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Administrative Code

Virginia Administrative Code
11/21/2024

Article 6. Community Gero-Psychiatric Residential Services

12VAC35-105-1260. Admission criteria.

An individual receiving community gero-psychiatric residential services shall have had a medical, psychiatric, and behavioral evaluation to determine that he cannot be appropriately cared for in a nursing home or other less intensive level of care but does not need inpatient care.

Statutory Authority

§ 37.2-203 of the Code of Virginia.

Historical Notes

Derived from Virginia Register Volume 18, Issue 18, eff. September 19, 2002.

12VAC35-105-1270. Physical environment requirements of community gero-psychiatric residential services.

A. Providers shall be responsible for ensuring safe mobility and unimpeded access to programs or services by installing and maintaining ramps, handrails, grab bars, elevators, protective surfaces, and other assistive devices or accommodations as determined by periodic review of the needs of the individuals being served. Entries, doors, halls, and program areas, including bedrooms, must have adequate room to accommodate wheelchairs and allow for proper transfer of individuals. Single bedrooms shall have at least 100 square feet and multi-bed rooms shall have at least 80 square feet per individual.

B. Floors must have resilient, nonabrasive, and slip-resistant floor surfaces and floor coverings that promote mobility in areas used by individuals and promote maintenance of sanitary conditions.

C. Temperatures shall be maintained between 70°F and 80°F throughout resident areas.

D. Bathrooms, showers, and program areas must be accessible to individuals. There must be at least one bathing unit available by lift, door, or swivel-type tub.

E. Areas must be provided for quiet and for recreation.

F. Areas must be provided for charting, storing of administrative supplies, a utility room, employee hand washing, dirty linen, clean linen storage, clothes washing, and equipment storage.

Statutory Authority

§ 37.2-203 of the Code of Virginia.

Historical Notes

Derived from Virginia Register Volume 18, Issue 18, eff. September 19, 2002; amended, Virginia Register Volume 28, Issue 5, eff. December 7, 2011.

12VAC35-105-1280. Monitoring.

Employees or contractors shall regularly monitor individuals in all areas of the residence to ensure safety.

Statutory Authority

§ 37.2-203 of the Code of Virginia.

Historical Notes

Derived from Virginia Register Volume 18, Issue 18, eff. September 19, 2002; amended, Virginia Register Volume 28, Issue 5, eff. December 7, 2011.

12VAC35-105-1290. Service requirements for providers of gero-psychiatric residential services.

A. Providers shall provide mental health, nursing and rehabilitative services; medical and psychiatric services; and pharmaceutical services for each individual as specified in the ISP.

B. Providers shall provide crisis stabilization services.

C. Providers shall implement written policies and procedures that support an active program of mental health and behavioral management services directed toward assisting each individual to achieve outcomes consistent with the highest level of self-care, independence, and quality of life. Programming may be on-site or at another location in the community.

D. Providers shall implement written policies and procedures that respond to the nursing needs of each individual to achieve outcomes consistent with the highest level of self-care, independence, and quality of life. Providers shall be responsible for:

1. Providing each individual services to prevent clinically avoidable complications, including: skin care, dexterity and mobility, continence, hydration, and nutrition;

2. Giving each individual proper daily personal attention and care, including skin, nail, hair, and oral hygiene, in addition to any specific care ordered by the attending physician;

3. Dressing each individual in clean clothing and encouraging each individual to wear day clothing when out of bed;

4. Providing each individual tub or shower baths as often as needed, but not less than twice weekly or a sponge bath daily if the medical condition prohibits tub or shower baths;

5. Providing each individual appropriate pain management; and

6. Ensuring that each individual has his own personal utensils, grooming items, adaptive devices, and other personal belongings including those with sentimental value.

E. Providers shall integrate behavioral and mental health care and medical and nursing care in the ISP.

F. Providers shall have available nourishment between scheduled meals.

Statutory Authority

§ 37.2-203 of the Code of Virginia.

Historical Notes

Derived from Virginia Register Volume 18, Issue 18, eff. September 19, 2002; amended, Virginia Register Volume 28, Issue 5, eff. December 7, 2011.

12VAC35-105-1300. Staffing requirements for community gero-psychiatric residential services.

A. Community gero-psychiatric residential services shall be under the direction of a:

1. Program director with experience in gero-psychiatric services;

2. Medical director; and

3. Director of clinical services who is a registered nurse with experience in gero-psychiatric services.

B. Providers shall provide qualified nursing supervisors, nurses, and certified nurse aides on all shifts, seven days per week, in sufficient number to meet the assessed nursing care and behavioral management needs determined by the ISPs.

