DOH Updates Respite Processes for ACFs

The Department of Health (DOH) has issued a Dear Administrator letter (DAL) announcing some changes to the process providers should use to provide respite services. LeadingAge NY had worked with other stakeholders to revise the respite stay process to be a notification process, as opposed to an application process. We also worked to extend the period of time that a consumer could accept respite services, now allowing up to one-hundred twenty days (120) in any twelve-month period. The Department has developed a form for operators to send to the Department to notify them of the intent to provide respite services. In addition, the Department has also provided a Model Temporary Residential Care Addendum to the Admission/Residency Agreement, which is required to be provided to all residents wishing to utilize respite services.

Those facilities that are already providing respite services do not have to use this form to notify the Department; however, DOH will be attempting to gather this information through the annual census to identify all of the facilities that provide respite services.

Click here for the DAL, here for the Notification Form, and here for the Model Agreement.

Contact: Diane Darbyshire, ddarbyshire@leadingageny.org, 518-867-8828