THE STANDARDS ARE AIMED AT HELPING INSTITUTIONS FOR DELINQUENT JUVENILES PROVIDE AND ASSURE THE CONTINUITY OF QUALITY HEALTH CARE. THEY ARE APPLICABLE TO BOTH SHORT-TERM FACILITIES, SUCH AS DETENTION CENTERS, AND LONG-TERM INSTITUTIONS, SUCH AS TREATMENT CENTERS AND TRAINING SCHOOLS. A TOTAL OF 73 STANDARDS ARE INCLUDED IN THE DOCUMENT, ARRANGED NUMERICALLY WITHIN THE FOLLOWING TOPIC AREAS: ADMINISTRATIVE, PERSONNEL, CARE AND TREATMENT, PHARMACEUTICALS, HEALTH RECORDS, AND MEDICAL AND LEGAL ISSUES. EACH STANDARD IS FOLLOWED BY DISCUSSION, ELABORATING ON THE CONCEPTUAL BASIS OF THE STANDARD AND SOMETIMES IDENTIFYING ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES TO COMPLIANCE. STANDARDS PERTAINING TO ADMINISTRATIVE ISSUES ADDRESS PROCESS AND RESOURCES BUT DO NOT DICTATE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE. QUALIFICATIONS AND TRAINING REQUIREMENTS ARE OUTLINED FOR PERSONNEL, AND WORK APPRAISAL AND STAFF SUPERVISION ARE PRESCRIBED. THE SECTION ON CARE AND TREATMENT DEALS WITH TREATMENT PHILOSOPHY, ACCESS TO SERVICES, AND PRACTICES AND PROCEDURES. STANDARDS FOR MANAGEMENT OF PHARMACEUTICALS FOLLOW STATE AND FEDERAL LAWS REGULATING THE CONTROL OF MEDICATIONS. PRESCRIBING PRACTICES, STOP ORDERS, AND REEVALUATIONS REGARDING PSYCHOTROPIC MEDICATIONS ALSO ARE ADDRESSED. CONFIDENTIALITY, FORM AND FORMAT, AND TRANSFER OF HEALTH CARE RECORDS MUST BE STANDARDIZED AND BASED ON PRACTICES IN THE JURISDICTION. MEDICAL LEGAL ISSUES FREQUENTLY OCCURRING IN CORRECTIONAL HEALTH CARE INCLUDE JUVENILE'S RIGHT TO INFORMED CONSENT AND THE RIGHT TO REFUSE TREATMENT. FOR GUIDELINES ON MEDICAL RESEARCH DONE ON INVOLUNTARILY CONFINED INDIVIDUALS, THE STANDARDS REFER TO STATE AND FEDERAL REGULATIONS. (MRK)