Current through Register Vol. 46, No. 39, September 25, 2024
(a) To approve a
project requiring either full or administrative review, the Office must find
the application meets all of the following:
(1) that there is a public need for the
services at the time and place and under the circumstances proposed;
(2) that there are no facilities or services
available which serve as alternatives or substitutes, for the services and
facilities proposed;
(3) that there
are no substantiated negative findings as to the character, competence and
standing in the community of the applicant;
(4) that the available financial resources
and the sources of future revenues are adequate to meet all necessary and
proper capital and operating expenses;
(5) that services will be provided in
compliance with applicable laws and regulations, including, but not limited to,
the regulatory requirements of this Title;
(6) that ten percent of the owners or
principals of the applicant have demonstrated, and can substantiate, prior
substantial experience directly providing or managing substance use disorder
treatment services, as determined by criteria established by the Office and
will maintain such experience while Certified;
(7) that the owners or principals of the
applicant have received a criminal history information review pursuant to the
provisions of Part 805 of this Title, and the applicant has been subsequently
approved by the office.
(b) In determining whether the requirements
of subdivision (a) of this section are met, the office shall consider the
extent to which:
(1) the services and
facilities conform to local and statewide plans, including but not limited to
plans for Medicaid managed care;
(2) existing similar services are able to
meet or exceed regulatory compliance; and
(3) there exist any other matters determined
to be in the public interest.
(c) The Office must find that an application
demonstrates the following standards for approval:
(1) A management level staff person is
identified to be responsible for coordinating all requirements relating to
diversity, equity, and inclusion, consistent with all rules and regulations
issued by the Office;
(2) the
services and facilities will meet the particular needs of the community to be
served, based on a needs assessment of the catchment area to be serviced,
including the identification of unserved and underserved marginalized
communities, uninsured and underinsured persons, and is reflective of the
cultural and linguistic needs of the community;
(3) the provider of services is affirmatively
addressing opportunities to overcome systemic barriers to accessing care for
the communities and persons identified as part of the needs
assessment.
(d) If an
application involves construction, the office may require the applicant to
demonstrate, through the submission of detailed architectural schematic
drawings, that the following requirements are met:
(1) that the proposed construction ensures
patient confidentiality including gender neutral restroom facilities;
(2) that there is no more efficient
architectural solution to the proposed construction, except that providers may
include creation of gender neutral restroom facilities;
(3) that the proposed construction will not
adversely affect the costs of providing services;
(4) that the proposed construction conforms
to applicable Federal, State and local laws and regulations; and
(5) that the proposed construction ensures
patient confidentiality.
(e) Criteria and procedures for approval of
leases.
(1) If an applicant proposes to lease
a facility in which all or part of the proposed services are to be provided,
the lease agreement shall include, but is not limited to, the following
language: "The landlord acknowledges that the rights of reentry into the
premises as set forth in this lease do not confer on the landlord the authority
to operate an addiction services program. The landlord agrees to give the New
York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports at least thirty (30) day's
notice by certified mail of the intent to re-enter the premises or to initiate
dispossess proceedings and at least sixty (60) days notice of expiration of the
lease."
(2) Lease terms must be for
a term sufficient to ensure program continuity with an option to renew for an
additional term of years. Longer terms may be required if financial support is
provided for a capital project by the office. Month-to-month lease terms shall
not be deemed sufficient.
(f)
Amendment of an application.
Any amendment to an application, other than technical or
minor amendment, that changes the application during the process of review to
such an extent that it requires, in the opinion of the commissioner, a
reinitiation of a full or administrative review in accordance with this Part
must include a written explanation as to the reason for such amendments.
(g)
Failure to notify of
changes.
Failure to provide the office with information about changes
in an application or to obtain prior approval when required by this section may
constitute grounds for the denial of authorization to provide services and
revocation, limitation or amendment of any operating certificate previously
granted for that application.
(h)
Withdrawal of an application by the
applicant.
