Ala. Admin. Code r. 580-2-9-.19

Current through Register Vol. 43, No. 1, October 31, 2024

Section 580-2-9-.19 - Designated Mental Health Facility

(1) To be a Designated Mental Health Facility (DMHF) for outpatient commitment purposes, an agency must meet the requirements to be certified as a Community Mental Health Center, apply for designation, and be approved by the Department of Mental Health.

(2) For a hospital to be a Designated Mental Health Facility for purposes of inpatient commitment and/or detaining a person in accordance with the Community Mental Health Officer Act, it must operate psychiatric beds that have the ability to receive persons for evaluation, examination, admission, detention, or treatment pursuant to the provisions of the Commitment Law and meet the following criteria:

(a) Be accredited for psychiatric inpatient services by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations or be certified by Medicare.

(b) Apply for designation.

(c) Be approved.

(d) Agree to forward reports of renewals of Joint Commission or Medicare accreditation immediately upon receipt as well as copies of any other Joint Commission or Medicare action that affects their accreditation status in any way.

(3) To be a non-hospital Designated Mental Health Facility for purposes of inpatient commitment and/or detaining a person in accordance with the Community Mental Health Officer Act, an agency must meet the following criteria.

(a) Be certified as a Community Mental Health Center.

(b) The location of the DMHF must be an adult residential program that is certified under 580-2-9-.18 (except for a Residential Care Home).

(c) Have the ability to receive persons for evaluation, examination, admission, detention, or treatment pursuant to the provisions of the Commitment Law.

(d) Have a staff member who is a licensed psychologist, licensed certified social worker, licensed professional counselor, or a nurse with a master's degree in psychiatric nursing with ready access to the Clinical Director or a consulting psychiatrist to perform an evaluation of the respondent and, at a minimum, address the following areas in writing.

1. The manner in which the security available in a residential program will meet the security needs of the respondent.

2. A determination that the respondent meets the admission criteria of the residential program.

3. The manner in which the treatment services available through the residential program will meet the identified treatment needs of the respondent.

4. The manner in which the respondent's need for nursing services can be met in the residential program.

5. The estimated need for seclusion and restraint.

(e) Have a representative who is required to report to the Probate Judge that the respondent can be appropriately served in the residential program.

(f) Have the community mental health center psychiatrist approve the admission to the residential program in writing if a person is committed to the residential facility following the final hearing.

(g) Be able to quickly transfer an involuntarily committed individual to a more secure/intensive environment by transfer to either a local or state hospital.

(h) Be able to bring in supplemental staff in cases where a consumer is awaiting transfer or otherwise needs additional supervision.

(i) Notify the Admission Office of the respective state hospital of the admission or transfer of a person who is involuntarily committed.

(j) Notify the committing Probate Court whenever an involuntarily committed individual is transferred from the designated mental health facility to another location.

(k) Be certified as a crisis residential program as set forth in section 580-2-9-.18(35) and conform to rule 580-2-9-.24 if seclusion and restraint are used.

Ala. Admin. Code r. 580-2-9-.19

New Rule: Filed June 14, 2010; effective July 19, 2010.

Author: Division of Mental Illness, DMH

Statutory Authority:Code of Ala. 1975, § 22-50-11.