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
