N.J. Admin. Code § 10:37A-4.1 - Intake policies and procedures

(a) The PA shall develop and implement a written policy outlining an intake process that provides a basis for assessment of an applicant's eligibility for services, consistent with N.J.A.C. 10:37A-3 and this subchapter.

(b) All intake procedures shall be guided by a consumer's preferences and goals with regard to treatment and community living. The consumer's choices shall be documented in the assessment.

(c) PA staff shall conduct intake procedures in a manner that is culturally and linguistically appropriate to the consumer and that facilitates continuity of service.

(d) Intake procedures shall be designed to facilitate program participation at the earliest appropriate opportunity.

(e) Except for a consumer referred to the provider from a State psychiatric hospital, the PA shall conduct the intake procedure for a referred consumer within five business days of a vacancy in the PA's program.

(f) When a consumer has been referred from a State psychiatric hospital, the following procedures shall apply:

1. State psychiatric hospital staff shall coordinate and make appropriate referrals of consumers to the PA based on the vacancy report generated pursuant to N.J.A.C. 10:37A-3.1(d) and shall not make a referral to a PA that does not have an appropriate existing or anticipated vacancy.

2. The State psychiatric hospital placement entity shall forward to the PA a referral form and response package for each consumer under consideration for residential placement.

3. The package shall consist of a:

i. Psychosocial assessment;

ii. Psychiatric evaluation;

iii. Physical examination report;

iv. Psychological assessment, if completed;

v. Documentation evidencing the nature and current status of any judiciary involvement;

vi. Accurate family/guardian/emergency contact information;

vii. Medication administration record; and

viii. Progress notes, up to and including notes from the last two weeks of the consumer's hospitalization.

4. Upon request, PAs shall have access to the referred consumer's State psychiatric hospital charts for further information, as necessary and appropriate. PAs may request and receive copies of pertinent information from the State psychiatric hospital chart within 24 hours of request.

5. PAs may request and receive an interview with the consumer.

6. PAs shall inform State psychiatric hospital staff, in writing, of the outcome of the referral within five working days of its receipt of the complete referral form and response package.

7. The PA shall place a consumer referred by a State psychiatric hospital into the available vacancy as soon as possible, but in all cases, within 21 days of the PA's receipt of the referral.

(g) The intake process shall include an orientation to the program and an explanation of the consumer's rights and grievance procedure. The PA shall also post the grievance procedure in a prominent location within the agency and provide copies of N.J.A.C. 10:37-4.5, Client rights, and 4.6, Client complaint/agency ombudsman procedure, to consumers upon request. Each consumer in a supervised housing unit is to be provided with a copy of N.J.A.C. 10:37A Appendix A, which delineates the consumer rights regarding discharge and exclusion from the facility, which shall be completed by staff to include the names, addresses, and phone numbers of the individuals appropriate to the region.

(h) The PA shall develop and implement a written procedure that requires a review of all intakes that result in a determination that a consumer does not meet the PA's admission criteria.

Notes

N.J. Admin. Code § 10:37A-4.1

Adopted by 48 N.J.R. 1636(a), effective 8/15/2016 Amended by 56 N.J.R. 901(a) effective 5/20/2024