31 Miss. Code. R. 9-1.20 - Staffing

1. The governing body of the facility shall designate a director whose responsibility is the overall administration of the facility.

2. A written daily staff schedule shall be developed and followed in compliance with the following:

a. Adequate male and female staff to directly supervise and interact with the juveniles at all times and provide for their physical, social, emotional, and educational needs (both on-site and off-site).

b. One youth care staff member on active duty for every eight (8) juveniles during waking hours and one youth care staff member on active duty for each sixteen (16) juveniles during sleeping hours.

c. At least one male and one female youth care staff member present, awake and available to the juveniles at all times.

d. These ratios are calculated based on the number of unit staff supervising the general population, not specialized care units such as medical, mental health, and special handling units that require more intensive staffing.

e. Supervisors do not count towards minimum staffing ratios.

3. At no time shall there be less than two youth care staff members on active duty when a juvenile is in care.

4. At no time shall any one youth care staff member directly supervise more than eight (8) juveniles. Juveniles shall not be left in a room unattended except during sleeping hours. There shall be a minimum of one youth care staff member immediately available to every eight (8) juveniles in a connecting area to the sleeping rooms.

5. Female staff members are required to be on duty supervising living units housing female youth.

6. Backup support staff is immediately available to respond to incidents and emergencies.

7. Electronic supervision shall not replace the youth care staffing requirements.

8. Auxiliary staff members shall be available as needed. The auxiliary staff shall include food service, clerical and maintenance personnel.

9. Professional consultant services shall be available as required to meet the needs of the juveniles served. Professional consultants shall include physicians, dentists, nurses, clergy, social workers, psychologists, psychiatrists and teachers.

10. A volunteer shall not be used as a substitute for an essential program or operating staff member but shall augment the services provided by the staff.

11. There shall be a designated staff person on site and in charge of the facility at all times when a juvenile is in care. Procedures shall be in place to ensure that all staff members know who is in charge.

12. Facilities shall make provisions for juveniles with limited English proficiency to have meaningful access to programs, services and activities. The facility shall maintain a record of those able to speak other languages and youth with limited English proficiency.

Notes

31 Miss. Code. R. 9-1.20

Miss. Code Ann. §§ 43-21-901 to 43-21-915 (Rev. 2016).

Adopted 12/28/2019