Foundations Behavioral Health Empowerment House, a Residential Treatment Center for children, was cited by the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS, or formerly the Dept. of Public Welfare) for multiple deficiencies following a site inspection survey. The deficiencies related to the use of mechanical restraints, patient rights, facility maintenance, and emergency medical plans.
DHS found violations of regulations for the use and documentation of mechanical restraints. DHS revealed that “2 of 6 charts contained episodes of restraints where the RN did not contact the physician according to the required guideline.” DHS also found that “1 of the 6 charts contained documentation of restraint 8 times within 4 months” but “there was no documentation that indicated the initial plan was reviewed to determine appropriateness.” Lastly, DHS found that “2 of the 6 charts did not contain documentation to reflect that alternative interventions were developed in conjunction with the family to prevent further instances of manual restraint.”
Pennsylvania code guarantees that each child and parent or guardian will be informed of the patient’s rights, the right to lodge grievances, and have consent to treatment. DHS found that the facility’s list of specific rights only included “a child has the right to practice the religion or faith of choice, or not to practice any religion at all; a child has the right to communicate and visit privately with his attorney; and a child has the right to receive and send mail.” However, DHS noted that “the list of rights does not include all of the other rights specified in regulation[s].”
DHS also cited the facility for not having a refrigerator in the kitchen area and not having an emergency staffing plan in the Facility Emergency Medical Plan.
The facility submitted a plan of correction to address these cited deficiencies and was granted a full 1-year license.