Chapter 3711 | Maternity and Newborn Care Facilities

Section 3711.01 | Maternity and newborn care definitions.

• Effective: September 30, 2024
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 110 - 134th General Assembly

As used in this chapter:

(A) "Board of health" means a board of health of a city or general health district or the authority having the duties of a board of health under section 3709.05 of the Revised Code.

(B) "Maternity home" means a facility for pregnant girls and women where accommodations, medical care, and social services are provided during the prenatal and postpartal periods. "Maternity home" does not include a private residence where obstetric or newborn services are received by a resident of the home.

Last updated September 30, 2024 at 4:20 AM

Section 3711.02 | License required to operate facility.

• Effective: September 30, 2024
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 110 - 134th General Assembly

(A) Except as provided in division (B) of this section, no person shall operate a maternity home unless the person holds the appropriate license issued under this chapter and the license is valid.

(B) Division (A) of this section does not apply to a health care facility, as defined in section 3702.30 of the Revised Code.

Last updated September 30, 2024 at 4:20 AM

Section 3711.04 | Application for license.

• Effective: September 30, 2024
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 110 - 134th General Assembly

Each person seeking to operate a maternity home shall apply to the director of health for a license under this chapter. The application shall be submitted in the form and manner prescribed by the director in rules adopted under section 3711.12 of the Revised Code.

Last updated September 30, 2024 at 4:19 AM

Section 3711.05 | Requirements for license - issuance - notice.

• Effective: September 30, 2024
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 110 - 134th General Assembly

(A) The director of health shall review all applications received under section 3711.04 of the Revised Code. On receipt of a complete application, the director shall send a copy of the application to the board of health of the city or general health district in which the maternity home is to be operated.

Unless the board finds that an applicant is not in compliance with an applicable health regulation adopted by the board, the board shall approve the application. The board shall notify the director of its determination to approve or disapprove the application. If the board does not notify the director of its determination by the end of the thirtieth day after the board receives the copy of the application, the application is deemed to have been approved by the board.

(B) The director shall issue a license to an applicant if all of the following requirements are met:

(1) The board of health approves the application or the application is deemed to have been approved;

(2) The applicant meets the standards specified in rules adopted under section 3711.12 of the Revised Code;

(3) The applicant passes the inspection required by section 3711.06 of the Revised Code.

(C) On issuance of a license, the director shall notify the board of health to which the application was sent under division (A) of this section. In the notice, the director shall specify the terms that apply to the license.

Last updated September 30, 2024 at 4:19 AM

Section 3711.06 | Inspection of facility prior to issuance of license.

• Effective: September 30, 2024
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 110 - 134th General Assembly

The director of health shall inspect each maternity home for which a person has applied for an initial license under section 3711.04 of the Revised Code prior to issuing the license. Inspections shall be conducted in accordance with inspection criteria, procedures, and guidelines adopted by the director under section 3711.12 of the Revised Code.

Last updated September 30, 2024 at 4:19 AM

Section 3711.08 | Term of license - renewal.

• Effective: September 10, 2012
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 487 - 129th General Assembly

A license issued under this chapter is valid for three years, unless earlier revoked or suspended under section 3711.14 of the Revised Code. The license may be renewed in the manner prescribed by the director of health in rules adopted under section 3711.12 of the Revised Code. The license renewal fee specified in the rules shall be paid not later than sixty days after the director of health mails an invoice for the fee to the license holder. A penalty of ten per cent of the amount of the renewal fee shall be assessed for each month the fee is overdue.

Section 3711.10 | Monitor of compliance with chapter - inspections.

• Effective: September 30, 2024
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 110 - 134th General Assembly

The director of health shall monitor compliance with this chapter and the rules adopted under it. The director may conduct inspections of a maternity home as necessary to adequately monitor compliance with this chapter and the rules adopted under it. The inspections may be scheduled or random.

The board of health of the city or general health district in which a maternity home is located may conduct inspections of the home as necessary to adequately monitor compliance with any applicable health regulation adopted by the board. The inspections may be scheduled or random.

Last updated September 30, 2024 at 4:18 AM

Section 3711.12 | Implementing rules - recommendations.

• Effective: September 30, 2024
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 110 - 134th General Assembly

(A) The director of health shall adopt rules in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code as the director considers necessary to implement the requirements of this chapter for licensure and operation of maternity homes. The rules shall include provisions for the following:

(1) Licensure application forms and procedures;

(2) Renewal procedures, including procedures that address the right of the director of health, at the director's sole discretion, to conduct an inspection prior to renewal of a license;

(3) Initial license fees and license renewal fees;

(4) Fees for inspections conducted by the director under section 3711.10 of the Revised Code;

(5) Safety standards, quality-of-care standards, and quality-of-care data reporting requirements;

(6) Reporting and auditing requirements;

(7) Inspection criteria, procedures, and guidelines;

(8) Application forms to be used and procedures to be followed in applying under section 3711.13 of the Revised Code for a variance or waiver of any of the requirements of the rules adopted under this section regarding the operation of a maternity home;

(9) Any other rules necessary to implement this chapter.

