Specifications include, but are not limited to:. Facilities from which the program is operated should contain adequate space to safely house individuals in the ATS Unit and individuals in the Step Down Unit. At a minimum the program should have separate space available for the following: Individual Bedding to accommodate clients A Community Room/ Common Space for utilization when clients aren’t involved in clinical programming Group Meeting/ Group Therapy Space Individual Therapy Offices/Rooms Dining Room Bathing facilities Secure outdoor area for allowing fresh air Nurses station with secure pharmacy Intake area with exam rooms These spaces should function independently of one another and should not be used for multiple purposes. The physical facilities in which these programs are housed should be secure environments. The definition of a secure environment is where the civilly committed individual is restricted from leaving the site through the use of programmatic behavioral management strategies and architectural boundaries such as secured, alarmed doors and windows and video surveillance of the perimeter. The facility should also have a secure outdoor section available for the purpose of allowing fresh air to clients. The goal of creating a secure environment is to ensure the safety of the clients and to minimize the risk of elopement.. Each client will have a comprehensive individualized service plan that is developed based on information gathered during the admission and evaluation process. Development of client service plans includes collaborative participation of the client and contains the following components: an assessment of the client’s Sec. 35 commitment in relation to his use of alcohol and other drugs; ongoing assessment of risk of harm levels, clear and specific service objectives and goals including crisis prevention planning; and continuing care objectives and goals. Additional service needs of the client population may include: overall compliance/ participation with treatment; compliance with probation; caring for co-morbid mental illness; compliance with medication; housing issues; domestic violence/ sexual assault victim and offender counseling; and on-site HIV counseling and testing and risk reduction education. 5. Counseling and Education Services Counseling and education services are sensitive and appropriate to the special needs of this population. The program provides trauma-informed services including both individual and group counseling and educational meetings. Counseling and educational meetings should, at a minimum, cover general substance use education, relapse prevention, and other psychosocial issues such as co-occurring disorders, and HIV risk reduction education.
