Bill Text: CT SB00417 | 2014 | General Assembly | Chaptered
Bill Title: An Act Concerning The Provision Of Behavioral Health And Substance Use Treatment Services By Multi-care Institutions.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-2-1)
Status: (Passed) 2014-06-13 - Signed by the Governor [SB00417 Detail]
Download: Connecticut-2014-SB00417-Chaptered.html
Substitute Senate Bill No. 417
AN ACT CONCERNING THE PROVISION OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE TREATMENT SERVICES BY MULTI-CARE INSTITUTIONS.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:
Section 1. Section 19a-490 of the 2014 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2014):
As used in this chapter and sections 17b-261e, 38a-498b and 38a-525b:
(a) "Institution" means a hospital, short-term hospital special hospice, hospice inpatient facility, residential care home, health care facility for the handicapped, nursing home, rest home, home health care agency, homemaker-home health aide agency, mental health facility, assisted living services agency, substance abuse treatment facility, outpatient surgical facility, outpatient clinic, an infirmary operated by an educational institution for the care of students enrolled in, and faculty and employees of, such institution; a facility engaged in providing services for the prevention, diagnosis, treatment or care of human health conditions, including facilities operated and maintained by any state agency, except facilities for the care or treatment of mentally ill persons or persons with substance abuse problems; and a residential facility for persons with intellectual disability licensed pursuant to section 17a-227 and certified to participate in the Title XIX Medicaid program as an intermediate care facility for individuals with intellectual disability;
(b) "Hospital" means an establishment for the lodging, care and treatment of persons suffering from disease or other abnormal physical or mental conditions and includes inpatient psychiatric services in general hospitals;
(c) "Residential care home", "nursing home" or "rest home" means an establishment that furnishes, in single or multiple facilities, food and shelter to two or more persons unrelated to the proprietor and, in addition, provides services that meet a need beyond the basic provisions of food, shelter and laundry;
(d) "Home health care agency" means a public or private organization, or a subdivision thereof, engaged in providing professional nursing services and the following services, available twenty-four hours per day, in the patient's home or a substantially equivalent environment: Homemaker-home health aide services as defined in this section, physical therapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy or medical social services. The agency shall provide professional nursing services and at least one additional service directly and all others directly or through contract. An agency shall be available to enroll new patients seven days a week, twenty-four hours per day;
(e) "Homemaker-home health aide agency" means a public or private organization, except a home health care agency, which provides in the patient's home or a substantially equivalent environment supportive services which may include, but are not limited to, assistance with personal hygiene, dressing, feeding and incidental household tasks essential to achieving adequate household and family management. Such supportive services shall be provided under the supervision of a registered nurse and, if such nurse determines appropriate, shall be provided by a social worker, physical therapist, speech therapist or occupational therapist. Such supervision may be provided directly or through contract;
(f) "Homemaker-home health aide services" as defined in this section shall not include services provided to assist individuals with activities of daily living when such individuals have a disease or condition that is chronic and stable as determined by a physician licensed in the state of Connecticut;
(g) "Mental health facility" means any facility for the care or treatment of mentally ill or emotionally disturbed persons, or any mental health outpatient treatment facility that provides treatment to persons sixteen years of age or older who are receiving services from the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, but does not include family care homes for the mentally ill;
(h) "Alcohol or drug treatment facility" means any facility for the care or treatment of persons suffering from alcoholism or other drug addiction;
(i) "Person" means any individual, firm, partnership, corporation, limited liability company or association;
(j) "Commissioner" means the Commissioner of Public Health;
(k) "Home health agency" means an agency licensed as a home health care agency or a homemaker-home health aide agency;
(l) "Assisted living services agency" means an agency that provides, among other things, nursing services and assistance with activities of daily living to a population that is chronic and stable; [and]
(m) "Outpatient clinic" means an organization operated by a municipality or a corporation, other than a hospital, that provides (1) ambulatory medical care, including preventive and health promotion services, (2) dental care, or (3) mental health services in conjunction with medical or dental care for the purpose of diagnosing or treating a health condition that does not require the patient's overnight care; and
(n) "Multi-care institution" means a hospital, psychiatric outpatient clinic for adults, free-standing facility for the care or treatment of substance abusive or dependent persons, hospital for psychiatric disabilities, as defined in section 17a-495, or a general acute care hospital that provides outpatient behavioral health services that (A) is licensed in accordance with chapter 368v, (B) has more than one facility or one or more satellite units owned and operated by a single licensee, and (C) offers complex patient health care services at each facility or satellite unit.
