Differences in dimensional criteria for adolescents and adults

1. If a program plans to admit an individual age seventeen or younger, the program shall implement a written policy regarding how to determine when it is appropriate to place an adolescent in an adult program. The policy must address the safety and supervision of clients in that program. The decision to determine whether a person seventeen years of age or younger is appropriately served in an adult rather than an adolescent program must be based on clinical judgment and other factors such as: a. History of sexual acting out; b. History of violence; c. History of running away; d. Living status such as whether the adolescent is living independently or with parents; e. School status; f. Employment status; g. Marital status; h. Ability to act responsibly; i. Level of emotional maturity; j. Level of cognitive development; k. Level of parental or family support; and l. Current mix of population in the adult milieu. 2. A program shall document in the client record the clinical justification for its decision to treat an individual age seventeen years or younger in an adult program. 3. A program shall maintain a list of all potential adolescent admissions with documentation of those admitted to the program and those denied admission to the adult program due to failure to meet the requirements of this section. 4. The department may issue the designation of "adolescent-adult combined program" to the license of any program that intends to serve, in an adult program, adolescents who screen according to the requirements of this section. In order to receive such a designation, the program must be in compliance with the other requirements of this article. The designation may be added to any type of license described in this article with the exception of medically monitored inpatient licenses.