Hospital Staffing Requirements

(1) The governing body of a Mental Health Hospital Facility must provide adequate staff to provide services and activities which are adaptable to the individual needs of patients. The governing body must: (a) Provide direct-treatment and/or rehabilitation services by qualified personnel or under the direct clinical supervision of such persons; (b) Ensure that psychiatric services are provided by psychiatrists or by physicians in consultation with a psychiatrist; (c) Arrange for twenty-four (24) hour medical coverage; (d) Provide a direct-care staffing level of at least two (2) direct-care staff members on duty/on site per ward per shift with at least one (1) nurse per building per shift. Supervision by a Registered Nurse must be provided at the facility on a twenty-four (24) hours per day basis; (e) Provide an adequate number of activity therapy staff to provide therapeutic activities on days, evenings, weekends and holidays; and (f) Assure that diagnostic services are provided by a psychiatrist, a clinical psychologist, or an addictionologist, where applicable.