(B) When adopting rules under this section, the director shall give consideration to recommendations regarding obstetric and newborn care issued by the American college of obstetricians and gynecologists; American academy of pediatrics; American academy of family physicians; American society of anesthesiologists; American college of nurse-midwives; United States centers for disease control and prevention; association of women's health, obstetric and neonatal nurses; and association of perioperative registered nurses, or their successor organizations.

Last updated September 30, 2024 at 4:18 AM

Section 3711.13 | Variances and waivers regarding operation of maternity homes.

• Effective: July 10, 2014
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 315 - 130th General Assembly

(A) A board of health may grant a variance from or waiver of any of the requirements established in rules adopted under section 3711.12 of the Revised Code regarding the operation of a maternity home.

(B) Each maternity home seeking a variance or waiver shall file an application with the board of health of the city or general health district in which the maternity home is located. The application shall be made on the form and in accordance with the procedures specified in rules adopted under section 3711.12 of the Revised Code.

(C) The board of health shall review all applications received. Not later than forty-five days after receiving an application, the board shall determine whether to grant the variance or waiver and shall notify the applicant in writing of the board's decision.

(D) Both of the following apply to a board of health in determining whether to grant a variance or waiver:

(1) A variance shall be granted to an applicant if the board determines that the intent of a requirement has been met by the applicant in an alternate manner.

(2) A waiver shall be granted if the board determines that strict application of a requirement would cause an undue hardship to the applicant and that granting the waiver would not jeopardize the health and safety of any patient or resident.

(E) If a board of health denies a variance or waiver requested by a maternity home, the home may appeal the denial by filing a notice of appeal with the director of health. The notice must be filed not later than thirty days after the board's denial of the request.

Not later than forty-five days after the notice of appeal is filed, the director shall either affirm the board's denial or grant the variance or waiver. The director shall notify the board and the maternity home in writing of the director's action.

(F) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, the director may void the board's granting of a waiver or variance issued under this section. The director shall notify the board and the maternity home in writing of the director's action not later than forty-five days after the decision to void.

Section 3711.14 | Enforcement powers of director.

• Effective: September 30, 2024
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 33 - 135th General Assembly

(A) In accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, the director of health may do any of the following:

(1) Impose a civil penalty of not less than one thousand dollars and not more than two hundred fifty thousand dollars on a person who violates a provision of this chapter or the rules adopted under it;

(2) Summarily suspend, in accordance with division (B) of this section, a license issued under this chapter if the director believes there is clear and convincing evidence that the continued operation of a maternity home presents a danger of immediate and serious harm to the public;

(3) Revoke a license issued under this chapter if the director determines that a violation of a provision of this chapter or the rules adopted under it has occurred in such a manner as to pose an imminent threat of serious physical or life-threatening danger.

(B) If the director suspends a license under division (A)(2) of this section, the director shall serve a written order of suspension in accordance with sections 119.05 and 119.07 of the Revised Code. The order shall not be subject to suspension by the court while an appeal filed under section 119.12 of the Revised Code is pending. If the individual subject to the suspension requests an adjudication, the date set for the adjudication shall be within fifteen days but not earlier than seven days after the individual makes the request, unless another date is agreed to by both the individual and the director. The summary suspension shall remain in effect, unless reversed by the director, until a final adjudication order issued by the director pursuant to this section and Chapter 119. of the Revised Code becomes effective.

The director shall issue a final adjudication order not later than ninety days after completion of the adjudication. If the director does not issue a final order within the ninety-day period, the summary suspension shall be void, but any final adjudication order issued subsequent to the ninety-day period shall not be affected.

(C) If the director issues an order revoking or suspending a license issued under this chapter and the license holder continues to operate a maternity home, the director may ask the attorney general to apply to the court of common pleas of the county in which the person is located for an order enjoining the person from operating the home. The court shall grant the order on a showing that the person is operating the home.

Last updated September 30, 2024 at 4:12 AM

Section 3711.16 | Disposition and use of fees.

• Effective: September 1, 2008
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 331 - 127th General Assembly

All initial license fees, renewal fees, late renewal penalties, fees for inspections conducted by the director of health, and civil penalties collected under this chapter shall be deposited in the state treasury to the credit of the general operations fund created under section 3701.83 of the Revised Code. The moneys shall be used solely for purposes of administering and enforcing this chapter and the rules adopted under it.

Section 3711.30 | Reports of opioid dependence.

• Effective: September 30, 2024
• Latest Legislation: House Bill 110 - 134th General Assembly

(A) As used in this section, "opioid" means an opioid analgesic as defined in section 3719.01 of the Revised Code.

(B) Each maternity home shall report to the department of health the number of newborns born to residents of this state in the home during the preceding calendar quarter that were diagnosed as opioid dependent at birth. The reports shall be submitted not later than thirty days after the end of each quarter and shall not include any patient-identifying information.

(C) The department shall establish standards and procedures for reporting the information required by this section. The information reported under this section shall not be used for law enforcement purposes or disclosed to law enforcement authorities.

(D) The department shall compile the information submitted under this section and make a summary of that information available to the public not later than ninety days after the end of each calendar year.

Last updated September 30, 2024 at 4:20 AM