All agency staff members who work with or have contact with agency clients/residents are required to sign the Staff/Client Contact Statement. The Staff/Client Contact Statement states that staff members will only have contact with current or former clients of the Monroe County Youth Service Bureau/Youth Shelter as required in the course of carrying out the staff member's duties at the agency. Any staff member who wishes to have additional contact with a current or former client must obtain permission to do so from the Executive Director. If additional contact is approved, all arrangements must be made through the agency's offices. Staff members failing to abide by this policy will be subject to disciplinary action.
Other rules for staff/client contact are:
1. Staff are not allowed to give to clients their own or another staff's phone numbers or addresses, unless permission is obtained from the Executive Director to do so.
2. Staff can use their discretion in allowing clients to know their last names.
STAFF/RESIDENT CONTACT IN THE SHELTER
The intent of the policies and rules outlined in the following paragraphs is to establish an environment that is safe for the residents and the staff. Failure to adhere to these rules and policies may result in disciplinary action.
Staff/Resident Ratio:
When the resident population is between 1 and 8, two staff will be on duty. When the resident population is unusually difficult to manage or has risen to 9 or more, the agency will arrange for a third staff member to be present for every shift, except overnights. The third staff person is to be called the Resident Assistant. If the population is too low, the third person will not necessarily be called to work and it is the responsibility of the RC to call the RA and let them know to not report for work. However, the RA is always promised 5 hours a week.
Two staff members will be on duty on every shift. The agency will make every effort to recruit and utilize volunteers and interns to provide additional staff coverage. It should be noted however, that unpaid staff are not to be left alone with the residents at any time, nor are they allowed to transport Shelter residents. In the case that the Shelter residents are unusually difficult to manage, there is an unusually high census, or a Shelter resident needs one-on-one attention to maintain the safety and security of all staff and residents, the Care Coordinator or Assistant Director may approve for a third staff member to be called in.
One-on-One Staff/Resident Contact:
Staff members are expected to limit their 1-on-1 contact with the residents to only what is required to carry out the program and attend to the needs of the residents. Examples of acceptable 1-on-1 contact include conducting an admission, supervising a chore, intervening in crisis, transporting a resident to school or an appointment, applying first aid and crisis counseling.
Staff should always be aware of the need to protect themselves and protect the residents. Occasionally, there are residents with whom staff should avoid having any 1-on-1 contact. This may occur when a resident has a history of making false allegations or a resident has made inappropriate comments or been flirtatious with staff. We expect the staff to err on the side of caution when they feel uncomfortable with 1-on-1 contact. We also expect the staff to note their concerns in the Log and to report them to either the RC on duty or their immediate supervisor. Such concerns will be addressed either in staff meetings or individual supervision.
Some other rules for staff/resident 1-on-1 contact are:
1. One staff cannot take one resident out of the Shelter on a recreation or leisure activity unless it is an approved part of the Shelter behavioral modification program and has been pre-approved by the Care Coordinator or Assistant Director. This will only be the case for staff and residents of the same sex.
2. One staff cannot supervise one resident who is outside smoking.
3. One staff cannot be with one resident in any resident's bedroom unless the staff are conducting a security check, a bed check, helping a new resident set up his/her bedroom, supervising a chore, or intervening in a crisis. In these cases, the staff member should always make the other staff member aware of the circumstances and make every attempt to keep either the resident or themselves in the line of vision of the other staff member.
4. Staff should not enter a bathroom that is occupied by a resident. In the event of an emergency requiring staff to do so, 2 staff should be present.
5. When residents are being taken off grounds for an activity, no resident can remain behind one-on-one if they are not of the same sex as the remaining staff person.
6. Staff members should carefully consider the order in which they take residents to school or pick them up, as to avoid situations in which one staff member is left alone in the van with only one resident who is of the opposite sex. Sometimes such a situation is impossible to avoid. However, it is good practice to consider the order in which the school run is carried out.
Staff/Resident Physical Contact:
Staff should closely self-monitor physical contact with the residents. The following information outlines the specific rules for the staff regarding physical contact.
