Paperwork and legal · 3 min read
What a PRI and SCREEN are, and who does them
The two state assessments every New York nursing home admission needs, why CarePair never fills them out, and how they get to the community.
Written and reviewed by Cardinal Care Advisors, Buffalo, New York. Published September 15, 2026.
The short version
The PRI (Patient Review Instrument) and the SCREEN are New York State assessments that describe someone's medical and daily needs. A nursing home cannot admit a resident without a current PRI and SCREEN. Assisted living usually does not need them; the physician's forms do that job there.
Who completes them
A registered nurse who is certified by the state to do PRIs, or a hospital discharge team. Not the family, and not Cardinal. If your loved one is in the hospital, the discharge planner arranges it. At home, a certified assessor comes to the house.
How they reach the community
Straight from whoever completed them to the nursing home, alongside the application. CarePair never stores them; the physician forms and assessments pass through to the receiving community and are purged.
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General information for families in Western New York, written by Cardinal Care Advisors. Not medical or legal advice; a physician, an elder law attorney, or a licensed assessor decides the things that need deciding. Tell us if something here is wrong or out of date: hello@thecardinalgroup.org.