N.J. Admin. Code § 8:135-1.3

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 24, December 18, 2024

Section 8:135-1.3 - General provisions

(a) The system applies to all adult State psychiatric hospitals.

(b) A description of the system shall be posted on all units and communicated to patients.

(c) With regard to special status patients, the following procedures apply:

1. Prior to implementation, any decrease in supervision or discharge decision shall be approved through hospital administrative review procedures, as delineated at N.J.A.C. 8:135-2.3.

2. A decision to decrease to levels III or IV shall be approved through both hospital and Division administrative review.

3. A decision to discharge or transfer a special status patient to a less restrictive setting within the hospital (for example, a cottage) requires approval through both hospital and Division administrative review.

4. Any decrease in supervision level or discharge decision pertaining to a patient who is hospitalized because the patient was found "Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity," or "Incompetent to Stand Trial" must be approved by order of the committing court prior to implementation.

(d) A patient may be discharged from the hospital while on any level, when documented as clinically appropriate as indicated based upon risk status and, if applicable, when approved by court order.

(e) A patient is not required to go through each level in sequence.

1. The treatment team may increase or decrease the patient's assigned level of supervision as warranted in consideration of a significant change in the patient's clinical condition.

2. The treatment team shall:

i. Determine the amount of time that a patient shall spend at a specific supervision level based upon the patient's clinical needs and treatment goals; and

ii. Adjust the time when clinical progress indicates that an adjustment is appropriate based on a structured professional judgment of risk.

(f) A patient who disagrees with the treatment team regarding the patient's assigned level of supervision may appeal through hospital grievance procedures or to the Division's patient service representative who is assigned to each institution.

1. The patient service representative will involve hospital administration and/or clinical staff, as indicated in the resolution of the disagreement.

(g) The department in charge of continued quality improvement, or other designee of the Chief Executive Officer at each hospital, shall monitor the system to ensure that any staffing, programmatic, clinical, or other problems are identified and addressed.

N.J. Admin. Code § 8:135-1.3

Amended by 48 N.J.R. 713(a), effective 5/2/2016

Amended and recodified from 10:36-1.3 by 55 N.J.R. 2258(b), effective 11/9/2023