65G-8.003. Reactive Strategy Policy and Procedures

(1) All facilities or providers subject to this rule shall develop and implement policies and procedures consistent with the provisions of this rule chapter, including adoption of an approved emergency procedure curriculum, appropriate staff training, record maintenance, reporting and recording the use of any reactive strategy, training in the provisions of this rule chapter, data collection, and maintenance of reactive strategy consent information in client records, and any other requirements established in this rule chapter.

(2) Facility or provider policies and procedures may include only the reactive strategies provided in the Agency-approved curriculum. No change to the approved curriculum or variation of a specific reactive strategy may be employed without an Agency-approved variance or waiver obtained in advance through Section 120.542, F.S. A proposed variance to a reactive strategy must demonstrate that it is designed for a specific client and the variance request must include documented evidence of need and benefit. Variance requests will be evaluated by the Local Review Committee and the Agency’s Senior Behavior Analyst.

(3) Providers and facilities that employ reactive strategies are required to implement procedures to ensure the safety of staff and clients during the use of reactive strategies and to ensure that Agency clients are not placed at risk because of existing medical conditions.

(4) All staff implementing reactive strategies must be certified in advance for all reactive strategy techniques used or approved for use by the facility or provider.

(5) A variation of a specific reactive strategy may be employed only if it is designed for a specific client with documented evidence of need and benefit, and only if evaluated and approved in advance of implementation by the Local Review Committee and the Agency’s Senior Behavior Analyst.

(6) The provider or facility must conduct an internal review of its emergency procedures at least annually with a written evaluation that addresses the following issues:

(a) Proposed methods of reducing the use of reactive strategies;

(b) Policy evaluations and proposals to ensure that all applications of reactive strategies are being conducted in accordance with the Agency-approved emergency procedure curriculum and administered in a safe manner; and,

(c) Compliance with this rule chapter, including appropriate records and reports of reactive strategies.

The facility or provider must maintain this written evaluation for a minimum of five years and make it available to the Agency upon request.

Rulemaking Authority 393.501, 393.13(4)(h)2., 916.1093(2) FS. Law Implemented 393.13(4)(h), 916.1093(2) FS. History–New 8-7-08.