Guidance Issued for Resumption of Site Visits for Social Day Care

Situation Report | July 6, 2021

The state Department of Health (DOH) has issued guidance on the resumption of site visits for providers of Social Day Care (SDC) services.

Prior to entering into contract with a provider of SDC services, and on an annual basis thereafter, Managed Long Term Care (MLTC) plans are required to conduct a site visit of each SDC in their network to review and assure compliance with 9 NYCRR 6654.20, the terms of the contract between the provider and MLTC plan, and all other standards required by law or regulation for the operation of the SDC.

During the COVID-19 emergency, local authorities closed SDC sites and annual site visits were suspended. As SDC sites are reopened per local orders, MLTC plans are required to resume such annual site visits for their contracted SDCs to assure compliance.

DOH advises MLTC plans to phase in resumption of site visits of reopened SDC sites, to be completed by October 1, 2021, in a priority considering the following factors:

  • The length of time since the last annual site visit.
  • The number of enrollees receiving services at the site.
  • Compliance results of previous site visits.

DOH reminds plans that the on-site annual visit is not a prerequisite for the plan to begin authorizing in-person SDC services for its existing contracted SDCs. MLTC plans, however, must complete a site visit for any newly contracted SDC prior to authorizing services.