Human Rights Committee (HRC) Member

MONARCH•Albemarle, NC

About The Position

Make a Difference in Someone’s Life! At Monarch, we work together to provide life-changing care in communities across North Carolina and Rhode Island. As a team, we provide hope, promote wellness, and empower individuals and families impacted by mental illness, substance use disorders, intellectual and developmental disabilities, and traumatic brain injury. You Belong at Monarch You deserve a positive and encouraging work environment - a place where you can do your best work and grow as a professional. That is just what you’ll find at Monarch. This Opportunity: The purpose of the Human Rights Committee (HRC) is to provide safeguards aimed at protecting the human and civil rights of all people supported. The HRC will review all practices that may restrict personal freedoms including, but not limited to the use of behavior programs, use of medications, violations of any rights, and the use of restrictive interventions. The HRC will also review cases of alleged or substantiated abuse, neglect, mistreatment, or exploitation committed by an employee and restrictive interventions of people supported. The HRC and will monitor agency functions to ensure the safety and freedom of all. The HRC for Monarch shall also serve as the Intervention Advisory Committee required by APSM-95-2 in regard to the use and review of restrictive interventions. This combined committee is referenced in this procedure only as the HRC. All procedures outlined below will apply to both HRC and Intervention Advisory Committee functions.

Responsibilities

The HRC will review agency procedures that support NC G.S. 122C, Article 3, regulations regarding the protection of rights, incident reporting, and agency policy regarding confidentiality. These procedures will be reviewed upon development, and at any time they are updated. The HRC will also review all agency policies and procedures that have the potential for resulting in unintended restrictions.
The HRC will review all medications that have been used for or are being recommended to be used for psychiatric diagnoses to support a behavioral support plan. These interventions will be reviewed to ensure: current best practices are included; the medication is for a current behavioral health diagnosis; there is current, relevant data that supports the need for the recommended interventions; medical, environmental, and psychiatric causes have been ruled out; the behavior support plan contains educational strategies and positive interventions that attempt to prevent issues and the person supported, legal representatives, and people who know the person best have been involved in the plan’s development and have provided approval for the plan’s implementation.
The HRC will review all substantiated reports of rights violations. This is to include appeals, investigations, complaints and incidents. The HRC will ensure that the agency maintains proactive procedures and practices to prevent the unapproved restriction of rights. If someone’s rights are violated, the HRC will review the agency’s response to the incident, as well as plans to prevent any reoccurrence. The HRC will also make additional recommendations for follow-up, if needed.
The HRC will review rights grievances brought by people served or their family members. People will be encouraged to follow the complaint and grievance procedures in filing a grievance but may contact any HRC member directly to report a complaint or grievance. The HRC will review the grievance and make recommendations to the President/CEO for any needed follow up. If the agency has responded to a grievance, the HRC will review the agency’s response and make additional recommendations, if needed.
The HRC will review any concerns or complaints received regarding the use of restrictive interventions. The HRC will review the concern or complaint and make recommendations to the President/CEO for any needed follow-up. If the agency has responded to a concern or complaint, the HRC will review the agency’s response and make additional recommendations, if needed.
The HRC will review any incidents that result in the use of emergency restrictions. The HRC will make recommendations for needed follow-up, if applicable. Monarch does not support the use of physical restraint or mediation to manage behavior. However, the use of emergency restraints are permitted to ensure people are safe. There should be no planned interventions.
The HRC will review recommendations for the use of physical restraint and the use of medication to manage behavior.
The HRC will review each incident involving alleged or substantiated abuse, neglect, mistreatment or exploitation. The HRC will review the facts of the incident as well as the agency’s response to ensure the person’s safety. The HRC will also review the follow up to the incident to ensure that proper reporting, investigation, and follow up has occurred.
The HRC can initiate activities aimed at the promotion and protection of people’s rights as they see applicable. This may include arranging direct contact with people served, with their permission, to discuss rights. This may also include visiting people’s service sites, and speak with people with support if they are willing, and talking with staff of the agency.
The committee member will complete all required initial and annual trainings.