Preadmission Screening and Resident Review (PASRR) is a federal requirement to help ensure that individuals are not inappropriately placed in nursing homes for long term care. PASRR requires that 1) all applicants to a Medicaid-certified nursing facility be evaluated for mental illness and/or intellectual disability; 2) be offered the most appropriate setting for their needs (in the community, a nursing facility, or acute care settings); and 3) receive the services they need in those settings.

PASRR is an important tool for states to use in rebalancing services away from institutions and towards supporting people in their homes, and to comply with the Supreme Court decision, Olmstead vs L.C. (1999), which held that that all individuals have the right to live in the “least restrictive setting” possible. PASRR can also advance person-centered care planning by assuring that psychological, psychiatric, and functional needs are considered along with personal goals and preferences in planning long term care.

In brief, the PASRR process requires that all applicants to Medicaid-certified Nursing Facilities be given a preliminary assessment to determine whether they might have MI or MR. This is called a “Level I screen.” Those individuals who test positive at Level I are then evaluated in depth, called “Level II” PASRR. The results of this evaluation result in a determination of need, determination of appropriate setting, and a set of recommendations for services to inform the individual’s plan of care.

More information about PASRR is available at www.PASRRassist.org. The website is available to all. Consultation from the PASRR Technical Assistance Center which hosts the site is available to State agencies.

Regulations governing PASRR are found in the Code of Federal Regulations, primarily at 42 CFR 483.100-138.