Sec. 14.31.06.10. Basic Life Needs

A. General. The licensee shall have a structured plan of care designed to meet the children's physical needs and well-being.

B. Food and Nutrition. The licensee shall:

(1) Serve food that meets or exceeds the children's recommended dietary allowances as established by the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academy of Sciences;

(2) Maintain at least a 72-hour supply of food in accordance with the planned menu;

(3) Maintain nonperishable food items in the event of an emergency, in accordance with the licensee’s emergency preparedness plan;

(4) Provide each child three meals each day, which are approved by a registered dietician and offer nutritious between-meal snacks, with not more than 14 hours between dinner and breakfast the following day;

(5) Offer approved supplementary or modified nutritionally sufficient diets for religious, cultural, life philosophy, or health reasons, as appropriate;

(6) Prohibit forced feeding of or withholding of food from a child as a form of discipline;

(7) Ensure that if employees are served food from the facility, it shall be the same food as that served to the children;

(8) Observe the applicable requirements of the Maryland Department of Health and local health departments; and

(9) Design menus that:

(a) Are kept on file for 12 months;

(b) Are approved at least annually by an individual licensed by the State to practice dietetics;

(c) Are planned at least a week in advance;

(d) Document the actual foods served, including comparable substitutions; and

(e) Document any between-meal snacks provided.

C. Children’s Personal Funds. The licensee shall:

(1) Have and observe a written policy concerning a child’s personal funds which addresses:

(a) The child's access to the child's personal funds;

(b) Accrual of interest into the child's account from an interest bearing account;

(c) Accounting for the child's funds on request; and

(d) The limit, if any, placed on the personal funds a child may bring into and hold while in the program;

(2) Make an inventory of the child's personal funds and other belongings upon admission, and update the inventory as needed;

(3) Treat money earned by a child or received by the child as a gift or as an allowance as the child's personal property;

(4) Account for and maintain a child's personal funds separate from program funds;

(5) Transfer a child’s personal funds to the child within 5 business days of discharge from the program;

(6) As applicable, deduct reasonable sums from a child's allowance as restitution for damage done, if the practice is consistent with the licensee’s program and written restitution policy; and

(7) Ensure that restitution shall be paid from the child’s personal funds in accordance with the child’s court order.

D. Clothing. The licensee shall:

(1) Ensure that the children have an adequate supply of clean, comfortable, well-fitting clothes, and shoes for indoor and outdoor wear;

(2) Treat a child's clothing as the child's personal property;

(3) Allow a child to be involved, as appropriate, in the selection, care, and maintenance of the child's clothing;

(4) Use donated clothing only if suitable and in good condition; and

(5) Transfer a child's clothing to the child upon discharge.

E. Other Personal Belongings.

(1) The licensee shall have a policy regarding personal belongings that will:

(a) Allow a child to possess appropriate personal belongings;

(b) Make reasonable provisions for the protection of a child's personal belongings; and

(c) Transfer to a child the child's personal belongings upon discharge.

(2) The licensee may limit the size, value, or type of personal belongings that a child may bring to the program.

F. Personal Hygiene. The licensee shall:

(1) Instruct the children in good habits of personal care, hygiene, and grooming; and

(2) Provide each child with culture-specific and gender-specific hygiene products, including, but not limited to:

(a) A toothbrush and toothpaste;

(b) Mouthwash and dental floss;

(c) A comb and brush;

(d) Clean towels and washcloths;

(e) Soap;

(f) Shampoo and conditioner;

(g) Body lotion or moisturizer;

(h) Deodorant; and

(i) Feminine hygiene products.

G. Sleep. The licensee shall:

(1) Establish and follow routines for waking the children and putting them to bed; and

(2) Provide children the opportunity each night for at least 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep, except in the event of an emergency or drill.