RSM 3, Section 3300: Management of Bed Bug Infestation

Update: 02/25​

3301 Purpose

To establish a procedure to manage bed bug infestation.

3302 Applicability

WTC consumers, WTC staff, DORS Facilities staff, and WTC Environmental Services training program.

3303 Policy Statement

The WTC will execute procedures to manage bed bug infestation. Since this issue involves a variety of departments, everyone involved will place a priority on keeping each other informed of the issue and progress toward resolution.

3304 Procedures

3304.01 Identification

Bed Bug Characteristics – When staff suspect that an insect is a bed bug, they should put scotch tape over the bug so that it can be shown to the pest management company for proper identification.

• Immature bugs can range from 1/16 inch to 1/4 inch. They take about a month to mature.

• Adults are 1/4 inch unfed and up to 3/8 inch when engorged.

• Adult is reddish-brown in color and wingless. Head is distinct from the abdomen.

• Bugs can live for up to 6 months at 71 degrees.

• Bugs tend to feed every 5-10 days.

• Bugs are nocturnal and tend to shy from light.

• Bugs are considered "hitchhikers" hiding in personal belongings (e.g., pillows, clothing, luggage, bags) and are carried from one area to another.

• Bugs are resistant to many pest control chemicals.

• Bugs do not jump or fly.

• Signs of the presence of bed bugs include pepper-like droppings or blood spots on mattresses or furniture.

3304.02 Notification

1. Day Consumers

1. WTC staff will report bed bug sightings or consumer’s complaints/visible symptoms of bug bites to the WTC risk manager or designee via phone or email.

2. The WTC risk manager will ensure that staff complete an incident report when bed bugs are sighted.

3. The WTC risk manager will coordinate the visual inspection of the room by the DORS Facilities staff.

2. Residential Consumers

1. Residential and DORS Facilities staff and the Environmental Services training program will look for bed bugs during their routine work day.

2. Residential and DORS Facilities staff and Environmental Services training program will report bed bug sighting or consumer’s complaints/visible signs and symptoms of bug bites to the WTC risk manager or designee via phone or email.

3. The WTC risk manager will ensure that staff complete an incident report when bed bugs are sighted.

4. The WTC risk manager will coordinate the visual inspection of the room by the WTC residential and DORS Facilities staff if the notification of infestation occurred by bug bites on the consumer.

3. All Consumers

   After visual confirmation of bed bugs, the:

1. WTC risk manager will inform:

• WTC Director
• FOS Branch Chief
• Consumer’s center counselor or case manager
• Administrative Services program manager for residential consumers only

2. WTC center counselor or case manager will inform the consumer’s:

• DORS counselor
• Family, if appropriate

3304.03 Response

1. Day Consumers

1. Medical Treatment

1. The consumer will be advised that they may want to seek medical assessment or treatment.

2. After examining the consumer, staff should check themselves to ensure that bugs did not crawl onto your pants or shoes. Bed bugs are considered "hitchhikers" and can crawl to another source.

2. Clothing

1. The center counselor or case manager will obtain clothes from the Nearly New Shop.

2. The consumer’s clothes will be double bagged and sealed tightly with tape or a tie.

3. The bags will be removed by the pest management company if the consumer does not want to take their clothes home.

4. For day consumers that want to take their clothes home, they will be instructed to dry everything on high heat for 40 minutes.

5. After bagging the clothes, staff should check themselves to ensure that bugs did not crawl onto your pants or shoes. Bed bugs are considered "hitchhikers" and can crawl to another source.

3. Continuation of Services

   1. DORS Facilities staff will be contacted to assist in the identification of bed bugs.

   2. Upon confirmation of bed bugs, the consumer will be informed by their center counselor or case manager that they will be put on leave and cannot continue with services until their home has been evaluated and treated, if appropriate, by an exterminator. Documentation of this service must be provided by the consumer before the consumer can resume services.

   3. When the consumer reports that she/he does not have the financial resources to complete this service, then the center counselor or case manager will complete the **Friends of WTC Funding Request (RS-WTC-1d)** form to determine if assistance is an option.

4. Room Treatment

1. Staff will post a "Do Not Enter" sign on the door.

2. DORS Facilities staff will not spray insecticide to attempt to treat the bed bugs as spraying insecticide masks the smell which the bed bug sniffing dog needs for proper identification.

3. FOS Branch Chief will contact the Morgan State University Facilities Department to schedule the bed bug sniffing dog.

4. FOS Branch Chief will contact the pest management company to schedule a treatment.

5. FOS Branch Chief will inform the WTC risk manager and appropriate WTC staff and DORS Facilities staff of the scheduled treatment dates.

6. WTC risk manager will inform staff in the area of the planned inspection and/or treatment.

7. FOS Branch Chief will report completion of the treatment to the WTC risk manager, and DORS Facilities staff. If additional treatment is needed it will be completed at the discretion of the FOS Branch Chief as recommended by the pest management company.

