All utility systems employed by Hillcrest are included in the Utility Management Plan. These include:
• Environmental: electrical, temperature control, lighting, and water distribution.
• Communications: telephone, intercoms, computer network.
• Safety: fire/smoke detection and notification.

As noted above, no utility systems are used by Hillcrest for purposes of life support, infection control or support for essential medical equipment.

All staff are responsible for immediately reporting all utility related problems to their supervisor who will note the problem and report it to the Maintenance Department. In the event of a power outage lasting more than 15 minutes on Residential or Overnight shifts, the Maintenance Emergency Cell phone needs to be called at # 413-770-9425.

The Maintenance Department will investigate, diagnose and correct utility system problems as soon as possible and will notify the campus administration of the process and status or correction.

Significant, repeated, or chronic utility system issues associated with safety and/or significant inconvenience or discomfort will be reviewed and monitored by the campus Environment of Care Committee and the agency Director of Quality Assurance.

The Hillcrest Maintenance Department develops and maintains utility system operational plans which are revised as necessary. Utility System Operational plans include normal operating procedures, emergency procedures and emergency shut down procedures.

Critical utilities shut off/ shut down controls at each campus and site are labeled.

At residential campuses, Hillcrest utilizes 24 hour awake staff so that most primary utility systems are in use at all times. Primary systems are also checked during the normal course of maintenance work at campuses.

Minimally, gasoline powered generators used at residential campuses, which are tested at least once each month, are used to insure that key utility operations can be maintained during power outages. Smoke/fire/heat detection, alarm systems, and carbon monoxide detectors are inspected, tested, and cleaned by an outside contractor at least every 12 months. However, alarms are pulled and communications with Berkshire Communicators are checked during each fire drill.

Additionally, all campuses are equipped with automatic generators that conduct self-tests on a weekly basis for 20 minutes per test, per manufacturer’s instructions.

PURPOSE
The Utilities Management Plan is developed and implemented in order to promote and insure a safe, controlled, comfortable environment of care.

OBJECTIVES
The primary objectives of the Utilities Management Plan are to:
• Minimize risks of utility failures.
• Insure safe and efficient operation, and operational reliability of utility systems.
Hillcrest will accomplish these objectives in a manner compliant with regulations promulgated by the Mass. Dept. of Early Education and Care (DEEC), Mass. Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), standards established by the Joint Commission (JC), and all other applicable laws, regulations and standards.

BACKGROUND AND INTRODUCTION
The students and clients served by Hillcrest Educational Centers do not typically have serious medical problems or conditions that would require sophisticated or specialized medical equipment or equipment associated with life support. The utilities and utility systems required for the care and services of Hillcrest students and clients are those that are associated with routine behavioral care and treatment, and education of children. No utility systems are used by Hillcrest for purposes of life support, infection control or support for medical equipment. Hillcrest utilities are exclusively used for environmental support (temperature control, lighting, water distribution), communications support (telephone, intercoms, computer network) and safety systems (fire/smoke detection and notification).

Monitoring of security related performance is conducted on an ongoing basis in different ways.

1. Staff knowledge and skills
The monitoring of staff knowledge and skills associated with security is conducted through regular observation of performance by supervisors, through formal supervision meetings, through annual performance evaluations, and through training conducted at least twice each year.

2. Level of staff participation
The monitoring of staff participation is accomplished through means described in section 1. above.

3. Monitoring and inspection activities
Hazard surveillance inspections are conducted on each campus at least quarterly. Hazard surveillance inspection reports, any security related reports and any investigation findings are reviewed by campus Environment of Care Committees, as they occur.

4. Emergency and incident reporting
All incident reports, including reports related to security, are reviewed by supervisors, nursing staff, clinical staff, and program administrators. Security related reports are also reviewed by the campus Environment of Care Committee and by program and agency administration.

Incidents that are not documented require follow up by supervisors, and incident reports which are not completed correctly or according to procedure, are returned for follow up by the supervisor.

5. Inspection, preventive maintenance and testing of equipment:
Security related equipment (e.g., video monitor/recording systems) is checked daily at all program sites and is tested/inspected and maintained on a schedule recommended by the manufacturer.

An orientation to security policies and procedures is provided for all new staff during New Staff Orientation and at least two times a year thereafter.

This Plan shall be reviewed and evaluated each year for its effectiveness, scope, performance and objectives. The review and evaluation will be conducted between March and May of each year, by a work group minimally consisting of the Director of Quality Assurance, the Director of Facilities, and the Chairpersons from each campus EOC Committee and/or their designee. The results of the review and evaluation, and related recommendations, will be reported sequentially to the campus EOC Committees and the Senior Management Team for their review and approval. Barring unforeseen and unavoidable delays, this revised Plan shall be implemented each July at the beginning of the new Program Year.

Hillcrest’s Workplace Violence policy and associated procedures are contained in Hillcrest Policies and Procedures.