Substance Abuse SOP

Substance Abuse and Policies and Practices

Confidentiality       Impaired Parent       Drugs/Paraphernalia Disposal       Adult/Adolescent Referral

 

      Parent Training       Quarterly Parent Training       Staff Consultations       Substance Abuse Forms

 

Policy:  Confidentiality

 

Information regarding a person’s substance abuse history is federally protected to encourage those needing treatment to seek help without fear of repercussions.  The regulations governing “Confidentiality of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Patient Records, “ 42 CFR, Part 2, impose restrictions upon the disclosure and use of patient records which are maintained in connection with the performance of any federally assisted alcohol and drug abuse program.  Head Start qualifies as a treat program because it has created a Substance Abuse Content Area and performs screening and referral functions for Head Start families.  There are fines associated with infractions of this regulation.

 

Procedure:

 

  1. Written referrals from Head Start staff to Substance Abuse staff will be placed in an envelope marked “confidential”.
  2. All forms generated by Substance Abuse staff in the process of identifying, screening, referring, or case managing a substance abuse problem will be kept in a locked file and destroyed when no longer needed or the child graduates from Head Start.
  3. If the client requests that a Substance Abuse staff participate in case management while in treatment or during the after-care phase, an Authorization to Release Information will be completed and kept on file.
  4. No information regarding a client will be released without a signed Authorization to Release Information.
  5. When information is forwarded to another agency, it must contain the following prohibition:

This notice accompanies a disclosure of information concerning a patient in alcohol/drug abuse treatment, made to you with the consent of such patient.  This information has been disclosed to you from records protected by Federal confidentiality rules (42 CFR, Part 2).  The Federal rules prohibit you from making any further disclosure of this information unless further disclosure is expressly permitted by 42 CFR, Part 2.  A general authorization for the release of medical or other information is NOT sufficient for this purpose.  The Federal rules restrict any use of the information to criminally investigate or prosecute any alcohol or drug abuse client or patient.

 

 

 

Policy:  Impaired Parent

 

In order to insure the safety of Head Start children, it is the policy of Head Start of Greater Dallas, Inc. that children leaving a Head Start center shall be accompanied by a parent or designee that is NOT impaired by the use of alcohol or other drugs.

 

Procedure:

 

Any Head Start employee who suspects possible impairment of a parent or designee who is picking up a child from a center shall :

  1. Inform the site manager or designee of the condition of the parent and request assistance.  The employee and site manager shall inform the parent of HSGD’s policy against releasing children to anyone who appears to be too impaired to safely drive a vehicle.
  2. Take care to discuss the situation in a private location, if possible.
  3. Offer to contact another person to come and drive the parent and child home and assist in making the call.
  4. If the parent refuses assistance and attempts to leave with the child, the Head Start staff will inform the parent that 911 will be called to report a child in a vehicle with an impaired driver.
  5. At no time will Head Start staff touch or attempt to block the exit of the parent and/or child.
  6. If at any time during the situation Head Start staff feels endangered, he or she will immediately call 911.
  7. Upon resolution of the situation, staff will make a referral to Substance Abuse staff for follow-up with the family.

 

 

 

Policy:  Drugs/Paraphernalia Disposal

 

In order to insure the safety of Head Start children, families, and staff, it is the policy of Head Start of Greater Dallas, Inc. that no alcohol, other mind-altering substances (legal or illegal), or paraphernalia be tolerated on Head Start property.

 

Procedure:

 

The Head Start staff person who first becomes aware of the presence of a mind-altering substance or paraphernalia on Head Start property will

  1. Ensure that the children are removed from the area
  2. Immediately notify the site manager or designee
  3. With a witness, remove the substance/paraphernalia and dispose of it in the following manner:
    1. Container of alcohol:  pour the liquid in a sink or toilet and place the container in a trash receptacle in an area that is away from the children.
    2. Powder, pills, or plant-like materials in vials, baggies or other containers:  pour the material in a toilet and flush.  The container, if un-flushable, will be placed in a trash receptacle away from the children.
    3. Paraphernalia such as a syringe, spoon, cotton, tourniquet, cigarette papers, razor blade, pipe, “bong”, pill bottle, etc.:  remove the item and place in an appropriate trash receptacle.  In the case of a syringe or razor blade, place in hazardous waste receptacle.  It may also be prudent to wear rubber gloves when handling any drug or paraphernalia item.

4.  Following the disposal of the substance or paraphernalia, the two persons involved will write a brief description of the item found and the disposal method, sign and date the document, and request that the site manager keep it on file for the duration of the school year.

 

 

 

Practice: Staff Consultations

 

It is the practice of the HSGD Substance Abuse Content Area that Substance Abuse staff will provide expertise to other staff in identifying families experiencing stress resulting from substance abuse by a family member, relative, or associate. 

 

Procedure:

 

Families will be identified through:

      A.  Enrollment of new children

            1.  Substance Abuse staff will participate in the enrollment process by
                 distributing information regarding Substance Abuse services

2.      Substance Abuse staff may conduct surveys or other duties required by grant(s) at Enrollment

3.      Substance Abuse staff will respond to families that express needs due to the impact of substance abuse

      B.   Participation in the Community Needs Assessment process

             1.   Substance Abuse staff will be available to participate as needed

 2.   Substance Abuse staff will provide substance abuse-specific information as requested

C.  Family Partnership Agreements

1.  Families that indicate there is a substance abuse issue in the family
     will be referred to the Substance Abuse Specialist for that center.

