With the primary goal of preparing students to function in a less restrictive setting and eventually return to the community, Hillcrest Educational Centers is committed to working collaboratively with student families. Our work is guided by the philosophy that it is in the best interest of children to grow up in a context of a caring family whether that is the child’s natural family or non-related or “elected” family. We also believe that if given the necessary guidance and skills, families have the capacity to work through traumatic experience and provide competent and non-abusive parenting.
This goal can best be accomplished by creating a collaborative atmosphere that invites families to become active and supportive members of their child’s treatment, respects family belongingness in the context of major stress, welcomes cultural differences, appreciates the impact of socio-economic factors on family functioning and promotes the courage to change in our mutual struggle to improve the quality of our students’ lives.

“Family work” at Hillcrest will thus specifically include:

• Facilitating the engagement of families during the entire course of a child’s treatment.
• Assessing family strengths and resources needed to ameliorate trauma and salient referral problems.
  Promoting re-unification or “step-down” to a less restrictive setting.
• Developing increased opportunities for therapeutic contact within the family, community and residential milieus.
•  Providing educational forums to enhance awareness of issues that impact on child-family functioning and creating a support network with families, advocates and funding agencies.
• Promoting family contact via use of telephone and other multimedia tools including video conferencing social networking media.
• Providing opportunities for skill development in the family home as well as family therapy on campus.
• Ensuring the family is educated on the specifics of behavior procedures being used with their child, and also ensuring that the Behavior Support Plan is well explained and parents are able to implement the Behavior Support Plan when the ABA treatment approach is used with our students.

While the residential programs operates 52 weeks a year, the academic program operates 216 days out of the year, with six vacation weeks. Students, in accordance with their Treatment Plans and with Treatment Team approval, may go home or to an approved visiting resource at these times. Students remaining at the program follow a structured recreational schedule.
HEC handles transportation arrangements for regular students’ vacations. Clinicians or Case Managers notify parents/guardians, and funding agencies, as necessary, of upcoming vacations and arrange transportation schedules with parents/guardians or visiting resources.
Although they should be minimized, if possible, alternative or additional visits home may be arranged between the student’s Clinician and the parent/guardian. Alternative or additional visits require administrative approval.
Whenever a student is on a home visit, HEC provides the parent/guardian with a telephone number to call for assistance in an emergency. Home visit emergency phone numbers and procedures are also included in the Parent / Guardian Handbook.

In order to ensure the highest standards for safety and accountability while transporting students, Hillcrest Educational Centers, Inc. publishes the HEC Drivers List. Requirements for inclusion on this list include:
• Yearly License abstract review
• Yearly CORI

All staff wishing to transport HEC students in an HEC vehicle must be on the HEC Drivers list. Application for inclusion is mandatory for all new hires that currently possess a valid (Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut etc.) drivers license. The HEC driving privilege is valid for one year from the date of acceptance. The initial CORI, Driver’s Record Review and Physical are accomplished through normal channels during the hiring process. After a successful review of the driver’s historical abstract by the Human Resources Department, a staff members name will be placed on the list.

HEC has adopted the following recommendations from our insurance company for exclusion from the certified driver’s list:

1. Major Incident within the previous 3 years
2. 3 Minor Incidents within the previous 3 years
3. Any set of circumstances, combination of incidents or other matters warranting exclusion from the list.

Current staff members successfully completing the abstract review requirements are placed on the list pending positive review of their CORI check. Upon receipt of the CORI, an employee may be removed from the certified list, depending on the CORI results. Since no personal time or fees will be demanded of employees to participate in this process, no reimbursement for obtaining a place on the list will be offered.

It is the policy of Hillcrest Educational Centers to ensure safe and efficient vehicle operation by monitoring the vehicles on a daily basis. The agency vehicle coordinator is responsible for vehicle maintenance requests and inspection of the vehicles. Each driver is responsible for the condition of the vehicles, according to the regulations and Hillcrest policy.

Responsibilities: It is the responsibility of the vehicle coordinator to ensure that:
A. Each vehicle’s fluid levels are  maintained at appropriate levels.
B. The vehicle coordinator is notified when a van is in need of an oil-change.
C. Proper travel documentation is maintained at all times.
D. Mechanical problems are reported to the vehicle coordinator immediately.
E. Staff using the vehicles are held accountable for their condition, and the condition of vehicles are monitored after each trip.

