Nursing Homes’ Participation with NJ Department of Health Advisory Standards
Many of Care Associates Network’s Skilled Nursing/Subacute Care Providers achieve New Jersey Department of Health Advisory Standards; Care Associates Network encourages its Providers as a standard for membership to pursue achievement with advisory standards. The current licensing standards for long-term care facilities include both mandatory standards, which facilities must meet, and advisory standards, which are optional and voluntary. The advisory standards represent ways that facilities can strive to go beyond the minimum requirements to provide their residents with excellent care. Advisory standards are evaluated only during the annual survey. Facilities with serious deficiencies in mandatory regulations are not permitted to be evaluated for their achievements in advisory standards.
Advisory Standards cover 21 areas of nursing home care and services. To achieve this distinction, the facility must meet at least 65 percent of the advisory standards in a specific area. To verify that a facility meets these standards, the Department of Health surveyors randomly select up to 30 advisory standards to check during their annual inspection of the nursing home. Facilities, which are in compliance with at least 90 percent of the advisory standards, are credited with overall advisory standards compliance in those sub-chapters.
Assisted Livings’ Participation with Advanced Standing
Assisted Living is an essential service included in the comprehensive healthcare provider panel that Care Associates Network makes available tc payers. Therefore, CARE recognizes significant value to maintain a recognized standard of quality among Assisted Living Providers. For this reason, CARE encourages its Assisted Living Providers to participate in Advanced Standing. Advanced Standing is the collaboration with the New Jersey Department of Health (DHSS) and the Health Care Association of New Jersey Foundation (HCANJF). This additional evaluation process is open to all Assisted Living and Comprehensive Personal Care Homes in New Jersey. To receive the DHSS distinction of Advanced Standing, a facility must meet all regulatory requirements and additionally reach quality standards established by a Peer Review Panel. Once those quality measures are successfully met, the DHSS makes the final determination to award Advanced Standing.