrictive behavior management practices;

2. The monitoring of life/safety aspects of the program site;

3. An incident review and reporting procedure that will allow for the analysis of client and staff incidents to identify patterns and trends or opportunities to improve client care, staff safety and to reduce agency liability risks;

4. Development of an infection control policy and monitoring of the implementation of the policy; and

5. The review and process to address client complaints, grievances and suggestions.

(c) Each QA plan shall include a utilization review (UR) component, which shall review the appropriateness of admissions and continued stays in a program. The UR component shall include, but not be limited to:

1. Written criteria developed for admission and continued stays for each program service;

2. Written criteria developed for the processing of inappropriate admissions and continued stays. This shall include a description of the process to appropriately terminate or transfer clients meeting the criteria of inappropriate admission and continued stays;

3. Criteria developed to assess the length of stay, using professionally accepted clinical treatment norms and the treatment philosophy of the home or agency; and

4. Documenting the reasons in the client's record for continued service for a client who exceeds the identified length of stay.

(d) The QA plan shall be reviewed and evaluated for effectiveness on an annual basis.

N.J. Admin. Code § 3A:56-3.10

Administrative Change, 49 N.J.R. 98a.

Amended by 50 N.J.R. 135(a), effective 1/2/2018