Procedures: When using Hillcrest vehicles, the following procedures must be followed:
A. Prior to each trip, the vehicle must be inspected by the driver.
1. Pre-trip Inspection–check for the following:
a. First Aid kit
b. Two operable front windshield wipers
c. Tires should be properly inflated and brakes, defogger, headlights, and all safety equipment in proper working order.
B. Drivers are prohibited from smoking, and/or consuming alcoholic beverages, while operating any Hillcrest vehicle.
C. Drivers should assist those students who require assistance in entering or leaving the vehicle.
D. The driver must not leave the vehicle unattended while students are in the vehicle.
E. Only the driver may occupy the driver’s seat.
F. The driver must sign the travel documentation, verifying that the vehicle has been inspected in accordance with policy.
G. Date, time, odometer reading, and a brief description of the purpose of travel must be recorded.
H. Upon completion of the trip, the odometer reading is recorded in the vehicle log.
I. Vehicle should be cleaned out by staff and students after each trip. Any damage must be reported to the Vehicle Coordinator.

Procedures for Daily Vehicle Inspection by Night Supervisors
Do visual inspections of inside and outside of vehicle, note any problems and forward to Vehicle Coordinator.

Responsibilities of Campus Administration:

Contact vehicle coordinator immediately for any problems found during inspections or any problems reported by staff via either work requests or on log.

The case record for a student who has been discharged from HEC is stored at the program site for 6 months following the student’s discharge.

The procedures for archiving closed student records are as follows.

• Pull Ed Records (put in manila folder marked “Ed Records” with student’s name on it). Pull CD Rom information – most recent face sheet, most recent psychosocial, immunization record, discharge summary (put in manila folder marked “CD Rom” with student’s name on it). These records will be kept permanently and should be put in a box with other students’ Ed and CD Rom records for archiving. When you have a full box, label accordingly, add to your lists and send to the archive.
• All the rest of the student’s file should be placed in another box. Please put file in manila folders and put the student’s name and discharge date on the side so you can see it when you place the folders in the box. Once you have a full box of files, label accordingly, add to your lists and send to the archive. These files may be destroyed seven (7) years from the date of the most recent student’s discharge date (i.e., if you have four files in a box and discharge dates are 1/00, 2/00, 3/00, 4/00 – the destroy date will be 5/07).
• Send your updated lists to the designated person in Admissions at AO. All campus lists must be in the same format (as per attached – alphabetical list and box list)

Once a month you will receive a Data Storage Warehouse Inventory Report from The Archive. Please review the report for accuracy. If you have any discrepancies, please call The Archive (442-4472) and ask them to fix the error (check your box number, contents, and destroy date).

You may also send other records to be archived – Supes Logs, Travel/Trip Slips, etc. These should also be recorded by campus as “other” files – please do not include with student files (see attached example). This information may be destroyed using the seven (7) year rule as above.

Student records are stored in the records room, which is locked when unattended. The key to the records room is under limited distribution. A staff access log is provided, for noting sign-out and sign-in dates of records. Any record signed out of the records room must be returned immediately following its use. Records may not be signed out overnight. In addition, each student file has an access log, requiring the reason for access, for approved  personnel such as authorized state agency officials. Student files may not leave the campus unless subpoenaed by the court. Parents and students have the same right of access to students’ records as do parents and students of Massachusetts public schools.

The campus will provide adequate staffing for all trips including medical and dental appointments. Staff will bring student insurance information and referral paperwork to the appointment.
Hillcrest staff remain responsible for students at all times.
Students and staff will behave in appropriate manner while on these visits. Staff and students should remain seated until called for procedure and those waiting to be seen or waiting to return to campus should remain seated and quiet.
If the office staff believe that the students are not behaving appropriately they should tell the staff in charge of the students that the behavior is not acceptable. If the staff does not respond, the office staff should call the program to report the incident.

Hillcrest students receive a vocational and career interest inventory, which is periodically reviewed and updated. Core Academics are emphasized and access to Career/Vocational Technical Education (CVTE) curriculum, Comprehensive Health Curriculum, and, as appropriate, the PAYA and Ansel-Casey life skills curricula are provided to all students to provide a foundation for independent living and successful transition to adult and community life.

The students are provided opportunities to participate in prevocational/vocational education programming. Programming includes , career exploration, employment skills development, and work-based learning opportunities. Career related programs of study that emphasize communication, math, science and information technology help to create an environment that fosters student motivation, enhances academic performance and nurtures skills and abilities required by employers. Areas of job skill training include food service, housekeeping, horticulture, and grounds-keeping.

A majority of students in Hillcrest programs are discharged to a less restrictive level of care, residential, group homes or specialized foster family care, often closer to the family’s home. Discharge planning commences early in the placement so the parents/guardians and involved agencies understand and get involved in the process, thinking ahead to and exploring other programs or resources that may be available when the time comes.

The discharge transition needs of Hillcrest students and their families, as well as the opportunities and resources for the students vary widely, depending on a variety of factors and conditions. Hillcrest students learn how to: handle finances, find employment, complete their education, find housing, receive health care, engage social support and any other needs that are identified.

