- (a) Determination of need for NF services. For each NF applicant with MI or IID, the State mental health or intellectual disability authority (as appropriate) must determine, in accordance with § 483.130, whether, because of the resident's physical and mental condition, the individual requires the level of services provided by a NF.
- (b) Determination of need for specialized services. If the individual with mental illness or intellectual disability is determined to require a NF level of care, the State mental health or intellectual disability authority (as appropriate) must also determine, in accordance with § 483.130, whether the individual requires specialized services for the mental illness or intellectual disability, as defined in § 483.120.
- (c) Timeliness—(1) Except as specified in paragraph (c)(4) of this section, a preadmission screening determination must be made in writing within an annual average of 7 to 9 working days of referral of the individual with MI or IID by whatever agent performs the Level I identification, under § 483.128(a) of this part, to the State mental health or intellectual disability authority for screening. (See § 483.128(a) for discussion of Level I evaluation.)
- (2) The State may convey determinations verbally to nursing facilities and the individual and confirm them in writing.
- (3) The State may compute separate annual averages for the mentally ill and individuals with intellectual disabilities/developmentally disabled populations.
(4) The Secretary may grant an exception to the timeliness standard in paragraph (c)(1) of this section when the State—
- (i) Exceeds the annual average; and
- (ii) Provides justification satisfactory to the Secretary that a longer time period was necessary.