N.Y. Comp. Codes R. & Regs. tit. 9 § 168.2

Current through Register Vol. 46, No. 51, December 18, 2024

Section 168.2 - Standards relating to the use of room confinement

(a) Definition of room confinement. For the purpose of this Part, the term room confinement shall mean confinement of a child in a room, including the child's own room, when locked or when the child is authoritatively told not to leave.

(b) Room confinement shall not be used as punishment. It shall be used only in cases where a child constitutes a serious and evident danger to himself or others. It is not to be considered, in itself, as a method or technique of treatment.

(c) Place of confinement--environmental needs. Places of confinement within the institution shall be designated by the institution superintendent (or director) and approved by the deputy director of rehabilitation services or his designee. The place of confinement shall be lighted, heated and ventilated the same as other comparable living areas in the institution.

(d) Required furniture and furnishings within the place of confinement. The place of confinement shall be furnished with the items necessary for the health and comfort of the occupant, including, but not limited to, a bed, chair, desk or chest, mattress, pillow, sheet and blanket. If the possession of any of these items would be detrimental to the safety of the occupant or others, they may be removed during that period upon authorization by the superintendent (or director) or the acting superintendent (or director).

(e) Authorization of room confinement. Room confinement shall be authorized only by the superintendent (or director) or the acting superintendent (or director). Authorization should be obtained prior to actual placement in room confinement. In instances where immediate physical restraint is clearly necessary, authorization must be obtained within 15 minutes of lock-up.

(f) Maximum period of confinement. The maximum period of confinement shall not exceed 24 consecutive hours without the approval of the deuty director of rehabilitation services or designee within the bureau.

(g) Visitation. For the purpose of this Part, a visit shall mean actual entry into the room of confinement with the child or removal of the child from the room of confinement for the purpose of discussion or counseling. A visit shall not include routine visual checks or discussion through the door or window of the confinement room. Children in room confinement shall be visited at least once each day by the following institutional personnel:

(1) Administrative staff--a person at least at the level of senior youth, division counselor assistant director of cottage program or higher.

(2) Clinical staff--psychiatrist, psychologist, social worker.

(3) Medical staff--a nurse or physician shall examine the child in room confinement on a daily basis.

A record of visits shall be maintained by the school (or center) on forms designated by the division and shall be posted on the door of the confinement room during the entire period of confinement.

(h) Reading materials. Educational and recreational reading materials shall be provided within the first 24 hours unless the superintendent (or director) or acting superintendent (or director) shall determine that such materials shall be detrimental to the child's rehabilitation. These materials shall be provided on a daily basis thereafter.

(i) Recreation and exercise. For the purpose of this Part, recreation and exercise shall be defined as an activity taking place outside the room of confinement and shall mean to include, sports, athletics, games, light physical exercise and like activities. It shall not include hard labor, unduly arduous exercise and other activities of a generally unpleasant or punishing nature. Recreation and exercise shall be provided on a daily basis for at least one prescribed period of not less than 30 minutes unless the superintendent (or director) or acting superintendent (or director) shall authorize its deletion upon determination that such a liberty would present a serious and evident danger to the child or others.

(j) Reports of room confinement. Schools and centers must report each instance of room confinement, lasting more than one hour, on forms designated by the division. Every instance where physical or medical restraints are used shall be reported on these forms, regardless of the length of time of the subsequent confinement. Reports are to be submitted on a weekly basis to the director of the bureau of children's institutional services. For the purpose of this Part, a week begins on a Monday and ends on a Sunday. Reports are to be submitted on or before Tuesday of the following week. A copy of each report shall be sent to the ombudsman assigned to that institution.

(k) Consecutive periods of room confinement.

(1) Any student who is returned to room confinement within six hours of his release shall be considered to have been in continuous room confinement for purposes of reporting and seeking central office approval; however, a notation as to unsuccessful efforts to return the student to program should be made so that an accurate description of the confinement is available.

(2) Return to room confinement after a lapse of six hours from the time of release shall be considered as commencing a new period of room confinement for the purpose of reporting and seeking central office approval.

(3) Manipulation of consecutive periods of room confinement to evade reporting and approval requirements, or to evade the spirit of the division's regulations, is prohibited.

(l) Review and request for extension of room confinement. A review of the necessity for continued room confinement shall be made prior to the beginning of each new 24 hour period by the superintendent (or director) or acting superintendent (or director). Room confinement may be extended beyond the 24 hours only with the approval of the deputy director of rehabilitation services or designee. Approval shall be obtained prior to the beginning of each 24 hour period. Initially, such requests may be made orally (by telephone). The request must then be submitted in writing on forms designated by the division. This written request must be forwarded to the deputy director of rehabilitation services or his designee within 24 hours of the oral request.

(m) Every effort shall be made to return the child to the regular program of care as quickly as possible.

N.Y. Comp. Codes R. & Regs. Tit. 9 § 168.2