N.J. Admin. Code § 8:134-3.1

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 23, December 2, 2024

Section 8:134-3.1 - Program standards and requirements

(a) Each eligible patient may participate in the pre-placement program for any number of days, not to exceed a maximum of 14 calendar days.

1. The interdisciplinary treatment team shall determine how long the placement period will be prior to the placement.

2. The length of the placement period may be adjusted during the placement, if clinically appropriate.

3. The interdisciplinary treatment team shall discuss and consider the input received from the patient regarding the appropriate length of the placement.

4. The interdisciplinary treatment team shall reach an agreement with the residential provider to make an adjustment to the placement period.

(b) Any hospital patient or any interested party on behalf of a hospital patient may initiate a pre-placement program request to the patient's interdisciplinary treatment team.

(c) Each patient who has been approved as appropriate for the pre-placement program by the interdisciplinary treatment team and who may be eligible for Supplemental Security Income shall be referred to the Discharge/Financial Coordinator or other hospital designee for Interim Assistance eligibility determination.

(d) Each CEO shall designate a member of the patient's interdisciplinary treatment team or other appropriate person, if indicated in the hospital's policies and procedures manual, to monitor the patient's adjustment in the community and, depending on the particular placement, act as a liaison to the community providers or the patient's family for assistance regarding adjustment issues.

(e) If a patient requests to return to the hospital, the hospital staff designated at (d) above shall review the placement situation and basis for the request and attempt to maintain the placement, if possible, and in the client's best interests. If these efforts do not succeed, and the patient continues to request to return during the pre-placement period, the patient shall be returned to the hospital.

(f) A patient may be returned to the hospital when the patient's interdisciplinary treatment team concludes that the patient and the provider have inadequately adjusted to each other so that conditions supporting the likelihood of a successful discharge and placement to the provider are not well-established.

1. Before making its decision, the interdisciplinary treatment team should discuss the situation with, and consider the input received from, the patient, and the provider.

2. The patient shall be given an opportunity to object to the team obtaining input from the patient's family and any other interested party with relevant information, and if there is no objection, information from those sources may be considered.

(g) Each participating patient and provider shall receive a fact sheet from hospital staff, which summarizes the significant aspects of the program. The provider and patient shall demonstrate their willingness to adhere to the program's policies and procedures as delineated in this chapter by signing an agreement to that effect with the referring hospital, similar to the sample agreement at the chapter Appendix, incorporated herein by reference. The patient or patient's guardian shall be given the opportunity to consent in writing to the disclosure of the patient's hospital records to the provider prior to placement. If either a prospective provider or a patient wants to interview the other prior to placement, the interview shall be arranged by the hospital staff.

(h) Patients who are adjudicated as CEPP may participate in the pre-placement program.

1. Hospital staff shall notify the committing court of:

i. The patient's participation in the program, which shall be in accordance with court directives; and

ii. The patient's return to hospitalization if the patient's adjustment to the placement is unsuccessful.

2. Patients who are involuntarily committed may participate in the pre-placement program.

(i) State psychiatric hospital staff shall adhere to appropriate internal directives regarding financial and administrative recordkeeping and payment methodology.

(j) Whenever a patient successfully completes a pre-placement program with a provider, the patient shall be removed from pre-placement program status and, upon the interdisciplinary treatment team's approval, shall be discharged from the hospital and no longer subject to return to the hospital according to the standard in these rules (see (e) above).

1. A patient who completes the pre-placement program and is discharged from the hospital whose subsequent behavior indicates that the patient require s psychiatric hospitalization must be screened in accordance with the procedures and standards in the Mental Health Screening Law (N.J.S.A. 30:4-27.1 et seq.).

(k) A patient who is without sufficient independent resources and successfully completes a pre-placement program with a provider must secure an alternative financial source, such as Supplemental Security Income, for any continued cost of community care, with assistance from hospital staff, as needed, to maintain ongoing placement with that provider.

N.J. Admin. Code § 8:134-3.1

Amended and Recodified from 10:38A-3.1 by 55 N.J.R. 546(a), effective 3/20/2023