Students at HEC under the age of 22 follow the requirements for psychological testing as outlined in P.L. 94-142.

The psychological evaluation of the student includes an assessment of all areas related to the suspected disability including, where appropriate, a measure of intelligence (Wechsler Scales, Binet or other valid measure), visual motor abilities, social and emotional status, adaptive behavior functioning (reflecting social behaviors and self-care), academic achievement testing, and other areas as recommended by the Team (e.g., achievement, medical, speech, etc.).

Assessment instruments are administered by those persons trained ,certified, or licensed for their specific test. The tests are non-biased and administered in the student’s native language. Such tests are used to determine the student’s present aptitude, achievement and adaptive behavior. No single test shall be used to determine placement decisions. The results of all evaluations are presented to the Team and used in determining appropriate goals.

Most often, requests for assessment are made by the LEA or other agencies to meet their requirements. Massachusetts DESE states:

“ Each school committee shall provide a re-evaluation for the child when such re-evaluation is due. The school committee shall no less than every three years provide a re-evaluation of each child who has been placed in special education program.”

In addition to psychological evaluations, other forms of assessment take place at HEC. All disciplines (education, vocational and clinical) administer appropriate informal assessment when a student enters the program. In addition, formal assessments may be requested (physical, occupational or speech therapy, medical and nursing, cognitive, academic achievement etc.) Assessment for these areas may be requested by HEC staff, LEA, or family or social services at any time to help design an appropriate program. In such cases parental consent is required before formal standardized assessments can be administered.

Overview:
Drug testing will occur according to the treatment plan, or as ordered by the physician based on the recommendations/outcome of the clinical assessment process. Once consent is obtained, nursing staff will complete the mouth swabs and urine collection for testing. If students do not return to campus when there is a nurse on campus, the supervisor on duty will obtain and store the specimens as instructed.

General Procedure:
When a student has been identified in need of drug testing, the following process must occur prior to drug testing:
1. The Clinical Department will notify the Nursing Department of the assessed need for drug screening and what drugs should be included in the screening panel.
2. The psychiatrist or the pediatrician will be notified by nursing or clinical, and if in agreement, an order will be written for the specific drugs that the student will be tested for.
3. The Clinical Department will notify the parent/guardian of the findings and recommendations from the Substance Use/Abuse Screen and obtain consent from the guardian for any drug testing that has been recommended. The guardian and/or primary family contact will also be informed of the process.
4. The Clinical Department will inform the Nursing Department when consent has been given for drug testing.

Procedure for Drug Testing Using the Mouth Swab Technique:
Testing for alcohol levels use the mouth swab technique.
1. Requires a timer or watch with a second hand.
2. Student should not have anything in his/her mouth 15 minutes prior to testing.
3. Open test package. Remove strip.
4. Student should place the padded part of the strip into his/her mouth.
5. Immediately set timer for 4 minutes.
6. At 10 seconds, remove from mouth and shake off excess saliva into the sink or paper towel.
7. At 4 minutes, observe the results. A bold colored line indicates a positive test result.
8. Please note the results obtained after 5 minutes are unreliable.

Procedure for Drug Testing Using Urine Collection:
Drugs that require a urine collection are:
Amphetamines, Cocaine, Phencyclidine, benzodiazepines, Methadone, barbiturates and tricyclic antidepressants, alcohol .
1. Instruct the student to wash their hands before collection and after collection.
2. Instruct the student to remove the cap to the urine collection container, without sticking their fingers into the container.
3. Instruct the student to start to urinate before collecting the urine in the container.
4. Please make sure the student’s name, date, and time is on the container before putting it into the refrigerator.
5. Make sure a note is left for the nurse coming on in the morning indicating that urine is in the refrigerator.

Procedure After Testing is Complete:
1. Nursing will forward a copy of the test results in the form of personal notification to the administrative staff, supervisor on duty, and the appropriate clinician within 24 hours after testing. This can be via e-mail, voice mail or in person.
2. The student’s clinician, or designee, will notify the guardian and/or primary family contact of the outcome of the test.
3. Nursing will clearly note the results in a log for future identification and date of the test for the student.
4. The psychiatrist and the rest of the treatment team will be notified within 7 days.

All drug tests are sent to a third party for confirmatory testing.

Procedure if Student Returns to Campus After a Home Leave With Physical Symptoms With Suspicion of Drug Use:
On the occasion when a student returns to a campus with physical evidence of substance abuse, i.e., elevated vital signs, altered mental state, and there is suspect of drug use:
1. Nursing will do an assessment noting the student’s physical state, and if a consent is in place do a drug test. The student will be transferred to the ER for further evaluation and possible treatment if deemed necessary.
2. If nursing is not on campus, the supervisor on duty will call nursing and with consultation of the administrator on call send the student to the emergency room for further evaluation.