This regulation establishes operating standards for Supported Residences (SR) in the District of Columbia, which are home-like residential settings for adults with serious and persistent mental illness requiring 24-hour supervision. Operators must limit occupancy to a maximum of eight adults, maintain a minimum 1:8 staff-to-resident ratio at all times, and provide awake supervision for at least 16 hours per day. A designated Residence Director must coordinate resident services and ensure health, safety, and welfare, with placement decisions made jointly by the treatment team, Residence Director, and the Department.
View official source3857 SUPPORTED RESIDENCE 3857.1 A Supported Residence (SR) shall meet the minimum requirements for a home-like living environment, staffing, and resident care set forth in §§ 3800, 3850 and 3852. 3857.2 An SR shall be appropriate for a maximum of eight (8) adults with a principal diagnosis of serious and persistent mental illness who require twenty-four (24) hour supervision. A higher number of residents may be allowed where “grand-fathered” or specifically authorized by the Director pursuant to § 3800.5. 3857.3 Each person seeking residential placement in an SR shall have a principal diagnosis of mental illness and be in need of twenty-four (24) hour staff supervision to assist with ADLs, meals, lodging, and recreation. Residents may remain in the residence, work, or participate in a structured day program, or other daily activity. Attendance at a day program shall not be mandatory for persons seeking placement in an SR. 3857.4 There shall be an assigned Residence Director for each SR who shall provide or arrange for supervision and coordinate services to ensure that each resident's health, safety, and welfare are protected. 3857.5 An SR shall maintain a minimum ratio one (1) staff member for each eight (8) residents or fewer, at all times, for purposes of complying with this section and receipt of the per diem payments. 3857.6 An SR shall provide awake supervision a minimum of sixteen (16) hours a day, and shall provide awake supervision during the night when required to adequately address the needs of one or more residents experiencing a period of destabilization, an emergency, or other situation requiring prompt attention. 3857.7 The resident's treatment team and the facility’s Residence Director, in conjunction with the Department, shall determine whether a person is appropriately placed in an SR. 3857.8 The Residence Director and staff at an SR shall also meet any additional qualifications or higher staff-to-resident ratios required pursuant to a current contract between the MHCRF and the Department for SR services. SOURCE: Final Rulemaking published at 65 DCR 1633 (February 16, 2018). District of Columbia Municipal Regulations Mental Health 22-A DCMR § 3857