Sec. 2. Section 19a-493 of the 2014 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2014):
(a) Upon receipt of an application for an initial license, the Department of Public Health, subject to the provisions of section 19a-491a, shall issue such license if, upon conducting a scheduled inspection and investigation, the department finds that the applicant and facilities meet the requirements established under section 19a-495, provided a license shall be issued to or renewed for an institution, as defined in [subsection (d), (e) or (f) of] section 19a-490, only if such institution is not otherwise required to be licensed by the state. If an institution, as defined in subsections (b), (d), (e) and (f) of section 19a-490, applies for license renewal and has been certified as a provider of services by the United States Department of Health and Human Services under Medicare or Medicaid programs within the immediately preceding twelve-month period, or if an institution, as defined in subsection (b) of section 19a-490, is currently certified, the commissioner or the commissioner's designee may waive on renewal the inspection and investigation of such facility required by this section and, in such event, any such facility shall be deemed to have satisfied the requirements of section 19a-495 for the purposes of licensure. Such license shall be valid for two years or a fraction thereof and shall terminate on March thirty-first, June thirtieth, September thirtieth or December thirty-first of the appropriate year. A license issued pursuant to this chapter, unless sooner suspended or revoked, shall be renewable biennially (1) after an unscheduled inspection is conducted by the department, and (2) upon the filing by the licensee, and approval by the department, of a report upon such date and containing such information in such form as the department prescribes and satisfactory evidence of continuing compliance with requirements established under section 19a-495. In the case of an institution, as defined in subsection (d) of section 19a-490, that is also certified as a provider under the Medicare program, the license shall be issued for a period not to exceed three years, to run concurrently with the certification period. [Each] Except in the case of a multi-care institution, each license shall be issued only for the premises and persons named in the application. [and] Such license shall not be transferable or assignable. Licenses shall be posted in a conspicuous place in the licensed premises.
(b) (1) A nursing home license may be renewed biennially after (A) an unscheduled inspection conducted by the department, (B) submission of the information required by section 19a-491a, and (C) submission of evidence satisfactory to the department that the nursing home is in compliance with the provisions of this chapter, the Public Health Code and licensing regulations.
(2) Any change in the ownership of a facility or institution, as defined in subsection (c) of section 19a-490, owned by an individual, partnership or association or the change in ownership or beneficial ownership of ten per cent or more of the stock of a corporation which owns, conducts, operates or maintains such facility or institution, shall be subject to prior approval of the department after a scheduled inspection of such facility or institution is conducted by the department, provided such approval shall be conditioned upon a showing by such facility or institution to the commissioner that it has complied with all requirements of this chapter, the regulations relating to licensure and all applicable requirements of the Public Health Code. Any such change in ownership or beneficial ownership resulting in a transfer to a person related by blood or marriage to such an owner or beneficial owner shall not be subject to prior approval of the department unless: (A) Ownership or beneficial ownership of ten per cent or more of the stock of a corporation, partnership or association which owns, conducts, operates or maintains more than one facility or institution is transferred; (B) ownership or beneficial ownership is transferred in more than one facility or institution; or (C) the facility or institution is the subject of a pending complaint, investigation or licensure action. If the facility or institution is not in compliance, the commissioner may require the new owner to sign a consent order providing reasonable assurances that the violations shall be corrected within a specified period of time. Notice of any such proposed change of ownership shall be given to the department at least ninety days prior to the effective date of such proposed change. For the purposes of this subdivision, "a person related by blood or marriage" means a parent, spouse, child, brother, sister, aunt, uncle, niece or nephew. For the purposes of this subdivision, a change in the legal form of the ownership entity, including, but not limited to, changes from a corporation to a limited liability company, a partnership to a limited liability partnership, a sole proprietorship to a corporation and similar changes, shall not be considered a change of ownership if the beneficial ownership remains unchanged and the owner provides such information regarding the change to the department as may be required by the department in order to properly identify the current status of ownership and beneficial ownership of the facility or institution. For the purposes of this subdivision, a public offering of the stock of any corporation that owns, conducts, operates or maintains any such facility or institution shall not be considered a change in ownership or beneficial ownership of such facility or institution if the licensee and the officers and directors of such corporation remain unchanged, such public offering cannot result in an individual or entity owning ten per cent or more of the stock of such corporation, and the owner provides such information to the department as may be required by the department in order to properly identify the current status of ownership and beneficial ownership of the facility or institution.
(c) (1) A multi-care institution may, under the terms of its existing license, provide behavioral health services or substance use disorder treatment services on the premises of more than one facility, at a satellite unit or at another location outside of its facilities or satellite units that is acceptable to the patient receiving services and is consistent with the patient's assessment and treatment plan.
(2) Any multi-care institution that intends to offer services at a satellite unit or other location outside of its facilities or satellite units, shall submit an application for approval to offer services at such location to the Department of Public Health. Such application shall be submitted on a form and in the manner prescribed by the Commissioner of Public Health. Not later than forty-five days after receipt of such application, the commissioner shall notify the multi-care institution of the approval or denial of such application. If the satellite unit or other location is approved, that satellite unit or location shall be deemed to be licensed in accordance with section 19a-493 and shall comply with the applicable requirements of chapter 368v and regulations adopted under said chapter.
(3) The Commissioner of Public Health may adopt regulations, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, to carry out the provisions of this subsection. The Commissioner of Public Health may implement policies and procedures necessary to administer the provisions of this subsection while in the process of adopting such policies and procedures as regulation, provided the commissioner prints notice of intent to adopt regulations in the Connecticut Law Journal not later than twenty days after the date of implementation. Policies and procedures implemented pursuant to this section shall be valid until the time final regulations are adopted.