New York State Adopts New Regulations to Expand and Improve Crisis Management Services

The New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH) today announced the adoption of regulatory amendments that will allow for an expansion of the state’s crisis response system while emphasizing person-centered recovery and rehabilitation in the community.  

Updates and revisions to 14 NYCRR Part 589 create three Crisis Residential Programs categories: Residential Crisis Support, Intensive Crisis Residence, and Children’s Crisis Residence.

“Crisis residences give an individual the opportunity to deal with his or her crisis in a setting that values personal choice, informed decision-making, respect for patient rights and the opportunity to make connections with community supports and safety planning,” said New York State Office of Mental Health Commissioner, Dr. Ann Sullivan. “OMH has been working extensively with county leadership statewide to develop the shared vision of a coordinated behavioral health crisis management system available to all New Yorkers, regardless of ability to pay. These regulatory amendments bring that vision closer to reality.”

Crisis residential programs are part of an expanding community-based continuum of care. They are designed to provide voluntary, short-term interventions to individuals experiencing a behavioral health crisis. The goal is to address the cause of each crisis and help these individuals to return to their communities. 

“For people in crisis, safe, temporary housing can reduce stress while the underlying crisis condition is addressed, ultimately improving long-term health and wellness,” said New York State Department of Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker. “Investments in social determinants of health, like housing programs, have a profound impact on people’s ability to stay connected with their health care services and can lead to significant reductions in hospitalizations and Medicaid expenditures.”

Crisis Residential programs are available to all New Yorkers, including children and adults, regardless of the ability to pay.  They are an integral part of a larger crisis management system and continuum of crisis services.  This system will integrate existing crisis infrastructure with newly available resources in managed care, Delivery System Reform Incentive Payment (DSRIP) and Value Based Payments (VBP).

The goals of a crisis management system are to: maintain people safely in the community; reduce unnecessary emergency room visits and inpatient hospitalizations; reduce risk of future crises; and coordinate information sharing among clinicians, patients and involved family members/ identified supports to reflect patient preferences.

Source: OMH