	Administrative and Service Environment

Introduction

Administration and Management

Service Delivery Administration Standards

Service Standards

ASE 3: Legal and Regulatory Compliance

The organization’s programs and services are authorized or licensed, and its premises are safe for use by service recipients, personnel, and visitors.

Note: Please see Checklist: Facility Observation in the Tools Index for additional assistance with this standard.

ASE 3.01

The organization has current authorization or licensure, as required for all programs and facilities, and displays these documents in an area visible to the public.

Interpretation: This standard requires legal authorization of all facilities, as well as relevant health and safety requirements related to licensure. Examples of physical facilities addressed by this standard include, but are not limited to, child care centers and homes, shelters, group homes, and other residential facilities.

ASE 3.02

The organization complies with all applicable health regulations and codes, including:

certification of occupancy requirements;
zoning and building codes;
occupational safety and health administration codes;
health, sanitation, and fire codes;
elevator inspections; and
all other applicable safety codes.

Interpretation: A common example of an applicable health regulation is mandated tuberculosis screening for personnel. When codes differ, for example state and local codes, the stricter code applies. The organization’s ventilation, heating, cooling, electrical work, water supply, plumbing, food service, elevators, and other fixtures conform to all health, sanitation, and safety codes and regulations.

Research Note: The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has been an international advocate for fire, building, and life safety issues since 1986. NFPA has published more than 300 codes including NFPA 101®, Life Safety Code®, which establishes minimum design, construction, operation, maintenance, and escape requirements to protect occupants from dangers caused by fire, smoke, and toxic fumes. As of April 2007, the Life Safety Code® was being used to some extent in every state and had been adopted for state-wide use in 39 states. Organizations should contact their state fire marshal to determine which fire codes apply in their state.

ASE 3.03

All organizations and independent practitioners providing network services are authorized or licensed to deliver network services, and the network maintains a current copy of each provider's authorization or license.

NA The organization is not a network management entity.

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	PURPOSE: The organization’s administrative and service environments are respectful, caring, safe, and accessible, and contribute to organizational productivity and effective service delivery.

RELATED FILES


	SERVICE One or more organization-operated programs or activities that have a common general objective and deploy the organization's material and human resources in a planned and systematic manner. An organization that publicly promotes or identifies itself in writing as offering a service, is licensed to deliver a service, assigns personnel and/or space to a service, or allocates financial resources to a service is considered to offer that service.


	PROGRAM A system of services offered by an organization. For example, an organization providing a mental health service may offer several mental health programs to different populations, e.g., a mental health program for adolescent teens. The word "program" can be used interchangeably with the word "service" or to describe specific programs.


	SERVICE RECIPIENT The individuals, groups, organizations, or communities that use, receive, or benefit from programs and services. Service recipients can include consumers, patients, family members, legal guardians, advocates, public/private organizations, employers, and purchasers. All are regarded as significant stakeholders served in a variety of agencies and practice settings.


	PERSONNEL The body of employees and/or volunteers that carries out the organization's tasks under the organization's administration and/or supervision. This definition does not include foster parents who are specifically referenced in relevant standards


	CERTIFICATION Assurance from a state or professional association that a person or organization possesses certain attributes, knowledge, or skills.


	ADMINISTRATION The personnel responsible for management functions of the organization, including fiscal management, human resources, and service delivery. Such personnel determine organizational goals, acquire and allocate resources to carry out a program, coordinate activities toward goal achievement, and monitor, evaluate, and make needed changes in processes and procedures to improve the likelihood of goal achievement. The term is synonymously used with MANAGEMENT.


	MANAGEMENT See ADMINISTRATION