Department of Health

Oversight of Adult Care Facilities

Adult care facilities provide temporary or long-term residential care to adults who are substantially unable to live independently. Facilities containing five or more adults are overseen by the Department of Health. We examined certain aspects of the oversight provided by the Department and found that many facilities are not inspected as frequently as required by law, and may not be inspected as thoroughly as required by law and regulation. We also found that the violations identified by inspections may not be corrected in a timely manner, and some violations may not be corrected at all. We further determined that the Department is often slow to respond to complaints, particularly in the New York City metropolitan area. For example, we identified delays in the Department’s response to 19 of the 49 complaints in our random sample of complaints, including four delays of more than a year. As a result of these weaknesses in the Department’s oversight, the health and safety of the residents in some facilities may not be adequately protected.

For a complete copy of Report 2002-S-1 click here.
For a copy of the 90-day response click here.