Behavioral Healthcare, Inc. - "Your doorway to Choice, Hope and Recovery"

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The following principles for design of services are established: Programs are

1. To provide for easy, timely access to appropriate services.
2. To provide appropriate, quality service regardless of clients' ability to pay, consistent with approved fee and discount schedules, and within MBH's available resources.
3. To provide care and services without regard to race, creed, color, national/ethnic origin, age, sex, marital status, disability, religion, or socioeconomic status.
4. To acknowledge the dignity of all persons served; to protect their rights and to provide a written description of Client Rights and Responsibilities.
5. To acknowledge that care is consumer directed, giving as much choice as resources allow for selection of a service provider within Meridian or in the community at large though private practitioners, other treatment or social agencies, or faith-based organizations.
6. To acknowledge the importance of parents, caregivers, and other supportive persons in the process of providing care and achieving desired service goals.
7. As requested by those served, the family and natural supports of the individual receiving services should be included in assessment, service delivery, discharge, and follow-up.
8. When a child is the identified consumer of the service, this role is vital, and parents/legal guardians should direct the care given and be involved extensively in the services offered. Exceptions for minors receiving addiction treatment are recognized, though the minor should be encouraged to review any parental exclusion carefully.
9. To ensure that services are individualized, based on an assessment of the individual's goals, desires, strengths, needs and barriers to be overcome. To ensure that goals are achievable and measurable, and that progress is evaluated and reviewed periodically.
10. To create as restraint-free and seclusion-free an environment as possible by implementing timely de-escalation techniques, teaching conflict resolution skills, and implementing individual and program-specific preventive measures to insure a safe, secure and caring service environment.
    1. a. It is the policy of Meridian Behavioral Healthcare, Inc. to refrain from using any kind of seclusion or restraint as a treatment intervention, and to restrain persons only as a safety measure to prevent serious injury or death.
    2. b. Seclusion and restraint are not used as punishment, for the convenience of staff members, or as a substitute for a treatment program.
    3. c. The use of seclusion or restraint to manage behavior is an emergency measure that is reserved for those occasions when an unanticipated, severely aggressive or destructive behavior places a person served or others in imminent danger.
    4. d. It is also the policy of the Center not to employ physical intervention when a person is in the process of destroying property, unless the destruction places the person or someone else in imminent danger of being seriously injured.
11. To recognize that recovery and resilience are best fostered when those served access as broad an array of treatment, social, and community resources as possible.
    1. a. Programs should have formal and informal relationships with care givers, and other service and faith-based organizations that will facilitate the provision of care and enhance continuity. Program staff will be encouraged to refer clients to appropriate services from other community resources, based on the person's desires, needs, and goals.
    2. b. Referrals should be made for health care (dental, emergency and routine physical health, laboratory) and the services coordinated with Meridian's to ensure care is efficient and effective.
    3. c. Residential services need to be especially mindful of the community integration needs of the persons they serve, including access to community based and in-house recreation, pastoral, and social activities.
    4. d. The Center may participate in Interagency agreements with other agencies to develop a continuum of care for individuals served by Meridian in need of services such as dental, social, financial, legal assistance, etc.
12. Ensure that a service record is maintained that is appropriate to the type of service and conforms to all applicable professional, statutory, regulatory, and contractual standards.
    1. a. To ensure that appropriate follow-up attempts are made after discharge.
    2. b. The extent of the follow-up effort shall be determined by the client's need for treatment as determined by Center professional staff, with more intensive follow-up efforts devoted to those clients who are most at risk.
    3. c. Follow-up is also provided to those clients discharged routinely in order to assess the longer-term efficacy of services.
13. To ensure that all services delivered by this Center reflect its commitment to Quality of Care.
14. The hours of operation will be posted for each facility/site. At least four hours weekly of services will be available after 5 p.m., as needed and as appropriate, to accommodate clients who are working during the day. Emergency services and residential services are available 24 hours a day seven days a week.