Acenda requests waiver to avoid 24/7 holding‑bed and on‑site psychiatry requirement at Cape May psychiatric screening service

Acenda Integrated Health has submitted a FY2025–2026 waiver request to the New Jersey Department of Human Services asking to continue longstanding exceptions to two regulatory requirements for Psychiatric Emergency Screening Services in Cape May County (PESS‑CM). The letter, addressed to Ronald Roebuck, Regional Coordinator at DMHAS Southern Region, requests waivers to N.J.A.C. 10:31‑2.1 (functions of a screening service) — the requirement for 24‑hour Extended Crisis Evaluation Bed(s) (ECEBs) — and to N.J.A.C. 10:31‑2.5 (availability of staff) — the requirement for specified periods of on‑site psychiatric availability.

Acenda’s request states PESS‑CM has never been funded to provide a 24‑hour holding bed and lacks capital funding to renovate the emergency department to accommodate ECEBs; therefore the waiver is necessary to “maintain legally compliant and clinically appropriate psychiatric services.” The letter says the Cape Regional Medical Center emergency‑department physicians would be permitted to sign screening certificates during the requested waived hours and that a psychiatrist is available by phone 24/7 for consultation. It notes the waivers have been in place since June 1989 and argues that current funding levels do not support face‑to‑face psychiatry on a 24/7 basis.

Why it matters: Granting or denying the waiver affects how psychiatric emergency screening is delivered in Cape May County, including whether the local screening service must provide on‑site, round‑the‑clock holding capacity. The waiver affects clinical workflows in the emergency department, responsibilities for screening certificates, and the county’s compliance with N.J.A.C. screening‑service rules.

Discussion versus action: The packet contains Acenda’s formal written request and supporting explanation but does not record a DMHAS decision in the MHADA minutes. The letter states Acenda will notify community partners and welcomes public comment; it also cites ongoing quarterly meetings between Acenda leadership and Cape Regional Medical Center administration as part of its operational collaboration.

Clarifying details: The waiver letter (dated March 10, 2025 in the packet) names Anthony DiFabio, Psy.D., President & CEO of Acenda, as the signatory and lists program contacts including Christina Jackey, MFT, Senior Director of Acute Care Services; Stephanie Pinder, Cape May Psychiatric Emergency Services Screening Coordinator; Dr. David Harrison, Screening Clinical Director; and Michelle Myles, Director of Crisis Services. The waiver requests permission for emergency‑department physicians to sign screening certificates during the waived hours and confirms the screening psychiatrist remains available for telephone consultation 24/7.

Next steps: Acenda will send the waiver request to DMHAS for review and has notified community partners of the request and their right to submit comments. No decision on the waiver was recorded in the MHADA meeting materials included in the packet.