§ 2-08 — Coordination

§ 2-08 Coordination.

(a) Policy. The Departments of Correction and Health shall consult and coordinate their activities on a regular basis in order to provide for the continued delivery of quality mental health care. (b) Discipline. (1) The Departments of Health and Correction shall develop written procedures to provide for mental health services to be informed whenever an inmate in a special housing area for mental observation is charged with an infraction, and to be permitted to participate in the infraction hearing and to review any punitive measures to be taken. (2) When placement in punitive segregation would pose a serious threat to an inmate's physical or mental health, medical staff shall have the authority to determine that the inmate shall be barred from such placement or shall be moved from punitive segregation to a more appropriate housing unit. This determination may be made at any time during the inmate's placement in punitive segregation. All inmates in punitive segregation shall be seen at least once each day by medical staff who shall make referrals to medical and mental health services where appropriate. (c) Meetings. Monthly meetings including the facility administrator, the chief representative of mental health services to that facility and representatives of the medical and nursing staff shall be held to discuss the delivery of mental health services. Meetings shall include a written agenda as well as the taking and distribution of minutes. (d) Evaluation. The Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Alcoholism Services shall annually conduct a formal evaluation of the quality, effectiveness and level of performance of mental health services provided to inmates in New York City correctional facilities.