Section DHS 61.78 - Additional requirements for programs serving children and adolescents - introduction and personnel(1) INTRODUCTION. The following standards have been developed for community mental health services for children and adolescents. Except for the substitution of minimal hourly requirements, these standards are intended to be in addition to ss. DHS 61.70 through 61.77 and are consistent with those stated in Standards for Psychiatric Facilities Serving Children and Adolescents, published by the American Psychiatric Association; and the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals. Planning psychiatric facilities and services for children and adolescents is difficult and complex. These standards are intended to insure a continuity of care notwithstanding the complexities involved. To accomplish this each service must: (a) Consider the children and adolescents' development needs as well as the demands of the illness;(b) Have cognizance of the vital meaning to children and adolescents that group and peer relationships provide;(c) Recognize the central importance of cognitive issues and educational experiences;(d) Recognize the children and adolescents' relative dependence on adults;(e) Place some importance on the children and adolescents receiving repeated recognition for accomplishments;(f) Provide an individualized treatment program by so structuring the environment to allow for optimal maturational, emotional and chronological growth.(2) PERSONNEL REQUIREMENTS. The following personnel requirements are relevant only to children and adolescents' services and are applicable for each program. These requirements are in addition to the personnel qualifications listed in the General Provisions of Standards for Community Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Alcoholism and Other Drug Abuse Services, ss. DHS 61.01 to 61.24. (a)Psychiatry. Special effort shall be made to procure the services of a child psychiatrist who is licensed to practice medicine in the state of Wisconsin and is either board eligible or certified in child psychiatry by the American board of psychiatry and neurology. If a child psychiatrist is unobtainable, special effort shall be made to procure a psychiatrist who has had a minimum of 2 years clinical experience working with children and adolescents.(b)Nursing service.1. Registered nurses and licensed practical nurses. Special effort shall be made to procure the services of registered nurses and practical nurses who have had training in psychiatric nursing. A portion of this training shall have been with emotionally disturbed children and adolescents.2. Aides, child care workers and other paraprofessionals. Each service shall make a special effort to recruit the aides, child care workers and paraprofessionals who have the following background. a. College or university credit or non-credit courses related to child care.b. Vocational courses planned for child development.c. High school diploma and experience in children or adolescents' related activities.(c)Activity therapy. Each program, excluding outpatient, shall provide at least one full-time activity therapist. In addition to having formal training in children and adolescents' growth and development, preference shall be given to those professionals who have had clinical training or professional experience with emotionally disturbed children and adolescents.(d)Social service. The social worker shall have had 2 years experience working with children and adolescents.(e)Psychological service. Each service shall employ or contract for the service of a clinical psychologist who shall have the appropriate experience in the area of children and adolescents. Providers of psychological services who do not meet these requirements shall be supervised by a qualified psychologist.(f)Educational service. Each child and adolescent service shall have associated with that service at least one teacher either employed by the service or by a local educational agency.(g)In-service. All personnel shall participate in a documented in-service education program at a minimum of 48 hours per year, relating to areas of mental health concepts of children and adolescents.Wis. Admin. Code Department of Health Services DHS 61.78
Cr. Register, March, 1977, No. 255, eff. 4-1-77; am. (2) (c), Register, March, 1979, No. 279, eff. 4-1-79; renum. from PW-MH 60.70 and am. (1) (intro.) and (2) (intro.), Register, September, 1982, No. 321, eff. 10-1-82.