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Provider Oversight | Psychiatric Provider Responsibilities

Provider Type

  • Hospitals

Acute Psychiatric Hospital Admissions

The Division of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) provides pertinent clinical information on DJJ youths referred to an acute psychiatric hospital for admission. DJJ faxes the referral packet, which includes the Referral to Inpatient Psychiatric Programs (PDF) and Inpatient Medical Screening (PDF) forms. Pertinent clinical information includes, but is not limited to:

  • Principal psychiatric diagnosis.
  • Recent and past history of aggressive or self-abusive behavior.
  • Existing medical conditions, including alerts for contagious diseases.
  • Current medications.
  • Dietary restrictions.

In the case of emergency admissions, where some pertinent clinical information is not prepared or available, DJJ provides the information as soon as possible.

On admission, and during the hospital stay of a DJJ youth, participating psychiatric hospitals and staff work with the DJJ chief psychiatrist and the DJJ program administrator to ensure appropriate treatment and discuss clinical status as necessary.

Within 24 hours of admission to an acute psychiatric hospital the hospital must assign a gender-matched nursing staff to provide constant, one-to-one supervision of the youth. Unless contraindicated by the youth's history or behavior, one-to-one supervision may be decreased to line of sight observation, by a physician's order, after the first 24 hours.

If necessary, seclusion and seclusion with restraints (four-point or five-point Velcro-type restraints) are options for youths, for brief periods of time, during their hospital stay. If seclusion or seclusion with restraints are used, the hospital must send an email to the DJJ with an explanation of the behavior that led to the need for seclusion, the date and time seclusion began, extent of injuries (if any), and medications and dosage used (if any). The email must be sent on the same business day if possible, but no later than 9:00 a.m. the next business day.

Last Updated: 06/23/2022