An application made to the office in accordance with this
Part may be voluntarily withdrawn by written notice from the applicant at any
time prior to the decision of the Commissioner.
(i) Criteria and procedures for approval of
certificates of incorporation.
(1)
Not-for-profit corporations. An entity incorporated or proposed to be
incorporated under the Not-for-Profit Corporation Law shall provide the
commissioner with a proposed certificate of incorporation or certificate of
amendment that conforms with the requirements of the Not-for-Profit Corporation
Law and the Mental Hygiene Law. The board of directors of a not-for-profit
corporation shall:
(i) include qualified
members, broadly representing the community, who have sufficient independence
from senior management of such corporations and who will provide the board with
expertise to oversee the agency's programmatic and fiscal operations, and any
other criteria determined by the office;
(ii) the board shall include members from the
community in which the services are to be provided;
(iii) board members shall avoid conflicts of
interest, including but not limited to self dealings;
(iv) Reimbursement to board members shall be
documented and shall be limited to their reasonable costs and expenses in a
manner which ensures that the integrity of the not-for-profit corporation will
not be compromised;
(v) no
compensated employee or consultant of the corporation shall be a corporate
director of such board; however, such employee or consultant of the corporation
may be an ex officio corporate member without the right to vote;
(vi) family members of senior management of
the not-for-profit corporation shall be prohibited from serving on the board
unless it can be sufficiently demonstrated to the office that the independence
of the board will not be compromised by such appointment;
(vii) board members shall review on a regular
basis the not-for-profit's operation, including but not limited to the
performance and compensation of senior executives, the financial operations of
the provider of services and implementation of corrective actions to ensure
compliance with applicable rules and regulations governing such
provider;
(viii) There shall be
members of the board that can demonstrate and substantiate prior substantial
experience directly providing or managing addiction services and maintain such
experience going forward, unless the corporation is an Article 28 facility
co-licensed by the New York State Department of Health and defined in Article
28 of the Public Health Law.
(2) Business corporations. For purposes of
this paragraph, the term business entity shall mean any entity incorporated or
proposed to be incorporated or organized under the Business Corporation Law or
the Limited Liability Company Law.
(i) If the
business entity is an individual practitioner, partnership of practitioners, a
professional service limited liability company, or a professional service
corporation of practitioners licensed and currently registered by the New York
State Education Department in one of the health professions which is authorized
to provide addiction services, it is exempt from the requirement of needing an
operating certificate from the office so long as all the following conditions
are met:
(a) the business entity employs only
persons licensed by the New York State Education Department in the same
profession to provide professional services;
(b) the business entity practices under a
name that does not indicate an intent, ability or willingness to operate an
addiction program; and
(c) a
professional service corporation, limited liability company and any stockholder
or member thereof has obtained all required approvals from the New York State
Education Department and the Department of State.
(ii) If the business entity is not an exempt
entity under subparagraph (i) of this paragraph, then it shall provide the
Commissioner with a proposed certificate of incorporation or certificate of
amendment that conforms to the requirements of the Business Corporation Law and
the Mental Hygiene Law.
(iii) Board
of directors requirements. For all business entities not exempt under
subparagraph (i) of this paragraph, the board of directors shall include
members with a diversity of experience sufficient to ensure competent direction
and control; and
(a) if any such board member
is or has been an incorporator, board member, partner or stockholder in an
entity which has operated a hospital, or any other type of residential facility
certified by the State Department of Health or a residential facility for the
developmentally disabled within the last 10 years, the name of each such
facility and any interest such individual held or currently holds therein shall
be reported to the commissioner;
(b) all stock or ownership certificates of a
corporation shall contain a statement that no person shall own 10 percent or
more of the stock of the corporation unless such person has been approved for
ownership by the Commissioner. The stock or ownership certificate shall also
contain a statement that any transfer, assignment or other disposition of 10
percent or more of the stock or of 10 percent or more of the voting rights
there under must receive the prior approval of the Commissioner;
(c) no stock in such a corporation may be
owned in its entirety or in part by another corporation.