Provider Requirements

Provider Requirements A. All providers of community mental health services must meet the applicable requirements described in Miss. Admin Code Title 23, Part 200, Chapter 4. B. Rehabilitative services must be provided by the following licensed and enrolled providers acting within their scope of practice: 1. Board-certified or board-eligible psychiatrists licensed by the Mississippi Board of Medical Licensure. 2. Physicians licensed by the Mississippi Board of Medical Licensure acting within their scope of practice. 3. Physician Assistants (PA) must hold a Master’s degree in a health related or science field, be licensed by the Mississippi Board of Medical Licensure, and must be under the supervision of a psychiatrist or a physician. 4. Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners (PMHNP) must hold a Master’s degree in nursing with a specialty in psychiatry, be licensed by the Mississippi Board of Nursing, and must practice within a collaborative/consultative relationship with a physician within an established protocol or practice guidelines. 5. Psychologists must hold a Ph.D. degree in psychology and be licensed by the Mississippi Board of Psychology. 6. Licensed Certified Social Workers (LCSW) must hold a Master’s degree in social work and be licensed by the Mississippi State Board of Examiners for Social Workers and Marriage and Family Therapists at the LCSW level. 7. Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC) must hold a Master’s degree in counseling and be licensed by the Mississippi State Board of Examiners for Licensed Professional Counselors. Provisionally Licensed Professional Counselors (P-LPC) may provide services within the scope of their provisional license. 8. Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFT) must hold a Master’s degree in marriage and family therapy and be licensed by the Mississippi State Board of Examiners for Social Workers and Marriage and Family Therapists. Provisionally Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFT) may provide services within the scope of their provisional license. 9. Quasi-governmental Community Mental Health Center (CMHC) agencies and private mental health centers (PMHCs) certified according to Mississippi Code Ann. § 41-4-7 by the Mississippi Department of Mental Health (DMH). a. DMH issues a four (4) year certification for CMHCs/PMHCs and the services provided unless stated otherwise at the time of certification. b. DMH certification is based on the following: 1) Adherence to DMH standards, DMH grant requirement guidelines, contracts, memoranda of understanding, and memoranda of agreement; 2) Compliance with DMH fiscal management standards and practices outlined in the DMH Operational Standards based on a risk-based audit system; 3) Evidence of fiscal compliance with external funding sources; 4) Compliance with ethical practices and codes of conduct of professional licensing entities related to provision of services and management of the organization; and 5) Evidence of solid business and management practices. c. Staff qualifications for CMHC/PMHC: 1) Qualifications for providers listed in Miss. Admin. Code Part 206, Rule 1.1.B.1. through B.8 above are applicable in CMHC/PMHC, 2) All CMHC/PMHC staff must operate within the scope of their practice. 3) Licensed Master Social Workers (MSW) must hold a Master’s degree, and be licensed by the Mississippi State Board of Examiners for Social Workers and Marriage and Family Therapists. 4) Professional Art Therapists (ATR-BC) must hold a Master’s degree in art therapy and be licensed by the Mississippi Department of Health. 5) Registered Nurses (RN) must be a graduate from an approved or accredited RN nursing program, be licensed by the Mississippi Board of Nursing, and must be under the supervision of a psychiatrist, physician, PMHNP, or PA. 6) Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN) must be a graduate from an approved or accredited LPN nursing program, be licensed by the Mississippi Board of Nursing and supervised by a psychiatrist, physician, PMHNP, PA or RN. 7) DMH certifies the following staff: (a) Certified Mental Health Therapists (CMHT), Certified Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Therapists (CIDDT) and Certified Addiction Therapists (CAT) must hold a Master’s degree in mental health, human services, intellectual disabilities, addictions, or behavioral health related fields from an approved educational institution. (1) Provisionally certified therapists are temporarily certified while fulfilling all the certification requirements, provide the same services as a CMHT, CIDDT and CAT and must be under the supervision of certified therapist of the same discipline. Provisional certification is valid for up to twenty- four (24) consecutive months from the date of issuance. (2) The certified credential is full certification and renewable every four (4) years as long as renewal requirements are met. (b) Community Support Specialists must hold a minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in a mental health field, be certified by DMH as a Community Support Specialist and must be under the supervision of staff listed Miss. Admin. Code Part 206, Rule in 1.1.B.1. and B.9. (c) Peer Support Specialist Professionals must hold a minimum of a high school diploma or GED equivalent, be certified by DMH as a Certified Peer Support Specialist and must be under the supervision of a psychiatrist, physician, PMHNP, PA, LCSW, LPC, LMSW LMFT, CMHT, CIDDT, CAT or a Peer Support Specialist Supervisor who has been trained as a Peer Support Specialist with an emphasis on supervision. (d) Peer Support Specialist supervisors must hold a minimum of a master’s degree in addictions, mental health, intellectual/developmental disabilities, or human or behavioral services field and either a 1) professional license or 2) a DMH credential as a Mental Health Therapist, Intellectual/Developmental Disability Therapist, or Addictions therapist prior to or immediately upon acceptance of a Peer Support Specialist Supervisory position and must also receive training specifically developed for Peer Support Specialist supervisors by DMH. 8) Staff members who are provisionally certified must be supervised by a licensed professional or a credentialed DMH Certified Mental Health Therapist, DMH Certified Intellectual and Development Disabilities Therapist or DMH Certified Addiction Therapist of the same discipline. C. Opioid Treatment Programs must be certified by and meet all the requirements of DMH. D. Evidence–based practices (EBP) or evidence-informed best practices must be provided by a master’s degree therapist who holds a professional license or DMH certification and has completed appropriate training in that evidence-based practice.