4539. Inpatient Mental Health Treatment For Children

Policy Number & Title:  4539. Inpatient Mental Health Treatment for Children

Effective Date:  December 15, 1996

Purpose

  1. Services to provide psychiatric/psychological treatment to children or youth in the care and custody of Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) in a hospital or clinical setting.
  2. There are two types of inpatient mental health treatment for children or youth in Washington state:
    1. Acute inpatient care provided in community hospitals and Evaluation and Treatment Centers, and
    2. Long term inpatient care, provided in the five Children's Long Term Inpatient Programs.

Authority 

Chapters 13.34 RCW    Juvenile Court Act-Dependency and Termination of Parent-Child Relationship

Chapters 71.34 RCW    Behavioral Health Services for Minors

Policy

  1. Children or youth who are in the care and custody of DCYF and who require inpatient mental health treatment are eligible for this service.
  2. No caseworker shall provide written consent for voluntary inpatient treatment of a minor child or youth except as described in this section; nor shall the caseworker seek inpatient treatment of a child or youth in a court-ordered placement (i.e., dependency, Child in Need of Services (CHINS)) without prior written consent of the child's or youth’s parents or guardian whenever possible.
  3. If a parent's or guardian’s prior consent is not possible, then prior approval of the juvenile court is required unless an emergent situation does not allow time for a hearing. In such a case, the caseworker will seek court approval within 48 working hours of the placement by requesting a juvenile court hearing.
  4. Consent is not required if the child or youth is involuntarily detained in an Evaluation and Treatment facility by a County Designated Mental Health Professional or is subsequently court ordered through the Involuntary Treatment Act (ITA), chapter 71.34 RCW.
  5. Youth 13 years of age and older may voluntarily seek and consent to inpatient treatment without consent of their parent or guardian or the department. Such a youth must consent to inpatient treatment except under the conditions set forth in paragraph 4, above. Parental consent by itself is insufficient.
  6. Admission to publicly funded acute inpatient treatment shall occur only if the child or youth meets medical necessity guidelines as determined by the Regional Support Network (RSN)-authorized mental health professional(s) and with the concurrence of the professional person in charge of the facility.
  7. For long-term inpatient psychiatric care, the Children's Long-term Inpatient Program (CLIP) Committee must provide authorization prior to admission. Referral to the CLIP Committee shall only be made by the RSN/Prepaid Health Plan (PHP) of residence. Different access points and procedures may be applied by the local RSN/PHP.

Resources

Inpatient Mental Health Treatment for Children procedures (Located in the DCYF Policies & Rules Office SharePoint)

Original Date:  December 15, 1996

Revised Date: 

Review Date:

Approved by: