The following procedures will be followed as soon as a staff person becomes aware that a student is missing:
A. Perform a brief search of the immediate area, not to exceed one minute. Staff person should then inform another staff that the student is, indeed, missing.
B. If the student is not located in the preliminary search, the staff person must notify the supervisor, providing the following information:
1) Name of student
2) Location at last sighting
3) Description of clothing
4) Mood of student
5) Information that might indicate destination
6) Time of disappearance
C. The supervisor will organize a search of the grounds and immediate area around the campus. (Each campus-specific missing student procedure details area buildings, outside areas and nearby streets to be searched.)
D. If the student is not found in the immediate area around campus, the supervisor will assign specific routes to be covered (see campus-specific procedures). If the student is not found within five minutes, the search will be widened (see campus-specific procedures).
E. During the first fifteen minutes, the supervisor will obtain the following information from the nurse on duty:
1) Height 4) Age
2) Weight 5) Distinguishing marks
3) Medical problems 6) Recent photograph
F. At the end of fifteen minutes, the supervisor will notify the following, giving information from paragraphs 2 and 5:
1) Program Director or administrator on call
2) Local Police
3) Others as listed in campus-specific procedures.
G. All agencies and involved people will be notified when the student is found. Once the student has been returned to school, the following shall occur:
1) The search coordinator will call in all search teams.
2) The Program Director, Executive Director and/or Senior Vice President, CEO or designee, and appropriate agencies will be notified. Any Hillcrest campus that may have sent staff should also be called.
3) If the student was a runaway, they should be placed on close supervision until their Treatment Team meets.
4) Any equipment used (e.g., walkie-talkies, cell phones) must be signed in and placed in the administrator’s office. The walkie-talkies must be recharged.
H. The reasons why the student was missing will be reviewed by the administrator, and the staff responsible for the student will be counseled to prevent the recurrence of a similar situation.
The search procedure will also be reviewed and critiqued to be sure it was implemented properly.

A. Evacuation Emergencies
At the sound of a fire alarm or in the event of an emergency requiring building evacuation, the following procedure is to be observed:
1. Use common sense – – do not panic.
2. All emergency exits are posted. Person in charge of group, class or dorm will ascertain the dangerous situation and determine the nearest safe evacuation route to be used.
3. In all emergencies, that individual will take a head count of the students under his/her supervision.
4. Where possible, one staff member will lead the group rapidly, but calmly, while another staff functions as rear escort.
5. The group is to be taken to a designated safe area away from the evacuated building.
6. Students are again counted and grouped.
7. The administrator on duty will be notified as soon as possible, the shift supervisor will contact Berkshire Communicators (499-3650) to inform them of the degree of emergency on campus.
8. A designated person goes through the building to ascertain that the building has been completely evacuated. This person must make it known to another staff what he/she is doing. It is the supervisor’s responsibility to ensure that someone does this.
9. A second designated person will be responsible for seeing that all students and staff have been accounted for. In the event that a student is missing, the Missing/Runaway Student Procedures will be instituted.
10. After the alarm(s) have been reactivated and the building(s) is safe to enter, the administrator on duty will signal for everyone to return.
11. IN ANY EMERGENCY, THE SAFETY OF THE STUDENTS IS PARAMOUNT.
B. Fire Drills
Floor plans are posted in every bedroom and classroom, and are posted in other activity areas. The plans indicate the evacuation route(s) to be followed to exit the building.
Each residential and overnight shift performs a fire drill quarterly in the dorm buildings. The academic shift conducts monthly fire drills in all areas used as classrooms. All drills are recorded on the HEC Fire Drill or Activity Report form (see section D.). The supervisor in charge of running the drill must vary the drill conditions to require students and staff to react to potentially dangerous situations, such as blocked hallways or heavy smoke.
Per recommendation of Lenox, Great Barrington, and Pittsfield Fire Departments, 911 will be called for any alarm activity, excluding drills.
All personnel on all shifts are trained to perform assigned tasks during drills, first during the orientation period, then quarterly thereafter. The training includes the use of firefighting equipment.
A Fire Drill Report is completed after every scheduled and unscheduled fire drill. (See below for Fire Drill Report Retention Policy.)
The supervisor prepares the report and comments on the effectiveness of the drill. Where deficiencies are noted, the supervisor must run a follow-up training session and document such training.
Special care is taken to ensure that students understand the nature of such drills. Drill practices, without the use of the school alarm system, are utilized when necessary for additional training.
Mobility-impaired students are carried if necessary, to the designated safe area. Students should not be carried or escorted against their will during a drill of any kind. However, during a genuine emergency, unwilling students will be moved or carried as carefully as possible in order to insure their safety.
The school keeps a written log of all evacuation drills in the Administrator’s office. Included in the log is date and time of drill, the affected building, elapsed time, numbers of staff and students involved and comments or recommendations on the drill.
C. Fire Drill Procedures
When you are ready to do the actual fire drill, first call Berkshire Communicators to ask them to put the building on test* for ½ hour. You will need to provide the alarm panel number. Ask them to confirm the address and building.
*Test – During the test period, Communicators will receive a signal but will not dispatch the fire department. They will have the time an alarm came in and status of the alarm when you call to take the alarm off test. This information must be written on the Fire Drill Activity Report form.
Wait approximately three (3) minutes, and then conduct the drill.
Call Berkshire Communicators, tell them the drill is over and take the alarm off test.
Once the alarm has been restored and normal activity resumes, complete the Fire Drill Activity Report.
When an alarm is activated for any reason other than a drill, 911 should be called as soon as possible to ensure the fire department is notified and to provide additional information. Just because an alarm goes off in a building does not guarantee that Berkshire Communicators receives the signal (weather conditions, etc., could affect the system), so by calling 911 you ensure the fire department is notified. Fire departments are required by law to respond in some manner to all fire alarms.
Example of when you would call and what you might say:
• If a student was seen pulling the fire alarm, you would call 911 and tell them it is a false alarm, and then they have the option of having the fire department send less vehicles.
You must never call Berkshire Communicators to cancel the fire departments response to an alarm.
D. Fire Drill or Activity Report form

E. Retention of Fire Drill Reports
Fire Drill reports are kept for two years, so that any given time, each program site has fire drill documentation for two complete years.

After two years the reports are thrown away or destroyed.
F. Power Outage / Fire Alarm Trouble
In the event of a power outage or a fire alarm panel indicating trouble in any Hillcrest building or location during the day shift, Monday – Friday (7 am-3 pm), please contact the maintenance person on your campus immediately.
Before 7 am or after 3 pm or on a weekend/holiday – if the power outage or alarm trouble lasts longer than 15 minutes, please call the maintenance emergency cell phone at 413-770-9425. Leave a voicemail if necessary.
Please also refer to the Maintenance On-Call Policy
in Section II, above.

In the case that a student being transported by HEC becomes non-compliant, refuses to return to campus, and/or leaves the supervision of staff or visiting resource without permission, the following steps must be taken:
1. Exhaust all attempts to utilize verbal intervention to encourage student to return.
2. If student runs from staff supervision, DO NOT PURSUE OR CHASE STUDENT. Ensure security of any remaining students that may be in your care.
3. If in a vehicle that is parked, REMOVE KEYS. If there are other students in the vehicle, DO NOT LEAVE STUDENT/s UNATTENDED. Any remaining students inside the vehicle must become the priority of your care.
4. Once a student is out of eyesight, immediately contact the Campus Supervisor* via the HEC Cell Phone to notify them of the situation and relay the following information: (supervisor cell phone??) Spare emergency medical file.
a. Name of student
b. Exact location at last sighting
c. Description of clothing and any belongings they may have taken.
d. Mood of student
e. Information that might indicate destination
f. Time of disappearance
g. Inform the supervisor whether the area you are in is safe to stay. If the area is not safe, please remain in vehicle with doors locked.
h. If safety is an immediate concern, please proceed to the closest public area. (i.e. Gas Station, McDonald’s, Fire Station, Police Station)
*If the Campus Supervisor cannot be reached within 5 minutes, please contact the Transportation Coordinator. TBD
5. Utilize Cell Phone camera to record any pertinent information.
6. Driver will notify the local law enforcement agency (via 911 if direct number is not available) and provide them with available details, including:
a. Biographical information and photographs. (Included with EMF)
b. Names of friends, relatives and acquaintances if known
c. Exact Location at last sighting
d. Description of clothing and any belongings they may have taken.
e. Mood of student
f. Information that might indicate destination
g. Time of disappearance
h. Ensure that the law enforcement agency handling the case enters your child’s name and biographical information into the National Crime Information Center computer network.
i. Driver and/or staff are responsible for obtaining any law enforcement contact information. (i.e. Officer’s Name, Case #, Location of Police Department, Department’s phone number)
j. Relay any law enforcement information to the Supervisor and/or Transportation Coordinator.
7. The Campus Supervisor will immediately notify:
a. Program Director or Administrator on-call to report the information provided by the drivers along with the cell phone number of the driver.
b. Transportation Coordinator and provide update of current situation.
c. On-call Clinical Administrator.
8. The Driver/Staff are to remain in the area and await further instructions from either a Supervisor, Transportation Coordinator, Program Director, and/or AD-On-Call.
9. Program Director and/or Administrator on-call will notify the Senior Vice President, Executive Director,and/or President of current situation.
10. Upon return, the Driver and Staff must complete all documentation, including Critical Incident Report, before leaving shift.

In the event that an emergency occurs while off grounds with students, staff shall notify the campus of the emergency. The administrator on duty will instruct the staff on procedures to follow, depending on the nature of the emergency. The campus will provide any immediate assistance needed to remedy the situation.

A. All off-campus trips must minimally carry the following items:
1) a cellular phone in the transporting vehicle.
2) a First Aid Kit to be kept with the group at all times.

B. All off-campus trips must be staffed with a person with Red Cross certification in First Aid and CPR.

C. All participants on the trip must be informed of their responsibility in case of an emergency.

D. Steps to be followed in the event of an injury:
1) The First aid/CPR-certified facilitator will take immediate charge of the situation.
2) Administer necessary first aid; protect injured from further injury.
3) Determine extent of injury and if an evacuation is necessary.
4) If an evacuation is necessary and the victim is able to move safely without injury, take victim to the nearest evacuation point where help can be reached, or to the Hillcrest van and transport to the nearest hospital.
a) Notify the campus Nurse prior to departing for the hospital, or while on the way to the hospital.
5) If an evacuation is necessary but the victim is unable to move safely without injury, have one or two staff members (depending on the location, general conditions and condition of the student) go to the nearest phone to call for help, while the First Aid/CPR-certified facilitator stays back with the injured person.
a) Staff making the call should be able to provide:
Name of victim
Sex
Age
Present condition
Any current medications student is taking
Any allergies
Location (access to location)
Insurance coverage
6) Notify the campus Nurse as soon as is reasonably possible.

In the event of the death of a student, the supervisor will immediately contact the Program Director, who will then contact the President/Executive Director/Senior Vice President and the local police.
(Also see Sentinel Event Policy)

No potentially dangerous objects (i.e., matches, lighters, volatile substances, glass bottles or items made of glass, weapons) are allowed on Hillcrest campuses. Individuals in charge of activities must ensure that all objects, i.e., scissors, knives, tools, glass, keys, etc. are inventoried at the completion of each activity and secured in a designated locked area. If it is found that a dangerous object is missing the following measures will be taken.

A. The administrator on duty is to be notified immediately with all available information.

B. Upon notification, the administrator will organize a campus-wide search for the missing object, beginning with the most logical sites. Students and staff who might have information related to the missing object will be interviewed as soon as possible. If necessary and with reasonable cause, a specific student or students, and their personal space areas (e.g., bedrooms, common areas) will be subject to search. (Also see procedures on Contraband Searches above.)

C. If the dangerous object is not located during the search, the administrator on duty will draft a memo to be distributed to all staff describing the object and the time and location of the disappearance. This memo will be posted in a central location.

D. Staff members on subsequent shifts will be notified promptly of the missing object at the commencement of their shift by the supervisor (e.g., during Stand Up).

E. The investigation of the disappearance of a dangerous object will continue until the object has been found or until the Program Director/Program Manager or his/her designee concludes the investigation.

There are some objects that, although not dangerous, may not be appropriate in the possession of students. Some objects may not be good for treatment purposes. Each program within the HEC system may seek to prevent students from keeping such objects on their person or in their dorm. The campus may need to do searches to prevent theft on the part of students. To accomplish prevention, the campus administration may permit staff to search a dorm area or to search a particular student. Administration should be working in conjunction with treatment teams to optimize treatment benefits of searches. The following guidelines must be followed:

A. The administrator on duty must give permission for any searches.

B. Upon permission, the shift Supervisor will direct staff in the search.

C. Staff must take care to search students and their areas in a respectful manner. Belongings should be respected and replaced in at least as good a condition as staff found them.

D. Any items removed must be itemized, documented and stored in a secure area or packaged and shipped to the student’s home. Staff should communicate to students what objects are at issue and why they are not permitted.

E. In each step of the procedure care must be given to ensure that reasons for searches are based on treatment needs and not done in a punitive manner.

Investigation ID Number: ____________________
(campus initials – date of initiation – student first/last initials)

I. Immediate Response/Fact Finding to Complaint/Incident:

YES N/A
❑ ❑ Obtain sufficient documentation of allegation/incident including statements, incident reports, etc.
❑ ❑ Obtain written statement from staff suspected of misconduct.
❑ ❑ Notify Executive Vice President and/or Vice President of Residential Programs of complaint/incident.
❑ ❑ Suspend alleged staff (with or without pay – depending on initial evidence).
❑ ❑ Formal Witness Statements from all staff witnesses (signed and dated).
❑ ❑ Interview summaries from all student witnesses – when appropriate (signed and dated).
❑ ❑ Document video surveillance review and save relevant material on compact disc.
❑ ❑ Gather relevant records, schedules, logs, medical documents, etc.
❑ ❑ Other investigatory activity (please specify):

______________________________________________________________________________

II. Notifications – Within 24hrs

YES N/A
❑ ❑ Report to DCF local screening unit (or state hotline if evening/weekend).
❑ ❑ Submit requested initial documentation to DCF.
❑ ❑ Call DEEC Licensor (must talk with a person).
❑ ❑ Submit EEC Employee Information Checklist (one for each staff alleged to have exhibited misconduct) and other requested documentation.
❑ ❑ Call/leave message for DESE liaison that Form 2 will be sent.
❑ ❑ Fax Form 2 (one for each student mistreated) along with required information to contact at Malden DESE office. (See DESE contact information for required information)
❑ ❑ Notify student’s legal guardian.
❑ ❑ Notify student’s family when appropriate.
❑ ❑ Other notification procedures specific to student’s funding/referral source.
❑ ❑ Notification to the JOINT COMMISSION (sentinel events only – CEO approval required)

❑ ❑ Other notifications completed (please specify):

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

III. Internal Investigation Completion – Within 10 Business Days

YES N/A
❑ ❑ Internal Investigation Conclusion
❑ ❑ Corrective/Preventative Action plan
❑ ❑ Obtain investigator(s), Program Director/Program Manager, and Executive Vice President and/or Vice President of Residential Programs signatures.
❑ ❑ Submit copy of Internal Investigation Form and appropriate attachments to DEEC.
❑ ❑ Submit copy of Internal Investigation Form and appropriate attachments to DESE.
❑ ❑ Submit original Internal Investigation Form and appropriate attachments to Executive
Vice President.

IV. Incident Closure:

YES N/A
❑ ❑ Obtain documentation of DCF closure. Submit original to Executive Vice President and/or Vice President of Residential Programs and copies to DEEC and DESE.
❑ ❑ Obtain documentation of DEEC closure. Submit original to Executive Vice President and/or Vice President of Residential Programs and a copy to DESE.
❑ ❑ Obtain documentation of other investigating agency’s closure and submit to
Executive Vice President and/or Vice President of Residential Programs.
❑ ❑ Attach any requirements for further action and respective progress.

