Ala. Admin. Code r. 580-2-4-.02

Current through Register Vol. 43, No. 1, October 31, 2024
Section 580-2-4-.02 - Applicability
(1) Any provider that provides direct mental health treatment services must be certified programmatically, including consumer protection, and for Life Safety by DMH/MR except as noted below.
(2) All mental illness community treatment programs under contract with DMH/MR must be certified programmatically, including consumer protection, and for Life Safety. Any provider contracting with DMH/MR must meet the requirements of the Contract Service Delivery Manual.
(3) Mental health treatment services are defined as: Planned and continuing activities utilizing interactive and somatic therapies or techniques consistent with generally recognized principles and practices in the mental health profession that are designed to limit or reverse the effects of mental health problems and disorders as identified on an individual basis to increase the person's adaptive capacity.
(4) Providers that are accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting body for any of the mental health services covered by these standards may be deemed to have complied with DMH/MR certification standards upon presentation of documentary evidence of certification/licensing/accreditation by an acceptable national organization. If a provider is under contract with DMH/MR and is also accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting body, the DMH/MR may also conduct either a full or focused certification site visit. It is the responsibility of the provider to keep the DMH/MR informed of any changes in its certification/licensing/accreditation status including renewals of such. If national certification/licensing/accreditation is lost or not renewed, the provider must immediately apply for certification by the DMH/MR.
(5) The following entities are exempt from the certification requirement of the Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation:
(a) General or psychiatric hospitals licensed as such by the Alabama Board of Health (except as a hospital may request Designated Mental Health Facility status and be subject to Consumer Protection and Designated Mental Health Facility standards) and hospitals operated by the federal government.
(b) Federal or state agencies.
(c) Public or private educational institutions.
(d) Private practitioners whose professional license permits them to provide mental health services in their individual private practice offices unless they keep two or more consumers in their private offices for continuous periods of 24 hours or more in one week.
(6) Providers that deliver services that may fall under these standards but are under contract with and/or are licensed/certified by another state agency for the services in question may not be subject to certification under these standards.
(7) If a provider is deemed to have an acceptable alternative certification/license/accreditation, the certification procedures usually performed by DMH/MR will not be conducted, and the provider will be sent a letter from the Commissioner indicating that the alternative form of certification is acceptable to DMH/MR for the period of time that the alternative is effective.
(8) DMH/MR reserves the right to accept or reject a certificate/license/accreditation issued by any other state or national regulatory body for services and providers that would otherwise be reviewed through the DMH/MR certification process.

Author: Division of Mental Illness, DMH/MR

Ala. Admin. Code r. 580-2-4-.02

Amended: Original rule filed September 30, 1982. Amended: Filed August 3, 1984; Revised: Filed April 22, 1986; Filed September 1, 1988; Revised: Filed July 31, 1992. Extended: September 30, 1992; Extended: December 31, 1992. Amended: March 30 1993; Effective: May 5, 1993. Amended: Filed December 20, 1996; effective January 24, 1997. Repealed and Replaced: Filed October 28, 1998; effective, December 3, 1998.

Statutory Authority:Code of Ala. 1975, § 22-50-11, etseq.