1. (1) The program of services shall be provided in accordance with the principle of continuity of care, whereby a single member of the professional clinical staff shall exercise primary responsibility for each patient at all times.
2. (2) Direct service to patients shall be provided in accordance with an individual written plan of care, treatment and rehabilitation, specifying the nature of the conditions and the disabilities found to be present and those which are to be affected, relating these to the methods of care, treatment and rehabilitation to be provided, identifying the intended benefits of care and treatment and providing for appropriate review and revision.
3. (3) A single case record which contains current information regarding diagnosis, treatment and evaluation of results of care or treatment for each patient shall be available to all professional staff involved in the care or treatment of that patient.
4. (4) The programs provided by the unit shall include diagnostic and active treatment, including but not limited to individual and group psychotherapy, acceptable somatic therapies, psychiatric nursing care and a therapeutic milieu. In addition, in order to provide alternatives to inpatient care and a continuum of support and care beyond inpatient stay, a general hospital shall, either within its facility or by affiliation with other public or nonprofit or other approved agencies, assure access for patients, as clinically appropriate, to partial hospitalization services, outpatient and emergency services. The functions of the partial hospital services and outpatient programs shall closely relate to the inpatient unit, be established by written agreement if not provided by the psychiatric inpatient unit, and shall be available to all patients who might benefit.
5. (5) The treatment program in those hospitals which provide services to children shall include the means for providing instruction to children under the age of 18, consistent with their age, needs, and clinical condition, as well as, the needs and circumstances within the facility or program, in techniques and procedures which will enable such patients to protect themselves from abuse and maltreatment.
6. (6) A nurse practitioner or registered nurse shall be on duty on the unit at all times.
7. (7) A physician shall be on duty at all times at the hospital, and other medical staff shall be available on call as needed.
8. (8) The unit shall have continuously in force a written policy on prescription and dispensing of medications, including appropriate time limits for prescriptions or drug orders and requirements for review by the physician responsible.

9. (9) All facilities accepting admissions pursuant to section 9.39 of the Mental Hygiene Law must demonstrate the capacity to, when appropriate, control the access to and exit from units or areas of units in which individuals admitted pursuant to section 9.39 reside.

   (b) Admissions.

10. (1) All admissions shall be in accordance with the provisions of article 31 of the Mental Hygiene Law in a form and format designated by the office.
11. (2) The certified bed capacity of the unit shall not be exceeded at any time.
12. (3) A hospital must be willing to accept for observation, diagnosis and treatment any suitable person presented for admission as provided in section 9.39 of the Mental Hygiene Law, regardless of the time of day or person referring such patient.

13. (4) If minors under the age of 18 are admitted to the hospital, they shall not be commingled with adults in areas of the unit where the adults reside, nor shall they receive services in groups which include adults. In extraordinary circumstances, such commingling may be permitted upon written approval of the office, on a situational and time-limited basis.

    (c) Discharges.

14. (1) All discharges shall be in accordance with the provisions of section 29.15 of the Mental Hygiene Law, in a form and format designed by the office.
15. (2) A hospital shall be prohibited from discharging any person with serious mental illness to a transitional adult home, as defined in regulations of the Commissioner of Health, unless the person was a resident of the home immediately prior to his or her current period of hospitalization.

(a) General.