§ 7.24 Mental health disorder hospital discharge; policies and

procedures.

(a) The office, in consultation with the department of health, shall
develop or utilize existing educational materials to be provided to
general hospitals to disseminate to individuals with a documented mental
health disorder or who appear to have or be at risk for a mental health
disorder during discharge planning pursuant to section twenty-eight
hundred three-i of the public health law. Such materials shall include
information regarding the various types of treatment and support
services, including but not limited to: inpatient, outpatient treatment;
how to recognize the need for treatment services; information for
individuals to determine what type and level of treatment is most
appropriate and what resources are available to individuals; and any
other information the commissioner and the commissioner of health deem
appropriate.

(b) The commissioner in collaboration with the commissioner of health
shall assist and provide guidance for every general hospital to:

1. utilize existing, or in addition to current policies and
procedures, develop, maintain and disseminate, written policies and
procedures, for the identification, assessment and referral of
individuals with a documented mental health disorder or who appear to
have or be at risk for a mental health disorder; and

2. establish and implement training, within existing, or in addition
to current training programs, for all individuals licensed or certified
pursuant to title eight of the education law who provide direct patient
care regarding the policies and procedures established pursuant to this
section.

(c) If a general hospital does not directly provide mental health
disorder services, then the commissioner, in consultation with the
commissioner of health, shall provide the necessary information to refer
individuals in need of such services to and coordinate with mental
health service programs that provide such services, and have been issued
an operating certificate pursuant to article thirty-one of this chapter.