Section DHS 61.80 - Children and adolescent outpatient program(1) REQUIRED PERSONNEL. Of the treatment personnel required for any out-patient service, a minimum of 30% staff time must be devoted to children and adolescents services. If qualified children and adolescents mental health professionals are not available on a full or part-time basis, arrangements shall be made to obtain their services on a consulting basis. The staffing patterns of the facility shall be adequate for the provision of high quality of care and shall be appropriate in relationship to: characteristics of patient population; the hours and days the facility operates; chronological and developmental ages of patients; assessment, therapeutic and follow-up programs; intensity and kinds of treatment; nature of disorders, amount of work done with families and significant others; geographic characteristics of territory to be covered; community education and consultation programs; amount of training and research done by facility.(2) PROGRAM OPERATION AND CONTENT. (a)Accessibility. Outpatient services insofar as possible should be scheduled at times that are reasonably convenient to the patients and families served, in relation to the availability of transportation and considering work or school requirements. The outpatient service shall make provision for walk-in clients, provide for home visits, if clinically indicated, offer clinical consultation to clients in day care services, head start programs, schools, youth centers, jails, alternate care facilities and other community programs. An appointment system that serves to minimize waiting time, in addition to a system for follow-up of broken appointments, should be established.(b)Program content.1. The patient shall participate in the intake process and in the decision that outpatient treatment is indicated to the extent appropriate to age, maturity and clinical condition. The patient's family, wherever possible, shall have explained to them the nature and goals of the outpatient treatment program and their expected participation and responsibilities. Insofar as possible, the family shall be informed and involved appropriately in decisions affecting the patient during intake treatment, discharge and follow-up.2. The psychiatric outpatient service shall document about each patient: responsibility for financial support, arrangements for appropriate family participation in the treatment program when indicated; authorization and consent for emergency medical care if the patient becomes ill or has an accident while in treatment and the family cannot be reached; arrangements for transportation to and from the facility; and authorization if the patient is to go to other community areas, facilities or events as part of the outpatient program; releases for sharing of confidential materials when necessary; appropriate consents for participation in research programs.3. Assessment shall include clinical consideration of the physical, psychological, development, chronological age, environmental, family, social, educational and recreational factors related to the child and adolescent.4. The relationship between any adult, who has current and/or continuing responsibility for the child's and adolescent's life, and the patient shall be carefully evaluated at regular intervals.Wis. Admin. Code Department of Health Services DHS 61.80
Cr. Register, March, 1977, No. 255, eff. 4-1-77; renum. from PW-MH 60.72, Register, September, 1982, No. 321, eff. 10-1-82.