WAC 246-337-045   Governance and administration.  The licensee must establish a governing body with responsibility for operating and maintaining the RTF. The governing body must provide organizational guidance and oversight to ensure that resources support and staff provides safe and adequate resident care including, but not limited to:

     (1) Adopting, periodically reviewing, and updating as necessary, policies that:

     (a) Govern the organization and functions of the RTF including:

     (i) A brief narrative explaining the scope of services provided;

     (ii) An organization chart specifying the governing body, staff positions, and number of full- or part-time persons for each position; and

     (iii) A policy addressing that sufficient resources such as personnel, facilities, equipment, and supplies are provided to meet the needs of the population served;

     (b) Provide a process for communication and conflict resolution for both staff and residents; and

     (c) Provide clear lines of authority for both management and operation of the RTF.

     (2) Establishing procedures for selecting and periodically evaluating a qualified administrator to assure that he or she carries out the goals and policies of the governing body. The administrator must:

     (a) Be qualified through appropriate knowledge, experience and capabilities to supervise and administer the services properly;

     (b) Be available, or assure that a designated alternate who has similar qualifications is available, one hundred percent of the time, either in person, by telephone or electronic pager (or similar electronic means), to carry out the goals, objectives and standards of the governing body.

     (3) Establishing written policies and procedures that implement all applicable rules, which are routinely reviewed by the administrator and the governing body to ensure they are kept current, made known to staff, made available at all times to all staff, and are complied with within the RTF.

     (4) Establishing a personnel system that assures:

     (a) Personnel records of all employees and volunteers contain written job descriptions consistent with staff responsibilities and standards for professional licensing;

     (b) Staff are assigned, oriented, trained, supervised, monitored, and evaluated;

     (c) Staff who provide direct resident care, direct treatment, or manage the safety of a resident are competent by training, experience and capability;

     (d) Contractors have current contracts on file clearly stating the responsibilities of the contractor;

     (e) Staff with unsupervised access to residents complies with WAC 246-337-055.

     (5) Establishing a RTF-wide approach to a coordinated quality improvement program for resident care services under chapter 71.12 RCW addressing health and safety.



[Statutory Authority: Chapter 71.12 RCW. 05-15-157, § 246-337-045, filed 7/20/05, effective 8/20/05.]