Qualifications of Licensed and Unlicensed Professional Staff

A psychiatric day treatment program’s professional staff must meet the qualifications for their respective disciplines set forth in 130 CMR 417.423(A) through (L), and must demonstrate a familiarity with the principles of rehabilitation and recovery. All licensed and unlicensed professional staff must be supervised according to the supervisory protocol described at 130 CMR 417.422(A)(3)(b). (A) Psychiatrist. (1) At least one psychiatrist employed by a psychiatric day treatment program, whether full time or as a consultant, must either currently be certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, or the American Osteopathic Board of Neurology and Psychiatry, or be eligible and applying for such certification. (2) Any additional psychiatrists must be at least licensed physicians in their second year of a psychiatric residency program accredited by the Council on Medical Education of the American Medical Association. Such physicians must be under the direct supervision of a fully qualified psychiatrist. (3) All clinics where psychiatric day treatment is provided must comply with 105 CMR 140.530(C)(1)(a) Department of Public Health regulations. (B) Psychologist. Any psychologist employed at a psychiatric day treatment program must be licensed by the Massachusetts Board of Registration of Psychologists. (C) Social Worker. A social worker employed at a psychiatric day treatment program must have a master's degree in social work and one year of postgraduate experience in a multidisciplinary mental health setting and must be licensed as an independent clinical social worker or eligible and in the process of applying for such licensure. Any additional social workers employed by the program must have a master's degree in social work. (D) Board Certified Psychiatric Nurse. A psychiatric nurse employed at a psychiatric day treatment program must have a master’s degree in nursing, be currently licensed to practice in the Commonwealth, and must be certified by the American Nurses Association as a Adult Psychiatric-Mental Health Clinical Nurse Specialist – Board Certified (PMHCNS-BC) or be a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner – Board Certified (PMHNP-BC). Any PMHCNS- BC or PMHNP-BC employed at a psychiatric day treatment program that is licensed to prescribe medications must make available to the MassHealth agency evidence of authorization from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing, a completed and accepted Massachusetts Controlled Substance Registration, and a current, valid, and unrestricted Drug Enforcement Agency certificate. Any PMHCNS-BC or PMHNP-BC must have one year of experience in a mental health setting. (E) Psychiatric Nurse. A psychiatric nurse employed at a psychiatric day treatment program must have either a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing and one year of experience in a mental health setting or its equivalent, or a license as a registered nurse and two years of experience in a mental health setting. (F) Licensed Mental Health Counselor. A licensed mental health counselor employed at a psychiatric day treatment program must have a master’s degree in the mental health field, one year of postgraduate experience in a multidisciplinary mental health setting, and must be licensed as a mental health counselor or eligible and in the process of applying for such licensure. Any additional mental health counselors employed by the program must have a master’s degree in the mental health field. (G) Rehabilitation Counselor. A rehabilitation counselor employed at a psychiatric day treatment program must have a masters degree in rehabilitation counseling or vocational counseling and one year of experience in a mental health setting. The rehabilitation counselor must be either certified by the Council on Rehabilitation Education or eligible and applying for such certification. (H) Expressive Therapist. An expressive therapist employed at a psychiatric day treatment program must have a master’s degree from an accredited program in dance, movement, music, psychodrama, art, or intermodal expressive therapy, and one year of supervised experience in a mental health setting subsequent to that degree. (I) Occupational Therapist. An occupational therapist employed at a psychiatric day treatment program must be currently registered with the American Occupational Therapy Association and must have at least two years of supervised post-registration experience in a multidisciplinary mental health setting. (J) Allied Health Professionals. An allied health professional employed at a psychiatric day treatment program must have a bachelor’s degree in a field related to mental health, such as psychology, social work, or counseling, from an accredited educational institution with no experience necessary. (K) Paraprofessional Staff. A paraprofessional staff member employed at a psychiatric day treatment program must have at least two years of experience in a mental health program and must receive weekly supervision from a qualified professional in psychiatry, psychology, social work, psychiatric nursing, or occupational therapy. (L) Certified Peer Specialist (CPS). A person who has been trained by an agency approved by the Department of Mental Health (DMH) who is a self-identified consumer in recovery that can effectively share his or her experiences in the mental health system as well as to help to serve as a mentor, advocate or facilitator. (130 CMR 417.424 through 417.430 Reserved)