01 NCAC 17 .0705             VICTIM SAFETY

All abuser treatment programs shall establish and comply with written policies and procedures regarding victim safety.  These policies and procedures shall include the following:

(1)           The program shall make good faith attempts, which shall be documented, to make contact with the victim upon the participant's enrollment in the program.  This contact must include information about the program and its limitations, victim confidentiality, and local resources for victims.  The program shall attempt, in collaboration with the victim service agency, to contact the victim when the program participant has completed half of the sessions, and at termination, unless the victim declines contact or is unable to be located.

(2)           Program participants and persons who have been victimized by those participants may receive direct services from the same agency.  In those instances, the same staff person or volunteer shall not provide services to both parties.

(3)           All information about or from the victim shall be kept confidential from the program participant, except with written permission from the victim.

(4)           The program shall not schedule victims' groups and abuser treatment groups to occur simultaneously at the same facility.

(5)           The abuser treatment program shall network with its local victim services program and have a current memorandum of understanding regarding cooperation with that program in place.

History Note:        Authority G.S. 50B-3(a)(12); 143B-394.16;

Eff. October 1, 2004;

Pursuant to G.S. 150B-21.3A, rule is necessary without substantive public interest Eff. January 3, 2017.