Mental health disorder hospital discharge; policies and procedures

§ 7.24 Mental health disorder hospital discharge; policies and procedures.

(a) The office, in consultation with the department of health, shall develop or utilize existing educational materials to be provided to general hospitals to disseminate to individuals with a documented mental health disorder or who appear to have or be at risk for a mental health disorder during discharge planning pursuant to section twenty-eight hundred three-i of the public health law. Such materials shall include information regarding the various types of treatment and support services, including but not limited to: inpatient, outpatient treatment; how to recognize the need for treatment services; information for individuals to determine what type and level of treatment is most appropriate and what resources are available to individuals; and any other information the commissioner and the commissioner of health deem appropriate.

(b) The commissioner in collaboration with the commissioner of health shall assist and provide guidance for every general hospital to:

1. utilize existing, or in addition to current policies and procedures, develop, maintain and disseminate, written policies and procedures, for the identification, assessment and referral of individuals with a documented mental health disorder or who appear to have or be at risk for a mental health disorder; and

2. establish and implement training, within existing, or in addition to current training programs, for all individuals licensed or certified pursuant to title eight of the education law who provide direct patient care regarding the policies and procedures established pursuant to this section.

(c) If a general hospital does not directly provide mental health disorder services, then the commissioner, in consultation with the commissioner of health, shall provide the necessary information to refer individuals in need of such services to and coordinate with mental health service programs that provide such services, and have been issued an operating certificate pursuant to article thirty-one of this chapter.