Community Living Services for Children/Youth with Serious Emotional

Community Living Services for Children/Youth with Serious Emotional Disturbance A. Each child/youth (ages 5 to 16 years) must be enrolled and attend an appropriate educational service in the local school district or be enrolled in an educational service operated by the agency provider that meets the individualized educational needs of the child/youth and is accredited by the Mississippi Department of Education. The Community Living Handbook must describe how this occurs for the children/youth served. B. Agency providers must provide a balance of age-appropriate, goal-oriented activities to meet the individualized needs and build on the strengths of the children/youth served in the service. Areas to be addressed by such services must include the following: 1. Social skills development based on each child/youth’s diagnosis and functional assessment; 2. Wellness education; 3. Increasing self-esteem; 4. Leisure activities; 5. Substance use education/counseling; 6. HIV/AIDS education and/or counseling; and 7. Education and counseling about sexually transmitted diseases. C. Agency providers must describe how group and individual activities, as well as routines for the children/youth are planned and how these activities are related to objectives in the Individual Service Plans of children/youth served. Daily and weekly schedule(s) of activities must be maintained on file for at least three (3) months. D. Agency providers must obtain written permission from the parent(s)/legal representative(s) for the child/youth to participate in service activities away from the Community Living location. E. Agency providers must ensure the child/youth has a dental examination within 60 days after admission and annually thereafter, or have evidence of a dental examination within 12 months prior to admission to Community Living Services. F. Agency providers must place a current, dated photograph of the child/youth in the child’s record within 30 calendar days of admission. G. Agency providers of services to children/youth under the age of 18 must have on file an assurance signed by the Executive Director of the Community Living Service provider stating compliance with the provisions of the Pro-Children Act of 1994. Note: Agency providers funded by DMH must have a current “Certification Regarding Environmental Tobacco Smoke.” H. All environmental and physical safety requirements for therapeutic foster homes and therapeutic group homes are under the jurisdiction of the Mississippi Department of Child Protection Services. DMH is responsible for certifying and monitoring the therapeutic/clinical components of Therapeutic Foster Care Services and Therapeutic Group Home Services.