Normal every day contact, such as touching someone on the shoulder/arm, shaking a hand or patting someone on the back is to be expected. Adolescents need affirming, positive physical interaction in their lives. There will be times when a resident may need support during a crisis situation; this is all right as long as the staff and resident are not alone together. It is important to remember that some adolescents will have clinical issues that suggest any sort of touch or physical approach may be a delicate situation. The Counselors will keep staff informed on such matters. If a resident is leaving and wants to give staff a good-by hug, it is best to keep this very brief, giving a side hug instead of a frontal hug, and do so in the presence of another staff member. Respect for personal boundaries is to be remembered at all times.
Staff members should never attempt to physically move a child who is simply refusing to move to a location in which they are being directed. Doing so may lead to an unnecessary physical altercation. Physical contact for the purpose of restraining a child who is attempting to harm themselves or others should be used only as a last resort. The procedures for physical intervention should follow the guidelines provided in the Crisis Prevention Intervention training made available to all staff by the agency. Any other physical restraints are strictly prohibited and may result in disciplinary action, including termination of employment.
Staff/Resident Conversation:
In general, direct-care staff should try to guide their conversations with the residents toward neutral subjects, such as some current events, resident's favorite music, pets, hobbies, etc. When residents do talk on a more personal level or discuss their problems, staff are not to counsel residents, but instead engage in active listening.
Some rules about conversations are:
1. Staff cannot use degrading, abusive or profane language. Staff should not use language that is mentally or emotionally abusive or that is humiliating or frightening.
2. Staff cannot promise a resident that they will keep secret (from other staff) information the resident shares with the staff.
- Staff should monitor the length of their conversations with individual resident. The length of the conversation should not impede the staff from carrying out his/her duties, not lend to neglecting supervising the other residents. A good rule of thumb is no longer than 10 minutes.
- Staff members should observe confidentiality laws and not discus confidential information with shelter residents. This includes names and information about shelter residents, past and present. It also includes details about other residents’ cases.
Rules for Staff/Resident - Male/Female Contact:
1. When sensible, the agency will coordinate schedules so that a male and female are on duty.
2. When both male and female staff are on duty, only staff of the same sex as the resident can enter the resident's bedroom for the purpose of a bed check, security check, assist the resident with bedroom maintenance tasks, etc.
3. Only staff of the same sex of the resident can supervise the resident doing a chore away from other people, such as bathroom or the outside of trash and porch.
4. Only staff of the same sex as the resident can accompany the resident to the Shelter"Mall".
5. When our assessment of a resident indicates that a same sex staff person should always be on duty such coverage will be provided.
Staff Concerns about Staff/Resident Inappropriate Contact:
1. Staff on duty are to notify his/her supervisor or the On-Call in the event that:
a) He/she has concerns about being the only staff on duty. EXAMPLE: A male RC is scheduled to work the overnight alone. on duty and the RS has taken all of the residents on an outing. He completes an admission of a female with a history of molestation, flirtatiousness and sexual involvement with older males; or
b) The RC has concerns about a resident's inappropriate behavior with the staff. EXAMPLE: A male resident brushes up against a female staff, touching her inappropriately and tells her she's sexy.
2. Staff members are expected to document in detail any incidents where the resident acts out in an inappropriately familiar manner. This goes beyond sexual comments or attempting to initiate physical contact to include residents asking staff out for dates, calling staff mom/dad, coming to office in inappropriate clothing, etc. Staff are also to document incidents where it appears residents may have misinterpreted staff comments or contact.
3. Staff should consult with the On-Call or their supervisor, if they have concerns about another staff's inappropriate contact with the residents. Staff members are required to notify the OnCall or their supervisor in the event that staff have witnessed or are aware of allegations of physical or sexual abuse perpetrated against a resident by another staff member. In the event that staff is unable to contact either the supervisor or On-call, they are to notify the local Child Protective Services office per state requirements. For further details refer to the write up on Institutional Abuse in the section on Emergency and Safety Practices.