Doors in Residential Treatment Centers

Is my residential treatment center required to install a self-closing or automatic closing device on the doors in the sleeping rooms?

No. As of July 1, 2005, the Joint Commission no longer requires that sleeping rooms be equipped with self-closing or automatic closing devices if all the following life safety features are in place:

• The building is two stories or less in height and is equipped with appropriate egress-sized windows.
• Staff are on duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
• Staff make rounds at least every 30 minutes during sleeping hours.
• Smoke detectors are placed in every sleeping room. It is preferred that each smoke detector be permanently installed and hard wired (with no battery).
• If a smoke detector is single station (battery powered), each smoke detector is tested at least monthly, and there is a policy to replace the batteries every six months.
• Monthly fire drills are conducted (one per shift per quarter).

If your organization already has installed self-closing or automatic closing devices, you may choose to retain them or remove them, at your discretion.