New York Consolidated Laws, Social Services Law - SOS § 463. Definitions

1. “Community residential facility” means any facility operated or subject to licensure by the state which provides a supervised residence for mentally, emotionally, physically, or socially disabled persons or for persons in need of supervision or juvenile delinquents.  This term includes, but is not limited to, community residences for the mentally disabled operated or licensed by the office of mental health or office for people with developmental disabilities or by the divisions of the office of alcoholism and substance abuse, agency operated boarding homes, group homes or private proprietary homes for adults operated or licensed by the department of social services, group homes operated by, contracted for or licensed by the division for youth and half-way houses operated or licensed by the division of substance abuse services.

2. “Sponsoring agency” means an agency or unit of government, a voluntary agency as defined in the mental hygiene law or other organization which intends to establish or operate a community residential facility.

3. “Licensing authority” means the head of the state agency responsible for issuance of a license or operating certificate to a proposed community residential facility.