The following procedure is to be utilized for family visits or for family passes:
Family Visits
Unless the DSHS case manager and/or the Virginia Miller House Case Manager have determined otherwise, family members are welcome to visit their child at the program.Family visits:
Must be pre-approved by the Virginia Miller House Case Manager, who will arrange a date and time for them to visit.
Are facilitated by Residential Counselors, in that they will arrange for a comfortable place to visit (usually an area of the living room, or in good weather, the family may wish to visit outside).
Are not supervised, unless this is deemed necessary by the caseworker or Virginia Miller House at Highland Case Manager.If on-site visits are to be supervised, the family member and resident will be notified of this requirement.When a Residential Counselor does supervise a visit, he/she will do so in a respectful manner that, as much as possible, is not intrusive.(However, if either the resident or family member begins to behave in a threatening or otherwise damaging manner, the Residential Counselor will terminate the visits.
Are documented in the resident’s log.
Family Passes
Whenever possible and appropriate, residents are encouraged to take passes with family.Family passes:
Are approved and pre-arranged through the Virginia Miller House Case Manager.Either the resident or the family will speak to the Case Manager and request a pass; an appropriate date and time is then arranged.Requests for passes must be made early enough so that the Case Manager has time to make arrangements.
Are of a specified length.If a family member is, for some reason, running late, they are expected to call with a new time of arrival.
Must be documented on a Pass Sign In and Sign Out form which provides a location that the resident will be, a contact phone number, and information regarding any medication that the resident is taking along.
May occur only after the Case Manager has made a home visit to ensure that the environment the resident will be in is safe.
Are not dependent upon the resident’s level or behavioral status.However, passes may be denied or revoked if the resident’s behavior is such that being in the community would violate safety or treatment guidelines.