14- 193 C.M.R. ch. 1, § C-III

Current through 2024-51, December 18, 2024

Section 193-1-C-III - INDIVIDUALIZED TREATMENT OR SERVICE PLAN

A. Recipients have the right to an individualized treatment or service plan. For recipients who have an ISP, the ISP process will provide the foundation of the development of the treatment or service plan.

B. Treatment or service plans shall, in instances in which the recipient has an ISP, be based upon the life plan, needs, targets and action plans developed in the ISP process. Treatment or service plans shall be based upon an individualized assessment of the recipient's housing, financial, social, recreational, transportation, vocational, educational, general health, dental, emotional and psychiatric and/or psychological strengths and needs as well as their potential need for crisis intervention and resolution services. Each facility or agency shall My consider the least restrictive appropriate treatment and related services taking into account factors that are supportive of each recipient's exercise of his or her basic rights, consistent with each individual's strengths, needs and treatment requirements, pursuant to this section and sections IV and V of these rules. Such considerations shall include accommodation of particular needs involving communication and physical accessibility to all treatment programs.

C. The recipient or guardian, shall be fully and actively involved in the development or revision of the treatment or service plan. Upon the request of the recipient, the recipient's representative or family members designated by the recipient shall be included in the development or revision of the treatment or service plan. Each agency program or facility shall give 10 days' notice of any treatment or service planning; meetings, to the recipient's guardian, and designated representatives. If the meeting is being convened to address an emergency, notice reasonable for the circumstances shall be required. Invited persons shall be notified that, if they are unable to attend a treatment or service planning meeting, they may submit information in writing for consideration at the meeting.

D. Treatment or service plans shall be developed within 30 days of initiation of service and shall thereafter be reviewed and revised no less frequently than every 90 days. Plans may be reviewed more frequently as necessary to address substantial changes in a recipient's life, such as hospitalization.

E. Treatment or service plans shall be developed by a team consisting of the recipient and others among whom the recipient has authorized the exchange of information and who are needed to ensure that the recipient's needs are adequately assessed and that appropriate recommendations are made, based upon a comprehensive assessment of the recipient. The plan shall contain but need not be limited to:

1. A statement of the recipient's specific strengths and needs. The treatment or service plan should include a description of any physical handicap and any accommodations necessary to provide the same or equal services with benefits as those afforded non-disabled individuals.

2. A description of services to assist the recipient in meeting identified needs. Goals shall be written for each service. Short-range objectives shall be stated such that their achievement leads to the attainment of overall goals. Objectives shall be stated in terms that allow objective measurement of progress and that the recipient, to the maximum extent possible, both understands and adopts.

3. A description of services based on the actual needs as expressed or approved by the recipient rather than -on -what services are currently available. If at the time of the meeting, team members know on the basis of reliable information that the needed services are unavailable, they shall note then as "unmet service needs" on the treatment or service plan and develop an interim plan based upon available services that meet, as nearly as possible, the actual needs of the recipient.

4. A description of the manner of delivery of each service to be provided. The manner of delivery shall be one that maximizes the recipient's strengths, independence and integration into the community.

5. A statement of the rationale or reason for utilizing the described treatment or services to meet such goals;

6. A specification of treatment or service responsibility, including both staff and recipient responsibility and involvement to attain treatment or service goals; and

7. Documentation of current discharge planning.

F. Within one week of the meeting, the recipient shall be offered a written copy of the treatment or service plan. The recipient shall also be notified, by means he or she shall most likely understand, of the process to pursue, up to and including the right to file a grievance, if he or she disagrees with any aspect of the plan or the assessments upon which the plan is based, or is later dissatisfied with the plan's implementation.

G. Limitations

1. Such a plan must describe any limitation of rights or liberties. Such a limitation shall be based upon professional judgment and may include a determination that the recipient is a danger to self or to others absent such limitation. Any limitation shall meet criteria outlined for the limitation in other sections of these rules.

2. When any limitation occurs, the treatment plan shall address the specific limitation, and the restriction shall be subject to periodic review. When possible, the limitation shall be time specific.

3. Whenever possible specific treatment shall be developed to address the basis of the limitation.

4. Documentation regarding the limitation shall include documentation as per G.1.,°2 and 3. above and shall include specific criteria for removal of the limitation.

H. A copy of the treatment or service plan shall also be offered to the recipient's guardian, if any, and to recipient's representative, if confidentiality has been waived.

I. All agencies shall maintain specific written guidelines describing their practices concerning development of treatment or service plans.

J. Recipients who have had a community support worker assigned to them have the right to a variety of appropriate services from the community support worker, including the following, when pertinent to meeting a recipient's need for services:

1. assistance in locating services;

2. continuing monitoring of the services provided;

3. notification of ISR meetings and coordination of the ISP;

4. participation in the recipient's hospital discharge planning meeting; and

5. assistance in the exploration of lesser restrictive alternatives to hospitalization.

K. Termination

1. Each recipient has the right to be informed of and referred to appropriate resources upon termination from a program.

2. Each. recipient terminated from the outpatient agency after ten days or longer term of treatment has the right to a comprehensive termination plan, and to assisted referral to existing resources in such areas Such as transportation, housing, financial assistance, and mental health treatment. Recommendations made in termination plans shall not require the agency or department to provide recommended goods or service.

3. Notification

a. The recipient's representative, upon request of the recipient, and the recipient's guardian, shall be notified of ant if the representative or guardian is available, involved in any termination planning. Involvement may include, but not be limited to, participation in a termination planning meeting.

L. Exceptions

1. No treatment or service plan is required for recipients who solely received informal social support and recreation in drop-in mental healing programs or social clubs.

2. A recipient may choose not to be involved in developing his or her treatment or service plan and may refuse planning.

3. A legally responsible guardian shall be actively involved in treatment or service planning, to the maximum extent possible. A public guardian has an affirmative duty to be fully and actively involved in treatment or service planning.

14- 193 C.M.R. ch. 1, § C-III