(a) family care homes provide 24-hour residential services in small family settings that match resident needs and provider skills offering an individually-tailored living environment.

(b) The Office of Mental Health issues an operating certificate to qualified individuals in the community who agree to provide specified residential services in their own homes to no more than six persons with mental illness. These family care providers are reimbursed for expenses occurred in providing care (i.e., room and board and mileage) and may receive additional funds to meet the personal needs of residents.

(c) Each family care provider must have a program sponsor, which is either a State-operated psychiatric center or a community-based mental health program. The program sponsor is responsible for ensuring that the family care provider is an integral part of the family care resident's treatment team. In addition, the program sponsor is responsible for training the provider, securing emergency support services, and monitoring the home for compliance with regulations, policies, and procedures of the Office of Mental Health.

(d) Family care providers are trained to manage a variety of placements, including:

(e) These regulations repeal former Department of Mental Hygiene regulations at 14 NYCRR Part 87. Any references to such former Part, or sections thereof, shall be deemed to refer to, and to have been replaced by, this Part and corresponding sections thereof.