September 29, 2020

Subject: School-based satellite notification of changes

Dear Clinic Treatment Provider,

The New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH) understands the difficulties that many school-based clinic satellites may be facing this school year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In some cases approved rooms are not available, in other cases schools have shifted to remote learning completely.

In order to assist providers with managing the changes being faced in the community, OMH is allowing some flexibility with how those changes are communicated to and approved by OMH Field Offices.

For the 2020-2021 school year, OMH will accept an email sent to the licensing director of your respective OMH Field Office describing the change necessary to continue to provide services at that school location, rather than requiring you to submit an administrative action. Please be sure to identify the location and operating certificate number in your email.

This applies to changes that are mainly temporary in nature, such as a change in a room location within a school or a change in days and hours of service. If a school will not be offering clinic treatment services any longer, or will be relocating to another location not within the same school building for an unknown period of time, you may still need to submit an administrative action to have your operating certificate updated or to end certification at that location. If additional actions are necessary, your respective OMH Field Office will follow up directly to inform you of the additional steps to be taken.