All certified residential facilities, with the exception of
interim family homes, shall comply with the physical plant requirements of this
section.
(a)
General.
(1) The design and furnishings of the
residence shall promote a non-institutional, homelike environment.
(2) A telephone shall be made available for
use by youth during reasonable hours, and access to such telephone shall be
monitored by program staff to ensure that all youth have equal opportunity to
make and receive telephone calls.
(3) Runaway and homeless youth shelters may
be located in the same building or on the same grounds as transitional
independent living support residences, defined in Subpart 182-2 of this Part.
Such programs, however, must be physically separated and the following
conditions must exist:
(i) separate direct
care staff shall be provided for each program;
(ii) sleeping, dining, program and recreation
areas shall be separately provided and maintained; and
(iii) sites shall be individually certified,
including those operated by the same agency.
(4) Runaway and homeless youth shelters
providing services to youth under the age of 18 years may be located in the
same building or on the same grounds as shelters providing services to youth
between the ages of 16 and 21 years, however, the programs must be physically
separated and the following conditions must exist:
(i) separate direct care staff shall be
provided for each program;
(ii)
sleeping, dining, program and recreation areas shall be separately provided and
maintained; and
(iii) sites shall
be individually certified, including those operated by the same
agency.
(5) The
buildings and grounds of each residential facility shall be kept in a sanitary
and safe condition, to facilitate the physical and mental well-being and
comfort of youth.
(6) The building
which houses the residential facility shall be in compliance with all
applicable building, fire and health codes, and all relevant provisions of
state and local laws, ordinances, rules and regulations.
(7) All rooms shall be lighted and
ventilated.
(8) Unobstructed access
to exits shall be maintained at all times.
(b)
Bedrooms.
(1) Only youth of the same gender shall
occupy the same bedroom.
(2) Each
youth's sleeping space shall consist of a minimum of 30 square feet of floor
space.
(3) No more than six youth
shall occupy the same bedroom.
(4)
Bunk beds may be used, but only in a manner which complies with the minimum
square foot sleeping space requirement for each youth.
(5) Bedrooms shall have one or more windows
opening directly to outside air.
(6) Upon admission to the program, each youth
shall be provided with one bed, one mattress constructed of fire retardant
material, furniture for storage of personal items and clothing, one pillow, one
pillowcase, two sheets, sufficient blankets to provide comfort and warmth and a
supply of towels and washcloths.
(c)
Clothing.
(1) The program director shall ensure that
all youth have a sufficient quantity of clothing which is of appropriate style,
good quality and suited to seasonal conditions.
(2) Program staff shall ensure that youth
clothing is laundered on a regular and frequent basis and repaired as
required.
(d)
Bathing and toilet facilities.
(1) Bathrooms shall be maintained in sanitary
condition at all times.
(2) The
minimum requirements for bathroom facilities are as follows:
Youth |
Toilet |
Sink |
Tubs or Showers |
1-6 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
7-12 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
13-20 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
(3) All toilets and showers shall be enclosed
to provide privacy.
(4) Both hot
and cold running water shall be available at all times.
(5) Individual articles for bathing, personal
grooming and hygiene shall be provided in accordance with the age and needs of
youth.
(e)
Living
room or recreation area.
A room of sufficient size and furnishing shall be provided
for program and recreational activities.
(f)
Dining area.
The dining area shall be of sufficient size and furnishing
to allow seated dining in small groups.
(g)
Food preparation/services.
(1) The program director shall have written
procedures to ensure timely ordering and proper storage of food supplies and
food products.
(2) Program staff
shall provide three daily meals of good quality, which may include off-site
meals. Food served shall be of sufficient quantity, properly prepared and
served at regular hours.
(3)
Medically prescribed dietary and nutritional needs or restrictions of youth
shall be accommodated.
(4) Program
staff shall, to the extent reasonably practicable, provide youth with food
items and meals sufficient to meet established religious dietary laws, in
keeping with the nutritional content of food items and meals served to other
youth.
(5) Program staff shall keep
accurate menus on file of food items available and meals actually served to
youth for one year after the date purchased or served.
(6) Pantries and areas used for food storage
shall be kept dry and well ventilated and shall not be used to store supplies
which may contaminate food. Perishable food shall be kept
refrigerated.
(7) Each program
shall have kitchen equipment maintained in proper working condition and
sufficient to provide for the program population.
(8) Dishes, glassware, silverware and kitchen
utensils shall be maintained in a safe and sanitary condition.
(9) Programs serving six or more youth shall
have an automatic dishwasher to clean food service equipment and
utensils.
(h)
Fire
safety.
(1) The program director shall
ensure that all buildings and structures comply with all applicable state and
local fire codes, including requirements for the placement of smoke detectors,
exit signs and fire extinguishers within the residential facility and other
physical plant mandates.
(2)
Program directors shall arrange for yearly inspections conducted by certified
fire officials to ensure compliance with all state fire safety standards (or
local standards if more stringent).
(3) Heat, electric and ventilation systems
shall be of safe design, maintained in proper working condition and routinely
inspected by qualified individuals.
(4) The use of wood stoves and kerosene
heaters in program buildings and structures is prohibited.
(5) Space heaters shall not provide the sole
means of heat in program buildings.
(6) Youth occupancy shall not be permitted
above the second floor in a building of wood frame construction.
(7) Each floor of a residence occupied by
youth shall have at least two alternate means of egress.
(8) An emergency exit sign shall be posted
above each primary means of egress.
(9) Staff and residents shall be instructed
and drilled in the emergency evacuation of the building on a regular basis, and
all such instruction and drills shall be documented.
(10) Smoke detectors shall be placed in
stairwells, attics, basements, bedrooms and hallways and shall be maintained in
operable condition at all times.
(11) Each site shall have a working telephone
for use in emergencies, with telephone numbers posted nearby for fire, police,
medical assistance and other emergency services.
(i)
Facilities for staff.
Live-in or sleep-in staff shall be provided with separate
sleeping quarters and a separate bathroom with either a tub or shower.
(j)
Provisions applicable to
residential programs serving youth with dependent infants/children.
In addition to the above provisions, residential programs
serving runaway and homeless youth and their dependent infants/children shall
comply with the following operating requirements:
(1) Infants shall be supervised at all
times.
(2) Play areas/day rooms for
infants shall not be located above the first floor of any residence.
(3) Parents and their infant(s) may occupy
either the same bedroom or adjoining bedrooms, but shall have separate beds.
Infants shall be provided with a crib.
(4) A bedroom occupied by a parent and infant
shall consist of a minimum of 60 square feet of floor space. Where occupied by
an infant alone, the bedroom shall consist of a minimum of 30 square feet of
floor space.
(5) Child safety
devices shall be installed to secure electrical outlets and all storage areas
which contain potentially dangerous substances and items, such as cleaning
materials, chemicals, medications, tools and kitchen utensils.
(6) High chairs, booster seats, bathinettes,
toilet training and other such equipment shall be provided.
(7) Infants shall have health examinations
periodically, as recommended by the attending pediatrician.