A. As used in Sections 603.4 and 7102 of this title and the Oklahoma Children’s Code, "day treatment program" means nonresidential, partial hospitalization programs, day treatment programs, and day hospital programs in which children and adolescents are placed for psychiatric or psychological treatment. Day treatment programs shall serve children and adolescents who are experiencing severe psychiatric symptoms, disturbances of conduct, decompensating conditions affecting mental health, or severe developmental delays that seriously impair their capacity to function age-appropriately in their daily lives and that place them at risk of inpatient hospital, residential or other institutional care. Day treatment programs shall provide mental health ambulatory, active treatment programs that shall include therapeutic, coordinated and structured clinical services in a stable, therapeutic milieu, with the goal of preventing the need for or reducing the length of inpatient or institutional care, and reintegrating of the child into the school and the community. A day treatment program shall not mean an alternative school or alternative education program as such terms are defined in rules promulgated by the State Board of Education.

B. All day treatment programs shall adopt:

1. A patient and family bill of rights;

2. Grievance procedures for reporting complaints or grievances to the State Department of Health, the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services or the Office of Client Advocacy, and that are appropriate for the complaint or grievance; and

3. Policies governing the use of force, which shall be in compliance with the provisions of Section 7004-3.3 of this title.

C. The Commission for Human Services shall promulgate rules governing participation of a foster care family in the treatment of a child and in family therapy with a child when the child is in foster care.

Added by Laws 1995, c. 231, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 1995. Amended by Laws 2001, c. 415, § 1, emerg. eff. June 5, 2001.