|  | Public Health Safety | Community

New York State DOH Social Adult Daycare Program Requirements

To protect vulnerable adults in New York, the state's Department of Health (DOH) has quality and safety mandates for adult day care centers. These mandates cover everything from proper nutrition requirements to health and immunization policies. They also cover staffing requirements and building safety standards.

  1. Proper Nutrition

    • The DOH has specified proper nutrition levels for individuals staying in an adult day care program. Minimum serving sizes and types of foods are specified. For example, at breakfast, milk, a vegetable or fruit, and a grain or bread group must be served. Furthermore, quantities are specified. Milk has to be at least one cup, fruit at least one-half cup and at least two slices of bread. Criteria is also set for snacks, lunch or supper.

    Immunization

    • The DOH requires anybody associated with an adult day care, whether management,employee or individual served, to be immunized against the H1N1 flu virus. Since individuals served may have compromised immune systems, this mandate seeks to protect them. The director of the center must file a immunization report due May 1 of every year.

    Building Safety

    • The list of building safety regulations is extensive, but all mandates must be followed. For example, lead poisoning is a known health hazard and all buildings in New York state have mandates to control it. All buildings must have smoke and fire detectors, and a sprinkler system to combat fires. Still another area is barrier-free access to individuals served, since disabled individuals cannot be discriminated against.

    Staffing Requirements

    • If an adult day care center has professional nursing or nurse's aide staff, all state mandates for licensure must be met. Nurses and nurse's assistants must be on the nurse's registry list. For non-licensed staff, criminal history background checks are mandatory prior to employment.

Community - Related Articles