Medical Respite Program

Medical Respite Program - SFY 2020-21 budget authorized DOH to create Medical Respite programs to provide care to homeless patients who are too sick to be on the streets or in a traditional shelter but not sick enough to warrant inpatient hospitalization. The SFY 2021-22 budget included provisions to further implement medical respite program by:

  1. Providing statutory framework/pathway for DOH to issue certification for medical respite programs.
  2. Allowing the department to set core standards for the operation and services provision by certified medical respite programs.

The department has adopted new regulations to govern Medical Respite programs in NYS (Medical Respite Regulations - 10 NYCRR Part 1007).

A. Supplemental and Regulatory Guidance for Medical Respite Providers:

  1. Guidance on Referrals, Assessments, and Service Plans - (Web) - (PDF)
  2. Guidance on Staffing - (Web) - (PDF) - updated August 22, 2024
  3. Guidance on Services - (Web) - (PDF)
  4. Guidance on Medication - (Web) - (PDF)
  5. Guidance on Discharge Planning - (Web) - (PDF)
  6. Guidance on Recipient Rights and Responsibilities - (Web) - (PDF) - updated August 22, 2024
  7. Guidance on Medicaid Waiver Funded Medical Respite - (Web) - (PDF) - updated October 31, 2024

DOH guidance for certified medical respite programs draws on principles and best practices identified in the 2021 Standards for Medical Respite Care Programs. DOH wishes to thank National Institute for Medical Respite Care (NIMRC) for its generosity in sharing this resource.

B. Medical Respite Program Templates (Tool Kit):

  1. Template Forms (may be modified to meet program needs)
    1. Admission Agreement
    2. Recipient Rights
    3. Recipient Rules and Code of Conduct - (PDF)
    4. Certificate of Interpretation - (PDF)
    5. Certificate of Translation - (PDF)
    6. Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Response Plan - (PDF)
  2. DOH Forms (must not be modified)
    1. Authorization to Share Information - English - (PDF)
    2. Authorization to Share Information - Spanish - (PDF)
    3. Incident Report
    4. Notice of Discharge

C. Medical Respite Certification Information:

  1. Component One -
    1. Component One Instructions - (Web) - (PDF)
    2. Checklist - (PDF)
    3. Application for Certification - (PDF)
    4. Physical Plant and Safety Plan - (PDF)
  2. Component Two -
    1. Onsite Inspection Instructions and Preparation Checklist