LAC 48:I.5669. Interior Space for Residential Facilities

A. The provider shall evaluate each client’s physical, emotional and medical needs and the physical environment of the facility in order to ensure the safety and well-being of all admitted clients. B. Common Area. The facility’s physical environment shall have a designated space accessible to the clients: 1. to be used for group meetings, dining, visitation, leisure and recreational activities; 2. that is at least 25 square feet per client and no less than 150 square feet, exclusive of bedrooms or sleeping areas, bathrooms, areas restricted to staff, laundry rooms and office areas; and 3. that contains a sufficient number of tables and chairs for eating meals. C. The facility’s physical environment shall have a designated room(s) or area(s) to allow for private and group discussions and counseling sessions that: 1. safely accommodates the clients being served; 2. has adequate space to meet the client’s needs in the therapeutic process; and 3. is exclusive of bedrooms, bathrooms and common areas. D. Client Bedrooms. The provider shall ensure that each client bedroom in the facility: 1. contains at least 80 square feet for single bedrooms, exclusive of fixed cabinets, fixtures, furniture and equipment; 2. contains at least 60 square feet per bed for multi-bedrooms, exclusive of fixed cabinets, fixtures, and equipment; 3. has at least a 7 1/2 foot ceiling height over the required area except in a room with varying ceiling height, only portions of the room with a ceiling height of at least 7 1/2 feet are allowed in determining usable space; 4. has at least 2 foot minimum clearance at the foot of each bed; and 5. contains no more than four beds; EXCEPTION: Providers licensed as substance use/addiction treatment residential facilities at the time this Rule is promulgated that have more than four clients per bedroom, may maintain the existing bedroom space that allows more than four clients per bedroom provided that the bedroom space has been previously approved by a LDH waiver. This exception applies only to the currently licensed physical location. 6. has at least three feet between beds; 7. has designated storage space for the client’s: a. clothes; b. toiletries; and c. personal belongings; 8. has a window; 9. has sheets, pillow, bedspread and blankets for each client that are clean and in good repair and discarded when no longer usable; 10. has sufficient headroom to allow the occupant to sit up; and 11. contains a bed(s) that: a. is longer than the client is tall; b. is no less than 30 inches wide; c. is of solid construction; d. has a clean, comfortable, nontoxic fire retardant mattress; and e. is appropriate to the size and age of the client. E. The provider shall: 1. prohibit any client over the age of five years to occupy a bedroom with a member of the opposite sex who is not in the client’s immediate family; 2. require separate bedrooms and bathrooms for adults, and children/adolescents, except in the Pregnant and Parenting Women (PPW) Program, and for males and females; 3. prohibit adults and children/adolescents from sharing the same space, except in the PPW Program; 4. require sight and sound barriers between adult area/wing and the adolescent area/wing; 5. for facilities with child/adolescent clients, ensure that the age of clients sharing bedroom space is not greater than four years in difference unless contraindicated based on diagnosis, the treatment plan or the behavioral health assessment of the client; 6. ensure that each client has his/her own bed; 7. prohibit mobile homes from being used as client sleeping areas; and 8. prohibit bunk beds in the following programs: a. clinically managed medium-intensity residential treatment (ASAM level 3.5) for adolescents; b. clinically managed high intensity residential treatment (ASAM level 3.5) for adults; c. medically managed residential treatment (ASAM level 3.7); and d. medically managed residential withdrawal management (ASAM level 3.7-WM). F. Bathrooms 1. In accordance with the Louisiana state Sanitary Code, a provider shall have bathrooms equipped with lavatories, toilets, tubs and/or showers for use by the clients located within the provider and the following: a. shatterproof mirrors secured to the walls at convenient heights; and b. other furnishings necessary to meet the clients' basic hygienic needs. 2. The provider shall have the ratio of lavatories, toilets, tubs and/or showers to clients required by the Louisiana state Sanitary Code. 3. The provider shall ensure that each client has personal hygiene items, such as a toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, and soap as needed. 4. In a multi-level facility, there shall be at least one full bathroom with bathing facility reserved for client use on each client floor. 5. Each bathroom shall be located so that it opens into a hallway, common area or directly into the bedroom. If the bathroom only opens directly into a bedroom, it shall be for the use of the occupants of that bedroom only. 6. The provider shall have at least one separate toilet and a lavatory for the staff located within the facility. H. Kitchen 1. If a BHS provider prepares meals on-site, the BHS provider shall have a full service kitchen that meets the requirements of the Louisiana state Sanitary Code and: a. includes a cooktop, oven, refrigerator, freezer, hand washing station, storage and space for meal preparation; b. is inspected and approved annually by OPH; c. has the equipment necessary for the preparation, serving, storage and clean-up of all meals regularly served to all of the clients and staff; and d. contains trash containers covered and made of metal or United Laboratories-approved plastic; 2. A BHS provider that does not prepare meals on-site shall have a nourishment station or a kitchenette, that includes: a. a sink; b. a work counter; c. a refrigerator; d. storage cabinets; e. equipment for preparing hot and cold nourishments between scheduled meals; and f. space for trays and dishes used for nonscheduled meal service. I. Laundry. The provider shall have a laundry space complete with a ratio of 1:20 washers and dryers to meet the needs of the clients. J. Staff Quarters. The provider utilizing live-in staff shall provide adequate, separate living space with a private bathroom to include a shower for staff usage only. K. The provider shall ensure that all closets, bedrooms and bathrooms are equipped with doors that can be readily opened from both sides. L. The provider shall ensure that outside doors and windows prohibit an outsider from gaining unauthorized ingress.