Page 12 - Policies

RESIDENT ABSENCE

POLICY

To establish Hopess policy regarding responding to the unauthorized absence of residents. It is the
policy of Hopess to have resident notify their therapist when they are not able to attend programming.
Unauthorized absences will be documented. Referral agencies such as Probation and Parole, the
Department of Children’s Services, or Courts will be notified as required or minimally within 24 hours
after 2 treatment days have been missed. Unauthorized absences that occur on the weekend will be
reported to the referral source by 5 p.m. the next workday.

PROCEDURE

A. Definition of Unauthorized Absence
1. If a resident is missing from the facility and the whereabouts are unknown, and the resident has
been missing more than 20 minutes, the resident is considered to have an unauthorized absence.

B. Response to Unauthorized Absence
1. If resident is at risk for health or safety, or needs medication or medical attention, and is absent,

emergency personnel must be contacted immediately (911).

2. If resident has an unauthorized absence, the Executive Director should be notified within the hour.

3. If resident has an unauthorized absence, and whereabouts are unknown for more than three (3)
hours, the resident’s guardian, if applicable, and the clinical team must be notified. If every
attempt made to notify the resident’s guardian fails, attempts must be documented in the resident’s
record.

4. If a resident is under court ordered treatment, report of unauthorized absence must be within 1 hour.

5. Staff members must attempt to locate resident, if other residents will not be at risk or left

unsupervised.
6. All instances of resident unauthorized absence must be documented in the resident’s record. A log

must be kept for two (2) years. The report must include - The date of report; and Evaluation and

action taken.

7. Staff shall report all unauthorized absences to supervisors immediately.
8. Supervisors will notify Probation, Parole, the Department of Children’s Services, or Court within

the time frame set out in this policy if those agencies have been made part of the resident’s
treatment plan.

9. A supervisor will notify the police department if any foul-play is suspected.
10. A resident’s unauthorized absence may lead towards dismissal from program services.
11. Hopess will document a resident’s absence in their chart and include the last contact that was

made by the resident and the attempts to resident by listing the name, date and time of the person

who made those outreach attempts.

12. Unauthorized absences will be evaluated and staffed with the treatment team and Executive

Director and a Quality Management review will be initiated.

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Hopess – Policy and Procedure Manual