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“We’d like that to be broadened to a one to 15, one to 16 ratio,” Hickman said. That ratio moves to one staff for every 12 kids at night. Hickman and others by and large supported the proposed regulations, but they took issue with some of the specifics, like staffing ratios.Ĭurrently, programs only have to provide a written policy setting their own ratios, but health officials are asking programs to provide one staff per eight children during the day. Some owners of the programs said the department did not consult enough with the small industry.Ĭorey Hickman is the executive director of the Chrysalis program in Eureka.
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The programs came under DPHHS oversight July 1. The new rules were spurred by a law passed out of the 2019 legislative session calling for more oversight of private residential treatment programs for kids. “They did help inform the rules packages, just really getting our eyes on what the physical plant looks like and what the rules package might need to look like to accommodate some of the differences in the programs,” Johnston said. Johnston said site visits also helped inform the overhaul.
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While there was support for the regulations, some of the programs that would fall under the proposed rules said they went too far.Įrica Johnston with Health and Human Services told reporters before Thursday’s hearing that the department consulted with the 18 private residential youth programs statewide that would fall under its proposed list of expanded regulations. The Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services held a hearing Thursday on new rules for private residential youth programs.