Section 532.6 - Staff Characteristics, Qualifications and Duty Requirements(a) Programs shall meet the staffing requirements of section 5670.5(b) of the Welfare and Institutions Code.(b) The program shall document the use of multi- disciplinary professional consultation and staff when necessary to meet the specific diagnostic and treatment needs of the clients.(c) Paraprofessionals and persons who have been consumers of mental health services shall be utilized in the program when consistent with the program design and services provided.(d) All social rehabilitation facilities shall have a program director.(e) The program director shall be on the premises the number of hours necessary to manage and administer the program component of the facility in compliance with applicable laws and regulations.(f) The program director of a certified Short-Term Crisis Residential Treatment Program shall have the following qualifications prior to employment. (1) A Bachelor's Degree in Psychology, Social Work or any other major which includes at least 24 semester college units in one or more of the following subject areas: (E) Psychiatric Nursing; and(2) Two (2) years of full-time work experience in a community program that serves clients who have a mental illness. Such experience must be in the direct provision of services to clients, of which one (1) year must be in the position of supervising direct care staff, or(3) As an alternative to the Bachelor Degree and experience required in paragraph (1) and (2) of this subsection, a total of four (4) years of experience in a community program providing direct services to persons with mental disabilities, of which one (1) year must be in the position of supervising direct care staff, and graduation from high school or possession of a GED may be substituted.(g) The program director of a certified Transitional Residential Treatment Program or a certified Long-Term Residential Treatment Program shall have the following qualifications prior to employment.(1) A Bachelor's Degree in Psychology, Social Work or any other major which includes at least 24 semester college units in one or more of the following subject areas: (E) Psychiatric Nursing; and(2) One (1) year of full-time work experience in a community program that serves clients who have a mental illness. Such experience must be in the direct provision of services to clients, of which four (4) months must be in a position of supervising direct care staff.(3) As an alternative to the Bachelor's Degree and experience required in paragraphs (1) and (2) of this subsection, a total of three years of experience in providing direct services in the community to persons with mental illnesses, of which six (6) months must be in a position of supervising direct care staff, and graduation from high school or possession of a GED may be substituted.(h) All direct care staff shall have graduated from high school or possess a GED and have a minimum of one (1) year of full-time experience, or its part-time equivalent, working in a program serving persons with mental disabilities. Such experience must be in the direct provision of services to clients. If the employee does not have the required experience, the program shall document a specific plan of supervision and in-service training for the employee which will guarantee the ongoing qualification of the employee to perform the job. The plan should include but not be limited to the frequency and number of hours of training, the subjects to be covered, and a description of the supervision to be provided.(i) Program directors and all direct care staff of social rehabilitation programs as of the date that this section is adopted shall be considered as meeting all of the requirements of this section until two (2) years after the effective date of this section, at which time the requirements of this section shall be met in full.(j) The program director must provide and document a specific plan of supervision and at least 20 hours of in-service training per year for the employee to ensure the ongoing qualifications of the individual to perform the job.Cal. Code Regs. Tit. 9, § 532.6
1. New section filed 1-3-91; operative 2-2-91 (Register 91, No. 7).
2. Change without regulatory effect amending subsection (a) and NOTE filed 8-12-2014 pursuant to section 100, title 1, California Code of Regulations (Register 2014, No. 33). Note: Authority cited: Sections 4090 and 14700, Welfare and Institutions Code. Reference: Sections 4090, 4091, 5670, 5670.5 and 5671, Welfare and Institutions Code.
1. New section filed 1-3-91; operative 2-2-91 (Register 91, No. 7).
2. Change without regulatory effect amending subsection (a) and Note filed 8-12-2014 pursuant to section 100, title 1, California Code of Regulations (Register 2014, No. 33).