Section 4-3 - Admission Criteria (a) Issues appropriate for placement in a Crisis Shelter may include: - (i) Non-violent behavior (alternative to secure detention);
- (iii) Drug/alcohol and/or drug endangered;
- (v) Placement difficulties;
- (vii) School problems; and/or
- (viii) Suspected child abuse and/or neglect (including abandonment).
(b) Age Range - (i) The organization may provide Crisis Shelter services for children from birth through seventeen (17) years of age;
- (ii) Special provisions for sleeping arrangements shall be made for children in two (2) separate age groups, defined as children birth through nine (9) years and children age ten (10) years and over. The unrelated children in different age groups shall have separate sleeping areas.
(c) Voluntary Placements. - (i) Parents or legal guardians may voluntarily place children and these placements shall not require a court order;
- (ii) Written consent shall be obtained for emergency psychological, medical, and dental care signed from the parent or legal guardian at the time of admission; and
- (iii) Crisis Shelters must, within seventy-two (72) hours of placement, enter into a voluntary placement agreement for services with the minor's parents or legal guardian:
- (A) Any exceptions must be documented; and
- (B) If the parents or legal guardian refuse to sign, or other conditions prevail (e.g., out-of-state runaway), the crisis shelter may refuse continued placement or notify DFS.
(d) Self-Referral Placements. - (i) Shall be handled on a case-by-case basis; and
- (ii) Attempts shall be made to notify the parents or legal guardian as soon as possible (never exceeding eight [8] hours), except in cases involving abuse or neglect, which must be reported immediately to the child protective agency (local DFS) or local law enforcement agency.