Section 411.195  Searches for and Control of Contraband

a)         The facility shall develop a written plan that governs searches for contraband materials, and clearly describes the facility's policies concerning searches of the children or youth, their property, their rooms, and the possessions of visitors.  The plan shall be approved by the Department.  At a minimum, facilities shall conduct the following searches:

1)         search of the child's or youth's property at the time of initial admission to the secure child care facility;

2)         search of the property of all visitors along with continuous observation;

3)         search of children's or youth's bedrooms if contraband is suspected.

b)         Body cavity searches and strip searches for contraband are prohibited.

c)         Body inspections may be ordered by the medical director to determine if a child or youth is engaging in self-mutilation or other serious self-destructive behavior hidden by the child's or youth's clothing. This procedure shall be conducted in private by 2 trained staff members of the same sex as the child or youth and shall be documented in an unusual incident report.