2999-gg. Voluntary foster care agency health facilities. 1. In order for an authorized agency that is approved by the office of children and family services to care for or board out children, to provide limited health-related services as defined in regulations of the department either directly or indirectly through a contract arrangement, such agency shall obtain, in accordance with a schedule developed by the department in conjunction with the office of children and family services, a license issued by the commissioner in conjunction with the office of children and family services to provide such services. Such schedule shall require that all such authorized agencies operating on January first, two thousand nineteen obtain the license required by this section no later than January first, two thousand nineteen. Such licenses shall be issued in accordance with the standards set forth in this article and the regulations of the department which shall, at a minimum, specify: mandated health services, which shall include, but not be limited to, nursing and behavioral health services; general physical environment requirements; minimum health and safety procedures; record management requirements; quality management activities; and managed care liaison, fiscal and billing activities. In determining the criteria for licensure, regulations shall take into account the size and type of each program, and shall be reasonably related to the provision of medical services. Provided however, that a license pursuant to this section shall not be required if such authorized agency is otherwise authorized to provide the required limited-health-related services to foster children under a license issued pursuant to article twenty-eight of this chapter or article thirty-one of the mental hygiene law. For the purposes of this section, the term authorized agency shall be an authorized agency as defined in paragraph (a) of subdivision ten of section three hundred seventy-one of the social services law.
2. Such license shall not be issued unless it is determined that the equipment, personnel, rules, standards of care and services are fit and adequate, and that the health-related services will be provided in the manner required by this article and the rules and regulations thereunder.
3. The commissioner and the commissioner of the office of children and family services shall enter into a memorandum of agreement for the purposes of administering the requirements of this section.
4. Proceedings involving the issuance of licenses for health-related services to authorized agencies:
(a) A license for health-related services under this article may be revoked, suspended, limited, annulled or denied by the commissioner, in consultation with the office of children and family services, if an authorized agency is determined to have failed to comply with the provisions of this article or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. No action taken against a license under this subdivision shall affect an authorized agency's license to care for or board children unless the commissioner of the office of children and family services determines, pursuant to the regulations of such office, that the existing circumstances make it necessary to limit, suspend or revoke the authority of the authorized agency to care for or board children.
(b) No such license shall be revoked, suspended, limited, annulled or denied without a hearing. However, a license may be temporarily suspended or limited without a hearing for a period not in excess of thirty days upon written notice that the continuation of health-related services places the public health or safety of the recipients in imminent danger.
(c) The commissioner shall fix a time and place for the hearing. A copy of the charges, together with the notice of the time and place of the hearing, shall be served in person or mailed by registered or certified mail to the authorized agency at least twenty-one days before the date fixed for the hearing. The authorized agency shall file with the department not less than eight days prior to the hearing, a written answer to the charges.
(d) All orders or determinations hereunder shall be subject to review as provided in article seventy-eight of the civil practice law and rules. Application for such review must be made within sixty days after service in person or by registered or certified mail of a copy of the order or determination upon the applicant or agency.
Last modified: February 3, 2019