DAL 14-04: Reduction of Mental Health Census to <25% of Facility Residential Population

January 31, 2014

DAL: DAL 14-04

Dear Adult Home Administrator:

Effective January 16, 2013, regulations found at Sections 460-d, 461, and 461-e of the Social Services Law, Section 486.7 of Part 486 and Part 487 of Title 18 of the Official Compilation of Codes, Rules and Regulations of the State of New York (NYCRR), were amended and adopted. As referenced in the Dear Adult Home Administrator Letter 13-01, the regulations directly affect New York State's adult homes.

Specifically, the amended regulations require that operators of transitional adult homes (TAHs), submit Compliance Plans consistent with 18 NYCRR 487.13(c) which are designed to reduce the mental health census of the facility to a level that is under 25 percent of the resident population over a reasonable period of time, through the lawful discharge of residents with appropriate community services to alternative community settings. Compliance plans were due on May 16, 2013.

In guidance issued on May 3, 2013, the Department, in recognition that certain information was not yet available, directed TAHs to set forth the broad parameters of their Compliance Plan, and noted that it would work with TAHs to modify their Compliance Plans.

Based on review of the previous submissions, the attached guidance supplements the prior guidance, and focuses on areas that the Department believes merit additional guidance or information.

TAHs should review the attached guidance and accordingly, amend Compliance Plans by COB March 21, 2014*. Revised Compliance Plans should be submitted to the Departmentvia email to transitionalah@health.ny.gov.

Please feel free to contact the Community Transitions Program via the email address above with any questions regarding the supplemental guidance or the submission of the revised Compliance Plans for Transitional Adult Homes.

Sincerely,

Valerie A. Deetz, Director
Adult Care Facilities/Assisted Living Surveillance
Center for Health Care Quality & Surveillance

*Transitional Adult Home Alert

As referenced in the Adult Home Alert posted September 9, 2014, the Transitional Adult Home (TAH) Compliance Plan submission deadline of December 1, 2014 has been extended. The newly extended Adult Home Compliance Plan submission deadlines will be in accordance with the following schedule:

  • TAHs that did not submit an application in response to the ALP 4500 Conversion Initiative Solicitation of Interest were required to submit by February 1, 2015 and, if not yet submitted, are required to do so immediately
  • TAHs with existing ALP beds that were awarded ALP beds in response to the ALP 4500 Conversion Initiative Solicitation of Interest – COB March 31, 2015
  • TAHs with no existing ALP beds that were awarded ALP beds in response to the ALP 4500 Conversion Initiative Solicitation of Interest – COB June 30, 2015

Compliance Plans should be submitted to the Department via e-mail at transitionalah@health.ny.gov.

Should you have questions regarding the extended deadline schedule, please contact Marcia Kolakoski, Community Transition Coordinator, at (518) 485-8781, or via the e-mail address above.