C. Providers shall provide qualified staff for behavioral, psychosocial rehabilitation, rehabilitative, mental health, or recreational programming to meet the needs determined by the ISP. These services shall be under the direction of a registered nurse, licensed psychologist, licensed clinical social worker, or licensed therapist.

Statutory Authority

§ 37.2-203 of the Code of Virginia.

Historical Notes

Derived from Virginia Register Volume 18, Issue 18, eff. September 19, 2002; amended, Virginia Register Volume 28, Issue 5, eff. December 7, 2011.

12VAC35-105-1310. Interdisciplinary services planning team.

A. At a minimum, a registered nurse, a licensed psychologist, a licensed social worker, a therapist (recreational, occupational or physical therapist), a pharmacist, and a psychiatrist shall participate in the development and review of the ISP. Other employees or contractors as appropriate shall be included.

B. The interdisciplinary services planning team shall meet to develop the ISP and review it quarterly. Members of the team shall be available for consultation on an as needed basis.

C. The interdisciplinary services planning team shall review the medications prescribed at least quarterly and consult with the primary care physician as needed.

D. The interdisciplinary services planning team shall integrate medical care plans prescribed by the primary care physician into the ISP and consult with the primary care physician as needed.

Statutory Authority

§ 37.2-203 of the Code of Virginia.

Historical Notes

Derived from Virginia Register Volume 18, Issue 18, eff. September 19, 2002; amended, Virginia Register Volume 28, Issue 5, eff. December 7, 2011.

12VAC35-105-1320. Employee or contractor qualifications and training.

A. A nurse aide may be employed only if he is certified by the Board of Nursing. During the initial 120 days of employment, a nurse aide may be employed if he is enrolled full-time in a nurse aide education program approved by the Virginia Board of Nursing or has completed a nurse aide education program or competency testing.

B. All nursing employees or contractors, including certified nursing assistants, must have additional competency-based training in providing mental health services to geriatric individuals, including behavior management.

Statutory Authority

§ 37.2-203 of the Code of Virginia.

Historical Notes

Derived from Virginia Register Volume 18, Issue 18, eff. September 19, 2002.

12VAC35-105-1330. Medical director.

Providers of community gero-psychiatric residential services shall employ or have a written agreement with one or more psychiatrists with training and experience in gero-psychiatric services to serve as medical director. The duties of the medical director shall include :

1. Responsibility for overall medical and psychiatric care;

2. Advising the program director and the director of clinical services on medical and psychiatric issues, including the criteria for residents to be admitted, transferred , or discharged;

3. Advising on the development, execution, and coordination of policies and procedures that have a direct effect upon the quality of medical, nursing, and psychiatric care delivered to individuals; and

4. Acting as liaison and consulting with the administrator and the primary care physician on matters regarding medical, nursing, and psychiatric care policies and procedures.

Statutory Authority

§ 37.2-203 of the Code of Virginia.

Historical Notes

Derived from Virginia Register Volume 18, Issue 18, eff. September 19, 2002; amended, Virginia Register Volume 28, Issue 5, eff. December 7, 2011.

12VAC35-105-1340. Physician services and medical care.

A. Each individual in a community gero-psychiatric residential service shall be under the care of a primary care physician. Nurse practitioners and physician assistants licensed to practice in Virginia may provide care in accordance with their practice agreements. Prior to, or at the time of admission, each individual, his authorized representative, or the entity responsible for his care shall designate a primary care physician.

B. The primary care physician shall conduct a physical examination at the time of admission or within 72 hours of admission into a community gero-psychiatric residential service. The primary care physician shall develop, in coordination with the interdisciplinary services planning team, a medical care plan of treatment for an individual.

C. All physicians or other prescribers shall review all medication orders at least every 60 days or whenever there is a change in medication.

D. The provider shall have a signed agreement with a local general hospital describing back-up and emergency medical care plans.

Statutory Authority

§ 37.2-203 of the Code of Virginia.

Historical Notes

Derived from Virginia Register Volume 18, Issue 18, eff. September 19, 2002; amended, Virginia Register Volume 28, Issue 5, eff. December 7, 2011.

12VAC35-105-1350. Pharmacy services for providers of community gero-psychiatric residential services.

A. The provider shall make provision for 24-hour emergency pharmacy services.

B. The provider shall have a written agreement with a qualified pharmacist to provide consultation on all aspects of the provision of pharmacy services and for regular visits, at least monthly.

C. A pharmacist licensed by the Virginia Board of Pharmacy shall review each individual's medication regimen. Any irregularities identified by the pharmacist shall be reported to the physician and the director of clinical services, and their response documented.

Statutory Authority

§ 37.2-203 of the Code of Virginia.

Historical Notes

Derived from Virginia Register Volume 18, Issue 18, eff. September 19, 2002.

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