216-40-10 R.I. Code R. § 25.5

Current through June 12, 2024

Section 216-RICR-40-10-25.5 - Management of Services

25.5.1Selection of Clients

A. Each Center must have a policy and procedure that includes, at minimum, the following:

1. Client eligibility criteria;

2. Client termination criteria and process; and

3. Client denial of services criteria.

B. Clients shall be anonymous and shall not be asked to present identification to utilize Center drug consumption services.

C. Clients are only permitted to consume drugs they have brought to the Center. Clients are prohibited from sharing, exchanging, or selling drugs at the Center.

D. Staff are prohibited from assisting clients with consumption of drugs that the client has brought into the Center. Clients are prohibited from assisting other clients with drug consumption.

25.5.2Client Orientation

A. The Center must have a process to ensure each person using the Center has information pertaining to no less than:

1. The philosophy and goals of the Center;

2. Services available directly at the Center;

3. Services provided through consultation and referrals;

4. Policies and procedures including:

a. Drug usage and sharing policy;

b. Disposal of paraphernalia;

c. Confidentiality and anonymity; and

d. Client termination criteria and process.

5. Client denial of services criteria.

25.5.3Services && Referrals

A. The Harm Reduction Center must provide at a minimum the following services:

1. Drug consumption;

2. Harm reduction education/training and supplies; and

3. Needle exchange.

B. The Harm Reduction Center must provide referrals for counseling or other medical treatment that may be appropriate for clients utilizing the Harm Reduction Center.

C. Harm Reduction Centers must make available additional referrals and information to serve the needs of their client population, such as, but not limited to, the following:

1. Basic needs (clothes, food, COVID-19 supplies, etc.) referrals and supplies;

2. Referrals to housing services;

3. Referrals to employment services; and

4. Referrals to legal services.

25.5.4Drug Checking

A. Harm Reduction Centers are permitted to offer drug checking/testing of client's pre-acquired substances. Drug checking/testing includes the use of fentanyl test strips or other means of drug testing as available. Clients are permitted to utilize their own drug checking/testing supplies, and Center staff may assist as needed.

1. Unless using tests that have been approved to detect quantity and potency, clients utilizing the Center's drug checking resource must be notified at the time of testing that testing methods measure the presence of certain types of drugs, depending on the test being used, but do not measure the quantity or potency of the drug present in a sample and that even if the test returns a negative result, the sample may nonetheless contain an undesirable substance at a lower concentration than can be detected or an analog of the substance not detected by the test.

25.5.5Client Records Clients shall be anonymous for Harm Reduction Center Services. Centers are required to assign a non-identifying ID to allow for population-level tracking and reporting of service utilization as prescribed by the Department.

25.5.6Infection Control

A. A mechanism shall be established by the Medical Director for the development of infection control policies and procedures which shall pertain to no less than:

1. Infection surveillance activities;

2. Sanitation and disinfection of all client areas;

3. Handling and disposal of medical waste and contaminants;

4. Reporting, recording, and evaluating occurrences of infections.

B. The Center shall report promptly to the Department infectious diseases which may present a potential hazard to clients, personnel, and the public in accordance with Part 30-05-1 of this Title, Reporting and Testing of Infectious, Environmental, and Occupational Diseases.

25.5.7Emergencies

A. Each Center must have policies and procedures for responding to life-threatening emergencies such as drug overdose, respiratory arrest, and cardiac arrest and other emergencies such as fire, loss of power, and hurricanes.

1. In the event of a life-threatening emergency or death the Center must call 911.

B. The Harm Reduction Center Director must develop rapid response protocols for addressing community/neighborhood concerns and must have designated community liaison representatives.

216 R.I. Code R. § 216-RICR-40-10-25.5

Adopted effective 2/16/2022