SECTION 377:10-7-5. Specialized community home

(a)   General provisions. A specialized community home (SCH) is a community-based, family-structured home for up to five OJA-custody juveniles. A SCH shall be operated by, and in the home of, a professional, contracted social service provider. The contractor shall provide an intensive, individually-focused, therapeutic intervention program of social services in addition to basic residential care. The contractor shall also provide counseling, educational opportunity, employment opportunity, cultural enrichment, and independent living skills training consistent with each juvenile's treatment plan. The SCH contractor's full-time job shall be to operate the specialized community home and provide services.

(b)   Foster family care standards. An applicant, to become a specialized community home provider, shall submit a program proposal to the Executive Director or the affected division administrator, and meet the requirements listed in OAC 377:10-7-3. A specialized community home contractor shall meet, at a minimum, the OJA foster home standards listed in OAC 377:10-7-3.

(c)   Program proposal. An applicant shall address each of the criteria listed in (1)-(16) of this subsection in the applicant's written program proposals.

(1)   Previous child care experience. The applicant shall provide a description of the applicant's previous child care experience with the target population described.

(2)   Educational background and abilities of the applicant. The applicant shall provide information regarding the applicant's formal education, training, and abilities. The applicant shall describe how the education enhances his or her ability to successfully operate this program.

(3)   Adaptability. The applicant shall describe in writing how he or she may adapt to meet the needs of juveniles referred to the program.

(4)   Behavior management. The applicant shall describe in writing his or her philosophy of behavior management methods and its applicability to the proposal population.

(5)   Effect on other family members. The applicant shall provide information on the effect, if any, becoming a specialized community home will have on family members and the plan to minimize any risk potential that may exist.

(6)   Role of the spouse. The applicant shall describe in writing the role which a spouse, present in the home, will play in the overall operation of the specialized community home.

(7)   Overall plan of service delivery. The applicant shall provide a written plan of service delivery. The applicant shall answer the following questions:

(A)   What types of services will be directly provided and in what manner?; and

(B)   What will be accessed from the community?

(8)   Relief/respite care. The applicant shall provide an outline of the plan for relief/respite care arrangements.

(9)   Community/school system acceptance. The applicant shall describe the community/school system tolerance level for the type of juveniles proposed for placement.

(10)   Facility. The applicant shall provide information regarding whether the home is adequate to accommodate four juveniles in addition to the applicant's own family. Upon written approval from the Executive Director or the affected division administrator, a home may be certified for five juveniles in addition to the applicant's own family.

(11)   Recreational resources. The applicant shall provide a written description of and a plan for using available recreational resources.

(12)   Educational resources. The applicant shall provide a description of available State Board of Education certified educational resources, including vocational education and special education.

(13)   Independent living. The applicant shall have a plan to assess and teach independent living skills to juveniles 16 years of age and older.

(14)   Employment resources. The applicant shall describe plans to teach job skills and access employment resources. The applicant shall identify transportation resources.

(15)   Community resources. The applicant shall provide information regarding the availability of community resources and the applicant's plan for accessing community resources.

(16)   Transportation. The applicant shall advise whether he or she can provide transportation for the juveniles.

(d)   OJA staff participation. OJA staff may not participate in writing program proposals.

(e)   Role expectations of the specialized community home contractor. OJA may require specific training for the SCH prior to placing a juvenile in the home. Specialized community home (SCH) contractors shall annually obtain 21 hours of training regarding working with juveniles. All SCH contractors and their spouses shall receive training in an approved system for managing aggressive and non-aggressive acting-out behavior. Contractors shall attend OJA mandatory meetings held twice yearly, as well as any additional required training. Contractors shall receive training hours for attending the required meetings.

(f)   Responsibilities of the specialized community home contractor. The Office of Juvenile Affairs shall set forth specific responsibilities of the specialized community home contractor in the contract between OJA and the contractor. OJA staff shall ensure that contractors meet all contractual requirements.

[Source: Added at 14 Ok Reg 1864, eff 6-2-97; Amended at 15 Ok Reg 2667, eff 7-1-98; Amended at 16 Ok Reg 174, eff 10-22-98 (emergency); Amended at 16 Ok Reg 2981, eff 7-12-99; Amended at 21 Ok Reg 1404, eff 7-1-04; Amended at 28 Ok Reg 1993, eff 7-15-11; Amended at 31 Ok Reg 317, eff 12-3-13 (emergency); Amended at 31 Ok Reg 1929, eff 9-12-14]