Observations
Based on a review of client schedules, the facility failed to provide treatment services that are not concurrent with school hours and that do occur during Department of Health approved primary care hours.
The findings include:
On June 19, 2012 the student schedule was reviewed. The schedule indicates:
Monday through Friday: 6:45- 7:30 AM Period 1 (includes Breakfast, Showers, and IST); 7:30-8:15 AM Period 2; 8:15-9:00 AM Period 3; 9:00-9:45 AM Period 4; 9:45 AM -10:30 AM Period 5; 10:30-11:15 AM Period 6; 11:15 AM -12:45 PM Period 7 (including a half hour lunch).
The facility failed to provide a continuous 5.5 hours of uninterrupted schooling. The schedule presented above totals 6 hours of activities, however, period 7 includes a half hour for lunch and period 1 designates time for showers and breakfast, therefore the entire 45 minute block of time cannot be applied exclusively to schooling.
On March 23, 2011 a letter was presented to the Chief Operating Officer of Pyramid Healthcare from the Bureau of Special Education (BSE). The letter states that the BSE is requiring that students must receive 5.5 hours of educational instruction per day. Educational services cannot be shortened or interrupted for the convenience of therapeutic services during the time period that educational services are being conducted.
This issue was previously cited. Based on the citation and a letter from the BSE, the facility presented a plan of correction which was approved on December 29, 2011 and states:
"A new schedule has been developed by a team consisting of the facilities Clinical Supervisor, BHT Supervisor, Lead Teacher and Program Director. The newly developed schedule will allow for 5.5 hours of continuous educational services from 7:15am to 1:15pm. Clinical hours will be provided from 1:15pm to 5:00pm. The team of Department Heads will meet on a quarterly basis to evaluate the effectiveness of the schedule to ensure all programming needs of the clients are being met. Target date for completion is January 18, 2012."
The facility failed to comply with their own, previously approved, plan of correction.
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Plan of Correction
The Bureau of Special Education is requiring students must receive 5.5 hours of non-interrupted educational instruction per day. As a result of a follow-up visit to our facility to ensure compliance,the agency was found to have failed to meet the above requirement as outlined in the schedule provided. As a result, a new schedule has been developed by the team consisting of the Clinical Supervisor,BHT Supervisor, Lead Teacher and Program Director. The newly developed schedule outlined below provides the required 5.5 hours of continuous educational services. Monday through Friday: 7:00-7:45 am period 1, 7:45-8:30 am period 2, 8:30-9:15 am period 3, 9:15-10:00 am period 4, 10:00 -10:45 am period 5, 10:45-11:30 am period 6, 11:30-1:00pm period 7 (including half hour for lunch). Clinical hours will be provided from 1:00pm on. The team of Department Heads will meet on a quarterly basis to evaluate the effectiveness of the schedule to ensure all programming needs of the clients are being met. Target date for completion will go into effect the start of the school year September 4, 2012. |