N.J. Admin. Code § 8:135-2.3

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

Section 8:135-2.3 - Procedures for review of recommendations and determinations; final decision

(a) If a special status patient objects to the supervision level to which the treatment team assigns the patient, the SSPRC chairperson shall designate a member of the SSPRC to interview the patient within the period specified at (d) below.

(b) The treatment team shall prepare and forward to the SSPRC chairperson, in as timely a manner as possible, information concerning the patient whose status requires SSPRC review.

1. If a special status patient disagrees with the treatment team's supervision level determination, the treatment team shall obtain from the patient a statement as to the basis of the disagreement and/or prepare a summary of the patient's opinion and add the statement or summary to the information that the treatment team forwards to the SSPRC.

(c) The SSPRC chairperson may designate an SSPRC member to interview the patient prior to the committee review if the chairperson determines that the situation warrants an interview.

1. A member of the special status patient's treatment team who is familiar with the current level recommendation shall meet with the SSPRC during its review process.

(d) The SSPRC shall meet and review the treatment team's determination as to the special status patient's supervision level assignment, and the statement or summary of the patient's position, within 10 working days of receipt of the information.

(e) The SSPRC chairperson shall forward the recommendations of the SSPRC to the clinical or medical director within two working days of its review.

(f) The clinical or medical director shall review the SSPRC recommendations and respond to the SSPRC chairperson within two working days of receipt of the SSPRC recommendation by either endorsing, or withholding endorsement of, the SSPRC recommendation.

1. The clinical or medical director may request additional information from the treatment team, provided the request and the treatment team's response shall be made within the two-day period specified at (f) above.

2. The clinical or medical director must endorse a recommendation prior to its implementation.

(g) The clinical or medical director shall periodically attend the hospital's SSPRC meetings to monitor the thoroughness and quality of clinical recommendations and compliance with this chapter.

(h) The quality assurance officer within each hospital or a designee of the hospital CEO shall monitor the hospital's compliance with this subchapter.

(i) If a special status patient's treatment team and the SSPRC both recommend the granting of a supervision decrease to Level Ill or Level IV or the patient's discharge, then, within two days of the SSPRC finalizing its recommendation, the SSPRC shall forward to the Division Medical Director the information that the treatment team submitted to the SSPRC, the material that the SSPRC submitted to the clinical or medical director, and the recommendations of the treatment team and the SSPRC.

1. Following review of the material transmitted pursuant to this subsection, the Division Medical Director shall issue a determination as to the special status patient's discharge, which will be a final action, and notify hospital staff of the determination by no later than five working days after the Division Medical Director's receipt of the material transmitted pursuant to this subsection.

(j) If N.J.S.A. 30:4-27.17 requires the treatment team to issue a written notice of a determination as to a special status patient's supervision level assignment or discharge determination, the hospital CEO shall ensure that the treatment team issues the required notification to the appropriate individuals and officials in accordance with that statute.

(k) The SSPRC chairperson shall ensure that the rationale supporting the discharge decision is entered into the SSPRC's meeting minutes and the patient's records.

(l) The SSPRC shall ensure that the treatment team adheres to supervision and discharge procedures at N.J.A.C. 8:135-2.5 when recommending the discharge or a change in supervision level of a special status patient.

N.J. Admin. Code § 8:135-2.3

Amended by R.1993 d.58, effective 2/1/1993.
See: 24 New Jersey Register 4232(a), 25 New Jersey Register 583(b).
Added new subsection (g).
Amended by R.1998 d.62, effective 1/20/1998.
See: 29 New Jersey Register 3763(b), 30 New Jersey Register 386(a).
In (f) and (g), substituted references to the Clinical Director/Medical Director for references to the Clinical Director; and added (h) and (i).
Amended by R.2003 d.236, effective 7/7/2003.
See: 34 New Jersey Register 4290(a), 35 New Jersey Register 2903(a).
Rewrote the section.

Amended and recodified from 10:36-2.3 by 55 N.J.R. 2258(b), effective 11/9/2023