              2.  Specialist will administer screening tool, do short-term counseling,
                  and/or refer clients to treatment, counseling, or self-help groups

               3.  Substance Abuse staff will administer other instruments as needed.

D.    Participation in Case Management Meetings for the purpose of giving input on the signs and symptoms of substance abuse, effects of substance abuse, and recommendations regarding strategies to approach families appearing to be impacted by substance abuse.

      E.  Participation in Folder Review.

 

 

Practice:  Adult/Adolescent Referral

 

It is the practice of the HSGD Substance Abuse Content Area that Substance Abuse staff will receive referrals of individuals or families impacted by substance abuse.  The referrals may come from staff, family members, the substance abuser, or even the Head Start child.

 

Procedure:

 

A.        When Substance Abuse staff receives an adult or adolescent referral for Substance Abuse services they will:
1.  Meet with referring staff person as well as other staff familiar with the
     family

            3.  Develop a strategy based on client’s needs in all content areas

 4.  Implement the strategy

                  a.  Set up initial appointment with client

                  b.  Meet with client and further identify degree of impact of
                       substance abuse with the use of a screening tool

                  c.   Make referral to services (inside or outside of agency)

                  d.  Complete In-house Referral Form and return to referral source

                  e.  Document in Family Partnership Agreement receipt of referral and 
      general strategies to be implemented

                 f.  Have client complete Authorization of Release of Information as          needed

                 g. Follow-up with client on a regular basis and conduct short-term
                     counseling

                  h.   Follow-up with agencies to which client was referred if Authorization
                      of Release of Information has been signed

B.     In some instances Substance Abuse staff will need to refer clients out to     other Head Start Content Areas or to outside agencies.

            1.  Referral to other Head Start content areas

                 a.  Complete In-house Referral Form

                 b.  Consult with staff regarding client needs

                 c.  Follow-up with client

            2.  Refer to treatment

      a.  Assist client in enrolling in NorthSTAR (Value Options) managed 
     care system

b.      Follow-up with client

c.      Support aftercare efforts

            3.   Refer to support group

                  a.  Research language, times, phone numbers and locations of  
                      support groups and make them available to client

      b.  Follow-up with client

 

 

Practice: Parent Training

 

All Head Start parents are invited to attend a parenting class in their own center or a nearby one during the school year.

 

Procedure:

 

1.      Substance Abuse staff will recruit parents for parenting classes

2.      SA staff will arrange time and space with site manager.

3.      SA staff will select curriculum and activities based on participants’ interests and needs

4.      SA staff will conduct the sessions on a schedule that meets the needs of the participants, e.g., weekly, monthly, bi-weekly, etc.

5.      Staff will:

a)     Maintain a sign-in sheet for each session

b)     Submit sign-in sheet to the Resource Associate at the end of the month.

 

 

Practice: Quarterly Parent Training

 

Substance Abuse staff will present staff/parent training quarterly.

 

Procedure:

 

Training sessions will be available for parents/staff at the center, triad, or agency levels.  Staff will:

1.      Determine substance abuse topics of interest for presentation

2.      Schedule training sessions with center manager, triad director, or Training Department.

 

Staff will:

a)     Maintain a sign-in sheet for each session.

b)     Will complete a monthly report and turn in to Substance Abuse Resource Associate along with all documentation by the second Friday of each month.

c)      Submit sign-in sheet to the Resource Associate at the end of the month.


 

 

Instructions for Completing Substance Abuse Forms

 

The following forms are used by Substance Abuse staff. 

 

Parenting Class Attendance Sheet*

At initial session have parents sign their names.  At each succeeding session have parents place check marks to indicate their presence.  At the end of the series of sessions, turn in attendance sheet to Resource Associate.

 

Presentation/Training Attendance Sheet*

Use the sign-in sheets provided by the Training Department if the training is for staff.

 

Complete date, time, duration, topic, purpose/goal, location, and facilitator at top of page.  Have each person sign-in and indicate their agency, HS work location, or position as appropriate. 

 

Following the session, turn in to Resource Associate.

 

CJD Timesheet

All CJD staff will complete a monthly timesheet and submit to Resource Associate by the 2nd Friday of each month.

 

CJD Second Step Attendance Sheet

All CJD staff will complete a Second Step Attendance Sheet for each classroom that conducted a Second Step session and submit to Resource Associate by the 2nd Friday of each month.

 

Release of Information

If a parent, group participant, or staff member requests a referral to a treatment facility and would like for you to continue to follow-up with them, ask them to complete the “Authorization to Release Information” and present it to the treatment facility.  Make a copy for your files.  If you have information that they would like you to give to a treatment facility, have them complete the form and keep a copy for your files.  Do not put copies in the child’s folder in the center.  Keep the copies in a locked cabinet in a locked office.  Shred the document when it expires.

 

 

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