New Jersey Administrative Code
Title 8 - HEALTH
Chapter 36 - STANDARDS FOR LICENSURE OF ASSISTED LIVING RESIDENCES, COMPREHENSIVE PERSONAL CARE HOMES, AND ASSISTED LIVING PROGRAMS
Subchapter 5 - GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
Section 8:36-5.13 - Admission and retention of residents

(a) The administrator of the assisted living residence, comprehensive personal care home, or assisted living program or the administrator's designee shall conduct an interview with the resident and, if the resident agrees, the resident's family, guardian, or interested agency, prior to or at the time of the resident's admission. The interview shall include at least orientation to the facility's or program's policies, business hours, fee schedule, services provided, resident rights, and criteria for admission and discharge. Documentation of the resident interview shall be included in the resident record.

(b) At the initial interview prior to, or at the time of, admission of each resident, the administrator or the administrator's designee should be provided with the name, address, and telephone number of a family member, guardian, or responsible person who can be notified in the event of the resident's illness, incident, or other emergency. This information is voluntary on the part of the resident. A resident shall not be denied admission to the facility or program solely for declining to provide this information.

(c) If a facility or program has reason to believe, based on a resident's behavior, that the resident poses a danger to himself or herself or others, and that the facility or program is not capable of providing proper care to the resident, then the attending physician or the physician on call, in consultation with facility or program staff and a resident representative, shall determine whether the resident is appropriately placed in that facility or program. The facility or program or resident representative shall initiate the mental health screening process in accordance with N.J.S.A. 30:4-27.1et seq., and N.J.A.C. 10:31, Screening and Screening Outreach Program , and, based on the results and recommendations of that screening process, shall attempt to locate a new placement, if necessary.

(d) If an applicant, after applying in writing, is denied admission to the assisted living residence, comprehensive personal care home, or assisted living program, the applicant and/or his or her family, guardian, or responsible person shall, upon written request, be given the reason for such denial in writing, signed by the administrator, within 15 days of the receipt of the written request.

(e) If there is an infirmary in the facility, residents shall be transferred to the infirmary only if they have consented to such transfer and shall remain in the infirmary for a limited time only, generally not to exceed one week.