What's happening
This bill increases the required number of unannounced inspections of mental health facilities each year and allows independent monitors to accompany inspectors.
Why it matters
Increasing the number of unannounced inspections from two to three per year (or from one to two for high-performing facilities) raises the level of ongoing oversight, potentially catching problems earlier and ensuring more consistent standards in mental health care.
Allowing independent monitors—including board of visitors members or other approved individuals—to accompany inspectors introduces an extra layer of transparency and community involvement in the inspection process, which could deter misconduct and foster greater public trust.
Notifying the board of visitors before inspections (while still keeping the visit unannounced to the facility) increases accountability and empowers these oversight bodies to play a more active role in safeguarding patient welfare.
Broadening areas of mandatory review—such as physical plant conditions, fire safety, health care quality, and abuse prevention—signals a comprehensive approach to facility safety and patient rights, likely improving overall care standards.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Increase Facility Inspections Yearly
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
3 Co-sponsors
History
- Referred to mental health
- Referred to mental health
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Increase Facility Inspections Yearly
In Senate Committee · Mental Health And Developmental Disabilities · Sponsor Leroy Comrie
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
3814
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 31, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. ORTIZ, ABINANTI, JAFFEE, LIFTON -- read once and referred to the Committee on Mental Health
AN ACT to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation to increasing the frequency of visitation and inspection of facilities per year
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Paragraph 1 of subdivision (a) of section 16.11 of the mental hygiene law, as added by section 10 of part MM of chapter 58 of the laws of 2015, is amended to read as follows:
(1) The review of facilities issued an operating certificate pursuant to this article shall include periodic visitation and review of each facility. Reviews shall be made as frequently as the commissioner may deem necessary but in any event such inspections shall be made on at least [two] three occasions during each calendar year which shall be without prior notice, provided, however, that where, in the discretion of the commissioner, an operating certificate has been issued to a program with a history of compliance and a record of providing a high quality of care, the periodic inspection and visitation required by this subdivision shall be made at least [once] twice during each calendar year provided such [visit] visits shall be without prior notice, provided, however, that the commissioner provide notice to members of the applicable board of visitors. Any member or members of a board of visitors, appointed pursuant to section 13.33 of this title, and any other individual or individuals the commissioner at his or her discretion approves, may accompany inspectors during the state's periodic visitations and inspections conducted pursuant to this section as independent monitors. Areas of review shall include, but not be limited to, a review of a facility's: physical plant, fire safety procedures, health care, protective oversight, abuse and neglect prevention, and reporting procedures.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08253-01-9
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.