Group homes must employ sufficient staff who are appropriately qualified and trained to provide the essential services of the home.

• (1) Sufficient staff.  Each group home must have one person who is administratively responsible for the entire program.  This person must be in addition to direct support staff.
  • (A) There must be at least one designated person in charge of the home and its operation available for each home when service recipients are present.  Staff support and supervision must be provided as needed for each service recipient in the home.
  • (B) In addition to direct support staff, each service recipient in a group home must have a staff person who serves as program coordinator.  In addition to duties required by OAC 340:100-5-52, program coordination staff must:
    • (i) get to know the service recipient and the service recipient's needs;
    • (ii) make announced and unannounced visits to the group home that include a minimum of three monitoring visits per month, based on the needs of the service recipients and the need for supervision of staff.  At least two of the visits must be unannounced.  Of the unannounced visits, at least one visit must occur each month:
      • (I) on Saturday or Sunday; or
      • (II) between 8:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. on a weekday;
    • (iii) provide support and assistance to any service recipient who is experiencing an emotional, behavioral, or medical crisis;
    • (iv) be accessible to direct support staff 24 hours per day and available to respond, in person if necessary, to an emergency;
    • (v) supervise direct support staff to promote achievement of outcomes in the service recipient's Individual Plan (Plan);
    • (vi) ensure staffing levels meet the requirements of the service recipient's Plan, with staff trained in accordance with OAC 340:100-3-38;
    • (vii) ensure each service recipient's needs are always met, including:
      • (I) utilities and phone service;
      • (II) furniture;
      • (III) food supplies that meet the service recipient's nutritional needs;
      • (IV) linens;
      • (V) personal items;
      • (VI) adaptive equipment; and
      • (VII) prescription medications;
    • (viii) assist the Developmental Disabilities Services Division (DDSD) case manager as requested to prepare for and implement the service recipient's Plan and its revisions per OAC 340:100-5-50 through 340:100-5-58;
    • (ix) ensure Oklahoma Department of Human Services and Oklahoma Health Care Authority rules are followed; and
    • (x) complete necessary training specified in OAC 340:100-3-38.
  • (C) All group home providers must have a signed, written agreement with a registered nurse to:
    • (i) act as a consultant;
    • (ii) review medication issues and administration quarterly, or more often if required; and
    • (iii) provide technical assistance upon request.  Documentation of the use of the nurse consultant must be maintained by the group home provider.
  • (D) Service recipients do not supervise other service recipients.
• (2) Staff qualifications.
  • (A) The group home has an administrator and program coordinator who must:
    • (i) be at least 21 years old; and
    • (ii) have a minimum of four years of any combination of college level course work or full-time equivalent experience in serving persons with disabilities, unless this requirement is waived in writing by the DDSD director or designee. Both roles may be filled by the same person.
  • (B) All other staff must be at least 18 years of age.
  • (C) The provider agency must comply with OAC 340:100-3-39 regarding pre-employment screening for community services workers.
• (3) Staff training.  To ensure all providers achieve and maintain a level of competency necessary to meet the needs of each service recipient in the group home, provider agency staff must complete training specified in OAC 340:100-3-38.