(a) The executive commissioner by rule shall prescribe standards for department facilities relating to building safety and the number and quality of staff. The staff standards must provide that adequate staff exist to ensure a continuous plan of adequate medical, psychiatric, nursing, and social work services for patients and clients of a department facility.
(b) Each department shall approve facilities of that department that meet applicable standards and, when requested, shall certify the approval to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.