SUSPENSION AND EXPULSION POLICY

SUSPENSION AND EXPULSION POLICY

POLICY        Clients in The Ship Group Community Services system of care are protected from undue suspension or expulsion. Each client shall be free from the threat or fear of unwarranted suspension or expulsion. Intimidating threats of expulsion will not go unchallenged by administration. If suspension or expulsion is examined, the client’s Treatment Team must be convened and a joint decision reached regarding the final discharge arrangements, or if after-care will be provided and if there is any possibility of re-admitting the client, should the need arise. Suspension or expulsion will only be considered when the program has shown ineffectiveness in eclipsing inappropriate behaviors and/or the behavior modification techniques used are ineffective. The program reserves the right to suspend or expel from service any client who continually threatens bodily harm to other clients or staff, is mentally abusive or is consistently attempting suicide, with documented evidence to support such a decision, with or without a meeting of the client’s Treatment Team.

INTERPRETATION

When in the course of providing program services to a client it becomes necessary to suspend services or to expel the client from program services, the following guidelines shall shape the decision:

Emergencies

Certain critical physical and/or mental reasons may exist that warrant discharge to a hospital or another level of service for the client’s health and safety. When these conditions exist, the criteria described above will be superseded by the attending physician, the client’s legally responsible person or other’s having decision-making authority over and above the program’s authority.

Documented Suspension or Expulsion

The client’s Treatment Team and/or the Program Director shall review all documentation pertinent to the decision to suspend or expel. The documentation must be specific and precise in identifying:

1. The reason/need for the suspension or expulsion, complete with the presenting problems (i.e., consistent or repeated A.W.O.L.’s, medical emergency, the client is in jail, the program is ineffective in addressing and meeting the client’s needs or the client needs step-down or step-up services are not provided by this program);

2. When the discharge will be effective, date and time;

3. Identification of alternative services and when those services will be available. Documentation of efforts to locate alternative programs or services shall be included in the clients records by the program’s Qualified Professional;

4. Conditions, (including dates and times if applicable) for re-admittance to or resuming services with The Ship Group Community Services , LLC., (i.e., upon discharge from the hospital or completion of recuperative therapy, release from jail or detention, discharge from a Level 2, 3, or 4, etc). A client may be re-admitted to the program immediately upon return home or from a hospital, a

licensed rehabilitation program, detention or jail. A drug/alcohol screening may be required upon release from jail or detention.

5. A documented discharge plan; (emergency suspensions or expulsions are the exception). The Qualified Professional will implement The Step-Down, Discharge and After-Care Plan, when service is suspended by the program;

            6. Notification of the client’s legally responsible person, detailing items 1-5.