Interim family programs shall comply with the provisions of
this section in addition to being in compliance with all other applicable
provisions of this Subpart, except section
182-1.10
of this Subpart, or where otherwise specifically stated herein.
(a)
Qualifications.
(1) In order to qualify to provide interim
family services, individuals must be:
(i) 21
years of age or older;
(ii) able to
provide a safe and supportive environment and to understand the needs of
runaway and homeless youth; and
(iii) sponsored by an interim family program
to provide shelter to youth.
(2) Interim family candidates may be
employees of the authorized agency operating the interim family program,
provided such employees do not work directly with or in the runaway and
homeless youth program or service provided by the authorized agency.
(3) All interim family candidates shall
attend a two-hour orientation program which provides information about the
operation of interim family programs and the care of runaway and homeless
youth.
(b)
Certification.
(1) Application
process.
(i) The interim family program which
sponsors qualified interim family candidates shall apply to the division for
certification, in accordance with procedures established by the division. Such
application process shall require the candidates to provide the following to
the interim family program:
(a) information
regarding all prior and current certifications or licenses issued to the
candidates for the purpose of boarding or otherwise providing care for children
or youth, by the office or any other agency, including the name of the issuing
agency and type of operating certificate or license;
(b) a sworn statement from the candidate and
each member of the candidate's household who is 18 years of age or older,
stating whether, to the best of his or her knowledge, the individual has ever
been convicted of a crime in any jurisdiction; and
(c) a completed fingerprint card for the
candidate and each member of the candidate's household who is 18 years of age
or older necessary for the office to conduct a criminal history
review.
(ii) Married
individuals living in the same household shall file one joint application but
shall separately provide the above supporting information and
documentation.
(iii) Interim family
candidates and all household members 18 years of age or older shall be screened
through the statewide central register of child abuse and maltreatment, and
through the register of substantiated category one cases of abuse or neglect
maintained by the Justice Center for the Protection of Persons with Special
Needs pursuant to section
495 of the Social Services Law.
(2) Home study. Staff of the
interim family program shall conduct a comprehensive home study comprised of
the following elements:
(i) initial review of
all information provided in the application;
(ii) two interviews of the candidates, at
least one of which shall be conducted in the candidates' home and shall include
all household members;
(iii) an
inspection of the candidates' home, based upon the following criteria:
(a) cleanliness;
(b) safety;
(c) physical plant and structure;
(d) ability to accommodate youth with
dependent infants and children, where applicable;
(e) size;
(f) location/neighborhood; and
(g) proposed sleeping arrangements for
runaway and homeless youth; and
(iv) evaluation of the candidates and their
home and, where acceptable, preparation of a home study report.
(3) Division review.
(i) The director of the interim family
program shall be responsible for forwarding all required documents to the
division, in accordance with procedures established by the division for its
review of acceptable candidates for certification.
(ii) If the documents submitted by the
director of the interim family program are found to be in compliance with the
requirements of this Subpart, and the division agrees with the program's
evaluation of the applicant, the division shall issue an operating certificate
for the interim family.
(iii) The
director of the interim family program shall hold the original operating
certificate and shall provide the interim family with a copy thereof to keep at
the home. The interim family shall immediately provide written notification to
the director of the interim family program, who shall notify the division, of
any intention to withdraw from participation in the program.
(iv) Certified families shall immediately
inform the director of the interim family program, who shall inform the
division, of all changes in marital status, family composition, number of
persons residing in the home, physical plant, location of residence and other
significant changes in the condition of the family or home.
(c)
Training.
(1) Staff of the
interim family program shall ensure that four hours of training is provided to
each interim family within six months after certification.
(2) Staff of the interim family program shall
ensure that interim families are provided with four hours of in-service
training during each year of certification.
(3) Program staff shall document all training
provided in interim family records.
(4) Training provided to interim families
shall cover a variety of relevant topics, including the following:
(i) HIV awareness and education;
(ii) adolescent behavior;
(iii) communication skills; and
(iv) first aid/CPR.
(d)
Requirements of the
interim family.
Each certified interim family shall provide a homelike
environment and comply with the following requirements at all times while a
youth is in residence:
(1) involve
each youth in family activities;
(2) respect the privacy and confidentiality
of each youth;
(3) prohibit
neglect, maltreatment, physical abuse and psychological abuse of each
youth;
(4) provide three daily
meals of good quality and sufficient quantity, properly prepared and served at
regular hours;
(5) allow each youth
reasonable visitations outside the home;
(6) permit each youth to make reasonable
telephone and letter communications to individuals outside the home;
(7) arrange and encourage each youth's
participation in recreational and social community activities;
(8) provide appropriate supervision of each
youth;
(9) provide a private
sleeping area for no more than two youth of the same gender;
(10) provide a closet, dresser or other
storage area for the personal possessions of each youth;
(11) provide bathing and lavatory facilities
maintained in a sanitary condition;
(12) provide youth with access to laundry
facilities; and
(13) ensure that
all firearms and other dangerous items or substances belonging to the interim
family are properly and securely stored to prevent access by youth.
(e)
Supervision.
Staff of the interim family program shall be available to
both youth and interim families 24 hours per day, and shall supervise youth and
interim families as follows:
(1)
Youth.
(i) Staff of the interim family
program shall establish daily telephone contact with each youth residing with
an interim family, and shall meet with each such youth at least once every
three days while the youth is in an interim family home.
(ii) The director of the interim family
program shall ensure that a discharge conference is held with each youth, prior
to their leaving an interim family home, to assess the success of the youth's
stay.
(2) Interim
family.
(i) Staff of the interim family
program shall establish daily telephone contact with each interim family having
runaway and homeless youth in residence.
(ii) The director of the interim family
program shall ensure that a follow-up interview is held with an interim family
after each youth's discharge from their home, to assess the success of the
youth's stay. The director of the interim family program shall not permit any
other youth to stay in the interim family home until such follow-up interview
is completed for the youth last discharged from the home.
(f)
Reimbursement.
(1) The interim family program may reimburse
interim families for all actual expenses incurred and documented by the family
in providing shelter to youth in their home.
(2) The interim family program may provide
for the per diem reimbursement of interim families for the shelter of runaway
and homeless youth.
(g)
Reporting and records.
(1) The
interim family program shall provide an annual report to the division setting
forth the status of each interim family relative to ongoing compliance with
this Subpart.
(2) The interim
family program shall maintain a record of each certified interim family. Such
records shall include the following documents and information:
(i) a copy of the home study
report;
(ii) the original operating
certificate issued by the division;
(iii) a photocopy of any other valid
operating certificate currently held by the interim family;
(iv) a chronological listing of all youth
housed in the home;
(v) an
assessment of each youth's stay in the home;
(vi) documentation of all training provided
to the family;
(vii) copies of all
written correspondence and documentation of verbal correspondence with the
family; and
(viii) ongoing written
evaluation of the families' ability to provide services to runaway and homeless
youth and cooperate with the interim family program.