(a) The facility or provider agency as program sponsor shall establish policies and procedures to protect patient rights. Such policies and procedures shall be consistent with the requirements of the program's operating certificate, including, but not limited to:

(b) Upon admission, each patient shall be given a written copy of provider services, including onsite and referral service, and policy relating to the rights and responsibilities of the patient and the provider, and other provider rules and requirements. The patient shall acknowledge in writing the provision and understanding of these documents, and such attestation shall be kept in the patient’s record. Patients shall be informed that if they wish to express a concern or grievance, they will be provided documents to initiate such grievance and resolution process upon request.

(c) The provider shall make every effort to accommodate and ensure effective communication with patient language differences and/or disabilities in accord with applicable law.

(d) A patient’s rights as a citizen of the United States or as a resident of the State of New York shall not be forfeited or abridged because of such patient's participation in addiction services as defined in Part 800 of this Title.

(e) The provider shall comply with the Federal confidentiality regulations at 42 Code of Federal Regulations, part 2, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), the Public Health Law, and all other applicable law. At the time of admission, the provider shall inform each patient that Federal and State law protects the confidentiality of all records of identity, diagnosis, prognosis, or treatment in connection with a person's attendance, participation, or receipt of addiction services. Such information shall be released only in accordance with applicable provisions of Federal and State law.

(f) The provider shall establish a policy and procedure for patient discharge pursuant to section 815.7 of this Part. Discharge decisions and appeal results shall be recorded, reviewed and incorporated into the provider's quality review and improvement process.

(g) Participation in addiction services is voluntary and no provider shall force or coerce any person to enter or remain in any service. All patients shall be informed prior to admission that their participation is voluntary and that they are entitled to terminate their participation at any time. Providers may make anonymous support-group services available to patients but shall not compel attendance. A patient’s failure to complete treatment required by judicial or child welfare mandate may have legal consequences to the patient under the terms of such mandate but, nevertheless, treatment remains voluntary.

(h) The delivery and receipt of emergency chemical dependence services for incapacitated persons shall be governed by Mental Hygiene Law section 22.09.

(i) When admitting a patient to a facility or provider agency, the provider shall not add admission criteria not required by regulation, including, but not limited to, residency, and/or citizenship status. Applicants not admitted to the program shall be given information concerning other service providers which can more appropriately meet the needs of the individual and, if clinically necessary, a referral and connection shall be made on the patient’s behalf.

(j) Office funded service providers must use a sliding scale when evaluating a self-pay patient that considers the patient’s ability to pay. Admission to an office funded provider agency may not be conditioned upon a patient's ability or inability to pay.

(k) Providers shall strictly adhere to the confidentiality requirements of 42 CFR part 2, and shall make each release form signed by a patient as specific as possible so as to ensure that clients are fully aware of who is receiving the information. Additionally, providers shall have a policy that ensures an end date to all release of confidential information forms. Copies of records shall be given to a patient or former patient upon request, in accordance with applicable law, regulations, and the program's procedures, within 15 calendar days of a request.

(l) The provider shall admit and treat minors in accordance with the requirements of Mental Hygiene Law section 22.11.

(m) The provider shall establish guidelines to ensure that patients at inpatient and residential facilities may correspond, have reasonable access to telephones, and have regularly scheduled opportunities to meet with visitors consistent with treatment needs. Patient correspondence addressed to, or from, the office, public officials, attorneys, and clergy shall be unrestricted and shall be forwarded promptly without being opened or read by provider staff.

(n) The provider director or their designee may take temporary custody of a patient's personal property with the patient's written permission. Personal property retained by the provider shall, at the patient's direction, be returned to the patient when the patient leaves the service, sent to an address designated by the patient at the patient's expense, or donated to the provider. All property left by a patient will be disposed of as abandoned property within 30 days, or in accordance with applicable law. Any interest on money received and held for a patient shall be the property of the individual patient and shall not accrue for the benefit of the provider or for the general welfare of all patients in a facility. A provider which is a representative payee for a patient pursuant to designation by a governmental entity or which assumes management responsibility over the funds of a patient shall maintain such funds in a fiduciary capacity to the patient.

(o) The provider may submit reports or information to criminal justice entities regarding any patient only after receiving a request and executing a proper consent. Such reports shall be limited to only treatment or clinical information about the patient that is sufficient to satisfy the request, consistent with applicable law, and shall not contain any recommendation or suggestion of any legal action or consequence, such as: court intervention; remand; custody; violation; or incarceration.

(p) Providers shall not offer or accept payment, benefit or other consideration in any form, in exchange for the referral of any person as a potential patient for substance use disorder service and shall not advertise, or otherwise solicit patients, in false, deceptive or misleading ways.

(q) Providers shall develop and implement policies and procedures consistent with the requirements for hiring and training all custodians, as such term is defined in Part 836 of this Title. Such procedures shall include, but not be limited to, receipt of signed attestations that such custodian has been notified of, and understands, their obligations pursuant to chapter 501 of the Laws of 2012 and Justice Center regulations and that such custodian shall abide by the code of conduct for custodians as established by the Justice Center for the protection of people with special needs; and provider’s obligation to cooperate with any investigation of a custodian regarding a reportable or significant incident by the Justice Center as an agent of the office.