Procedures relating to health care for handicapped infants.

§ 84.55 Procedures relating to health care for handicapped infants.

(a) Infant Care Review Committees. The Department encourages each recipient health care provider that provides health care services to infants in programs or activities receiving Federal financial assistance to establish an Infant Care Review Committee (ICRC) to assist the provider in delivering health care and related services to infants and in complying with this part. The purpose of the committee is to assist the health care provider in the development of standards, policies and procedures for providing treatment to handicapped infants and in making decisions concerning medically beneficial treatment in specific cases. While the Department recognizes the value of ICRC's in assuring appropriate medical care to infants, such committees are not required by this section. An ICRC should be composed of individuals representing a broad range of perspectives, and should include a practicing physician, a representative of a disability organization, a practicing nurse, and other individuals. A suggested model ICRC is set forth in paragraph (f) of this section.

(b) Posting of informational notice. (1) Each recipient health care provider that provides health care services to infants in programs or activities receiving Federal financial assistance shall post and keep posted in appropriate places an informational notice.

(2) The notice must be posted at location(s) where nurses and other medical professionals who are engaged in providing health care and related services to infants will see it. To the extent it does not impair accomplishment of the requirement that copies of the notice be posted where such personnel will see it, the notice need not be posted in area(s) where parents of infant patients will see it.

(3) Each health care provider for which the content of the following notice (identified as Notice A) is truthful may use Notice A. For the content of the notice to be truthful: (i) The provider must have a policy consistent with that stated in the notice; (ii) the provider must have a procedure for review of treatment deliberations and decisions to which the notice applies, such as (but not limited to) an Infant Care Review Committee; and (iii) the statements concerning the identity of callers and retaliation are truthful.

Notice A:

PRINCIPLES OF TREATMENT OF DISABLED INFANTS

It is the policy of this hospital, consistent with Federal law, that, nourishment and medically beneficial treatment (as determined with respect for reasonable medical judgments) should not be withheld from handicapped infants solely on the basis of their present or anticipated mental or physical impairments.

This Federal law, section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, prohibits discrimination on the basis of handicap in programs or activities receiving Federal financial assistance. For further information, or to report suspected noncompliance, call:

[Identify designated hospital contact point and telephone number] or

[Identify appropriate child protective services agency and telephone number] or

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS): 800–368–1019 (Toll-free; available 24 hours a day; TDD capability).

The identity of callers will be held confidential. Retaliation by this hospital against any person for providing information about possible noncompliance is prohibited by this hospital and Federal regulations.

(4) Health care providers other than those described in paragraph (b)(3) of this section must post the following notice (identified as Notice B):

Notice B:

PRINCIPLES OF TREATMENT OF DISABLED INFANTS

Federal law prohibits discrimination on the basis of handicap. Under this law, nourishment and medically beneficial treatment (as determined with respect for reasonable medical judgments) should not be withheld from handicapped infants solely on the basis of their present or anticipated mental or physical impairments.

This Federal law, section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, applies to programs or activities receiving Federal financial assistance. For further information, or to report suspected noncompliance, call:

[Identify appropriate child protective services agency and telephone number] or

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS): 800–368–1019 (Toll-free; available 24 hours a day: TDD capability)

The identity of callers will be held confidential. Federal regulations prohibit retaliation by this hospital against any person who provides information about possible violations.

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