Current through Register Vol. 51, No. 19, September 20, 2024
A. Program
Approval. Psychiatric day treatment services which are under the auspices of a
psychiatric unit located in a licensed psychiatric hospital or under the
auspices of a psychiatric unit of a licensed acute general hospital shall be
reviewed and approved by the Mental Hygiene Administration on the basis of
these regulations. Free-standing psychiatric day treatment services and those
under the auspices of a community mental health program shall also be reviewed
and approved by the Mental Hygiene Administration on the basis of these
regulations.
B. Standards for
Psychiatric Day Treatment Services.
(1) The
daily treatment program shall provide intensive treatment following a treatment
plan developed by a multi-disciplinary staff team on the basis of an evaluation
of the patient's needs. A variety of psychiatric modes shall be available,
including psychopharmacological treatment, occupational therapy, activity
therapy, and other necessary medical, psychological, and social
services.
(2) There shall be an
acceptable plan and procedure which fix responsibility for the care and
treatment of the patient if an emergency occurs during the patient's stay
within the day treatment service.
(3) The treatment center shall have an
agreement with at least one licensed general or psychiatric hospital to provide
inpatient services as needed.
(4)
The day treatment program shall assure continuity of care by developing
appropriate mechanisms for referral to outpatient services if the patient does
not have a private therapist and to necessary support and residential services,
developing written agreements whenever feasible. When patients continue in
treatment with a therapist who is not a member of the day treatment program
team, the program shall have an agreement with the therapist which clearly
delineates relative treatment responsibilities of the day treatment team and
the other therapist.
(5) A
registered nurse shall be on the premises throughout the treatment
day.
(6) Within 4 working days of
admission, every patient shall have an individual treatment plan, developed
collaboratively by a multi-disciplinary team, which clearly defines
expectations and means of accomplishing the goals of the plan. The treatment
plan shall be signed by the psychiatrist responsible for its development. The
names of the other members of the mental health treatment team involved in the
development of the plan shall be listed adjacent to the signature of the
psychiatrist. The treatment plan shall describe the patient's problems and
probable diagnosis, state the short- and long-term goals of treatment, and
delineate the modalities, including medications, to be used to accomplish these
goals. The treatment plan shall record any physical condition which can affect
the treatment plan.
(7) There shall
be a utilization review committee which shall include at least one qualified
person who has no financial or other direct interest, past or present, in the
treatment of the patient or the operation of the program. In addition to its
other duties, the committee shall review the treatment plans for patients whose
expected length of stay exceeds 30 full treatment days.
(8) Programs for children, adolescents, and
adults shall be separate, although some activities may be shared with mutual
benefit.
(9) Each day treatment
program shall describe in writing its mechanisms for quality assurance,
including systematic case review and program evaluation, and shall define the
composition and responsibilities of the utilization review committee.
C. Capacity of Psychiatric Day
Treatment Center. The number of persons treated at any one time in each
psychiatric day treatment center shall be limited according to the premises,
staff, and equipment as set forth in Regulation .10 of this chapter.