Additional Tasks/Comments:

__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________

CASE CLOSURE AUTHORIZATION:

______________________________ ____________________
Signature Date

Investigation ID Number:
(campus initials – date of incident/complaint – student first/last initials)

CAMPUS: ITU_____ AUT_____ HP_____  HA_____

STUDENT(s) INVOLVED IN INCIDENT (must include: name – DOB – SS#):

DATE and TIME OF INCIDENT / ALLEGATION / COMPLAINT:

DATE INVESTIGATION INITIATED – COMPLETED:

Initiated: Completed:

INCIDENT LOCATION/BUILDING:

INVESTIGATOR(s) / REPORTER(s) (must include: name – title):

STAFF INVOLVED IN INCIDENT (must include: names – titles – DOB – SS#):

WITNESSES / OTHER PARTICIPANTS (must include: names – titles):

SHORT DESCRIPTION OF ALLEGATION (state what prompted the investigation):

INTERVIEWER(S) (must include: names – titles – name of subject interviewed):

DETAILED SUMMARY OF FACTS LEARNED IN THE INVESTIGATION:

RELEVANT STAFF HISTORY (work performance, prior 51A involvement, etc.)

POLICY/PROTOCOL REVIEW (list any issues related to staffing ratios, communication, compliance, etc.)

CONCLUSIONS (Hillcrest’s judgment on the matter as a result of the investigation.)

CORRECTIVE / PREVENTIVE ACTIONS AND/OR RECOMMENDATIONS:

RELEVANT ATTACHMENTS (All documentation related to investigation activities):

NOTIFICATIONS (must include: name – agency/relationship – date – by whom):

STUDENT DEBRIEFING(s) (If appropriate – must include: student – date – by whom)

EXTERNAL FINDINGS or ADDITIONAL COMMENTS:

SIGNATURES:

INVESTIGATOR / REPORTER: _________________________________________________/___/__
(signature) (date)

INVESTIGATOR / REPORTER: _________________________________________________/___/__
(signature) (date)

INVESTIGATOR / REPORTER _________________________________________________/___/__
(signature) (date)

PROGRAM DIRECTOR: _________________________________________________/___/__
(signature) (date)

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT: _________________________________________________/___/__
(signature) (date)
SC 9/11

FORMAL WITNESS STATEMENT
Please answer all of the following questions that apply to the incident/complaint:

1. What was the exact time/day of the incident? If you are unsure of the exact time, use other indicators (i.e. after lunch, before 3rd period, etc.)
   2. What was the activity leading up to the incident? (i.e. we were getting ready to transition to the dorm; we were cleaning up the baseball equipment, etc.)
   3. Exactly what did you see, hear, feel, etc.? Remain factual – do not include opinions or what you think may have happened. Be specific (e.g. which hand was the bat in? what were the exact words spoken? Etc.)
   4. Where did the incident occur? Be specific as to the location of the room, area, field, etc.
   5. How did the incident end? (i.e. supervisor walked out of the dorm with student, student went into room for a time out, etc.)
   6. Name all others that may have seen or heard the incident (staff and students). What was their exact proximity to the incident? Did some leave or come into the area during the incident? Be specific.
   7. Sign and date this statement at the bottom.

Staff Statements:

1) When an internal investigation requires a statement from a staff member(s), he/she should be given a Formal Witness Statement Form for completion.

2) A supervisor or campus administrator MUST review the statement prior to dismissing the staff member to assure that the all required information is obtained.

3) If the statement is poorly written or illegible, it must be written again. If a staff member is unable to produce an intelligible, legible statement, the supervisor or campus administrator must interview the staff member along with another manager. The interview must be documented and signed by all parties present.

4) If a staff member is currently on shift, the statement must be obtained PRIOR his/her dismissal or suspension.

5) The investigator will determine whether or not to call an off-duty staff member in for a statement or wait until his/her next scheduled shift.

6) If an investigator requires additional information, he/she will interview the staff member with another manager present. All interviews must be documented and signed by all parties present.

Student Statements:

1) When an internal investigation requires a statement from a student, the statement must be obtained in an interview conducted by the investigator or designated campus administrator with a member of the clinical department present as determined by the Program Director/Program Manager and/or Lead Clinician.

2) Documented Interviews must be signed by both adults present.

3) If an investigator requires additional information, he/she will re-interview the student with the same clinical staff present in the initial interview whenever possible.

4) Upon learning of an allegation or incident that may require an internal investigation, staff and supervisors are NOT to conduct their own interviews with the students. Supervisors may ask the student a few exploratory questions in order to obtain the information needed to begin an investigation (i.e. who, where, when), but should refrain from probing into the details of the allegation or incident.