8. WTC risk manager will inform appropriate WTC staff regarding completion of the treatment.

2. Residential Consumers

1. Medical Treatment

1. The consumer and roommate, if applicable, will be advised that they may want to seek medical assessment or treatment.

2. After examining the consumer/consumers, staff should check themselves to ensure that bugs did not crawl onto their pants or shoes. Bed bugs are considered "hitchhikers" and can crawl to another source.

2. Packing for Residential Consumers

1. Residential supervisor or designee will identify other rooms to move the consumer and the roommate separately.

2. Residential staff must enter the room to assist the consumer in packing their room.

3. Residential staff will tell the consumer and roommate to take their toiletries and a couple days' and nights' worth of clothes. These clothes should be bagged and taken directly to the dryer to be dried on high heat for 40 minutes.

4. The exterminator will bag the rest of the items in the room after examination of the room.

3. Clothing

1. Residential staff will assist consumer/consumers in getting clothes to wear from the Nearly New Shop, if needed.

2. Laundry – Residential staff must remain with the consumer/consumers to ensure proper drying of items on high heat for 40 minutes.

3. Empty black plastic trash bags will be tied in a knot and disposed of by the pest management company.

4. Room Treatment

1. Residential staff will post a "Do Not Enter" sign on the door.

2. Residential staff will enter a work order for the room. In addition, a voicemail message for the Maintenance Chief should be left by residential staff informing the Maintenance Chief of the issue.

3. The bed bug issue should be documented in the shift report and an incident report should be completed and delivered to the Risk Manager via email or hand-delivered to the office. An email should be sent to the following staff informing them of the issue:

• DL WTC Communicate
• Center Counselor or case manager for both consumers
• Instructor or evaluator for both consumers

4. DORS Facilities staff will be contacted by the ​residential supervisor or designee ​to assist in the identification of bed bugs. DORS Facilities staff will determine if the extermination company should be contacted for verification.

5. DORS Facilities staff will not spray insecticide to attempt to treat the bed bugs as spraying insecticide masks the smell which the bed bug sniffing dog needs for proper identification.

6. DORS Facilities staff will contact the Morgan State University Facilities Department to schedule the bed bug sniffing dog when confirmation of bed bugs is determined.

7. FOS Branch Chief will contact the pest management company to schedule a treatment.

8. FOS Branch Chief will inform the WTC risk manager and appropriate WTC staff and DORS Facilities staff of the scheduled treatment dates.

9. WTC risk manager will inform staff in the area of the planned inspection and/or treatment.

10. FOS Branch Chief will report completion of the treatment to the WTC risk manager, and DORS Facilities staff. If additional treatment is needed it will be completed at the discretion of the FOS Branch Chief as recommended by the pest management company.

11. WTC risk manager will inform appropriate WTC staff regarding completion of the treatment.

5. Relocation for Residential Consumers

1. After laundering clothes, consumer(s) will be relocated to a new room.

2. If the consumer has a roommate, then the roommate will be relocated to a different room.

6. Continuation of Services

1. If it is determined that the origin of the bed bugs is from the consumer's home, the consumer will be informed by their center counselor or case manager that they will be put on leave and cannot continue with services until their home has been evaluated and treated, if appropriate, by an exterminator. Documentation of this service must be provided by the consumer before the consumer can resume services.

2. When the consumer reports that she/he does not have the financial resources to complete this service, then the center counselor or case manager will complete the **Friends of WTC Funding Request (RS-WTC-1d)** form to determine if assistance is an option.

3. Office Equipment

   If bed bugs are suspected on moveable furniture like staff chairs or chairs in SRD lounges, gently move the chair to an empty room. Follow the procedure of notifying Maintenance, DL WTC SRD, and the WTC risk manager.

4. Resumption

   After the infected room is treated, the FOS Branch Chief will inform the WTC risk manager when the room can be utilized again and the "Do Not Enter" sign will be removed.

5. Training

1. Annual training will be coordinated by the WTC Risk Manager for WTC residential staff.

2. Training will be included in the curriculum for the WTC Environmental Services training program.

3304.04 Bed Bug Notification Prior to Service Provision

If it is learned that a consumer or the consumer’s home has bed bugs prior to admission to WTC, then the following steps need to be completed by the center counselor/case manager.

1. The consumer will be informed by their center counselor or case manager that they cannot be scheduled for services either at WTC or their home/community until their home has been evaluated and treated, if appropriate, by an exterminator. Documentation of this service must be provided by the consumer before the consumer can be scheduled for services.

• When the consumer reports that she/he does not have the financial resources to complete this service, then the center counselor or case manager will complete the Friends of WTC Funding Request (RS-WTC-1d) form to determine if assistance is an option.

2. The center counselor or case manager will inform the consumer’s DORS counselor of the issue and document it in AWARE™.

3. If the consumer’s DORS counselor feels that the issue will be addressed in a timely manner, then the service authorization will remain open. The center counselor or case manager will track the status of the service authorization to resolution or cancellation of the authorization.

3305 Responsibility

The following staff are responsible for the implementation of this policy:

1. WTC Staff
2. FOS Branch Chief
3. DORS Facilities staff