The Office of Hospital Care and Community Transitions partners with hospitals to improve how they admit, treat, and discharge patients with mental health needs. This also helps strengthen care in:
We want all hospitals to have the support they need to follow the rules and provide good mental health care.
We have local teams in each field office to support hospital staff. Our goals include:
Article 28 Hospitals
Article 28 hospitals are regulated by the state Department of Health to make sure they are safe and provide good care. They include mental health care as part of their general health services.
Article 31 Hospitals
Article 31 hospitals focus on psychiatric treatment and helping people who have mental health conditions. These hospitals are regulated by the Office of Mental Health. They focus on mental health services and support.
Tools and resources to understand what hospitals need to do to follow the rules from the Office of Mental Health.
| Resource | Article 28 | Article 31 | Description & Related Links |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York Codes, Rules and Regulations (NYCRR) | X | X |
NYCRR contains New York state rules and regulations. The NYCRR is officially compiled by the
Department of State's Division of Administrative Rules. The
State Register
provides information on rule making activities of state agencies.
Chapter 27 Mental Hygiene Title B Mental Health Act – Article 9 Hospitalization of Persons with a Mental Illness |
| OMH Regulations | X | X |
Includes information on:
|
| OMH Guidance | X | X |
Guidance Documents provide general information/ guidance to help regulated providers comply with any statute, rule, or other legal requirement. Hospital/Emergency Guidance
|
| Comprehensive Crisis Response System | X |
New York's crisis response system is designed to prevent, recognize, respond to, de-escalate, and follow up on crises across our services. CPEP Guidance |
|
| Patient Safety Standards Guidelines | X | X | Provides a selection of materials, fixtures, and hardware reviewed by OMH. The goal of this guidance is to reduce the risk of harm to people while in inpatient settings. |
| Clinical Practice Guidelines | X | X | APA Clinical Guidelines - Provides evidence-based recommendations for the assessment and treatment of psychiatric disorders. Can assist in clinical decision making by presenting patient care strategies in a standardized format. |
| Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Conditions of Participation | X | X | Health and safety standards that health care organizations must meet in order to participate in the Medicare and Medicaid programs. |
| Accreditation & Standards | X | X |
|
| Insurance support | X | X |
CHAMP
– free help with health insurance for mental health or substance use disorders for all New Yorkers
Network Adequacy resources.
NYS Laws related to network adequacy: |
| Form Name/ID | Description |
|---|---|
| Commitment and Examination Forms | Full list of MHL, CL, and CPL Commitment and Examination Forms |
|
Authorization For Release of Information / OMH 11 Additional languages available at OMH Forms |
Form for patients or their representatives to authorize the release of protected health information (PHI). Individuals can indicate their level of consent. This form allows the appropriate and legal sharing of health information while prioritizing patient privacy. |
| Authorization For Release of Health Information (Including Alcohol/Drug Treatment and Mental Health Information) And Confidential HIV/Aids-Related Information/OMH 11C | Form for patients or their representatives to authorize the release of certain protected health information (PHI). Individuals can indicate their level of consent. The document ensures that patient rights are protected while allowing information sharing in a healthcare context. |
TRUST – Therapeutic Relationships and Universal Safety Training
This is a free intensive train-the-trainer program. The TRUST training curriculum replaces the ‘Preventing and Managing Crisis Situations and Partnering for Safety’ curricula. TRUST training can include:
ECHO – Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes
ECHO is a learning collaborative program that offers free CME/CEU credits. It is available at no cost to participating hospitals and staff. The ECHO model is a research-supported training collaboration that provides educational lessons focused on violence and other challenging behavioral issues. There are four cohorts per year, with each cohort comprising ten sessions spread over 8 to 10 weeks.
Contact HospitalCare@omh.ny.gov
Reach out to the Office of Hospital Care and Community Transitions:
Phone: (518) 408-2814
Email: HospitalCare@omh.ny.gov