(a) Policy. Procedures shall be developed and implemented which promote the timely identification of inmates requiring mental health evaluation.
(b) Receiving screening.
(1) Screening for mental and emotional disorders is to be performed on all inmates before they are placed in general population. This initial screening shall take place within twenty-four hours after an inmate's arrival at the correctional facility.
(2) Screening shall be performed by mental health services personnel or by appropriately trained medical personnel. Screening may be incorporated within the medical intake procedure.
(3) The Department of Health, with the approval of the Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Alcoholism Services shall develop written procedures setting the topics to be reviewed in receiving screening. The review shall include, but need not be limited to: psychiatric history, including neuropsychiatric hospitalizations, contacts with mental health professionals, suicidal and violent behavior, history or presence of delusions or hallucinations, and an assessment based on behavioral observations of mood, orientation, impaired consciousness, indications of gross mental retardation and significant presenting complaints.
(4) The professionals conducting intake screening shall record their findings in a standard, written mental health intake form which the Department of Health shall develop with the approval of the Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Alcoholism Services for use in all facilities.
(5) Receiving screening shall include a description of available mental health services and the procedures for access to those services:
(i) inmates shall receive a written communication in English and Spanish describing available mental health services, the confidentiality of those services and the procedures for gaining access to them;
(ii) the Department of Correction shall make provisions to assist in assuring that the procedures for gaining access to mental health services are verbally explained to illiterate inmates, and that inmates whose native language is other than English or Spanish are given prompt access to translation services for the explanation of these procedures.
(c) Training of staff.
(1) All correction officers and medical services personnel are to receive training and continuing education in programs approved by the Departments of Correction, Health and Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Alcoholism Services regarding the recognition of mental and emotional disorders. This training shall incorporate, but need not be limited to, the following areas:
(i) the recognition of signs and symptoms of mental and emotional disorders most frequently found in the inmate population;
(ii) the recognition of signs of chemical dependence and the symptoms of narcotic and alcohol withdrawal;
(iii) the recognition of adverse reactions to psychotropic medication;
(iv) the recognition of signs of developmental disability, particularly mental retardation;
(v) types of potential mental health emergencies, and how to approach inmates to intervene in these crises;
(vi) identification and referral of medical problems of mental health inmates;
(vii) suicide prevention; and
(viii) the appropriate channels for the immediate referral of an inmate to mental health services for further evaluation, and the procedures governing such referrals.
(2) No later than nine months from the effective date of these standards, there shall be at least one officer in every housing area on every tour trained in the application of basic first aid, including life support cardio-pulmonary resuscitation.
(3) Mental health services staff shall receive explicit orientation as well as continuing education and training appropriate to their activities:
(i) there shall be a written plan developed by the Department of Health and approved by the Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Alcoholism Services for the orientation, continuing education and training of all mental health services staff;
(ii) in-service training shall include regular individual supervision of not less than one hour per week and not less than one hour per week of continuing education to be prorated for part-time staff.
(d) Observation aides.
(1) There is to be an organized program of observation aides trained to monitor those inmates identified as potential suicide risks as well as to recognize in those inmates not previously identified the warning signals of suicidal behavior. Inmates, including those housed in mental observation areas, may be employed as observation aides and shall be paid for their services.
(2) Written procedures shall be developed by the Department of Correction and Health, to be approved by the Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Alcoholism Services, defining the selection criteria for observation aides, the training they shall receive, the procedures they shall follow and the criteria for the evaluation of their performance as well as for terminating their employment where necessary:
(i) in developing a program of observation aides the Department of Correction shall consult with the Department of Health in order to provide for coordination of effort between the two agencies;
(ii) observation aides shall be trained to promptly inform correction or mental health services staff when they believe an inmate poses a suicide risk, presents an immediate danger of suicide or is engaging in bizarre behavior. This information shall be recorded in a systematic manner.
(3) Observation aides shall operate in all correctional facilities in the following housing areas: mental observation, punitive segregation, administrative segregation and new admission. They shall be employed in other areas as required.