Application and Certification Processes and Framework

Application and Certification Processes and Framework A. DMH certifies qualified agency providers of mental health, substance use prevention and treatment, and intellectual and developmental disabilities services, as defined in applicable state law and through the authority given to the Mississippi State Board of Mental Health for this purpose. B. DMH’s provider certification process includes the following components: 1. Agency Provider Certification: This component refers to the certification of an overall agency or organization which meets the applicable requirements for provider certification, as outlined in these rules. 2. Agency Services/Supports Certification: This component refers to the listing of services/supports on the issued DMH Certificate of Operation for the certified agency for all services/supports/programs for which the agency has been certified by DMH to provide. 3. Agency Program Certification: This component refers to programs operated by the DMH-certified agency provider which are also issued a distinct DMH Certificate of Operation, in addition to the overall agency/organization Certificate of Operation, to show designation that the individual program(s) of the certified agency provider is/are also certified. The distinction between a “service/support” certified by DMH and a “program” certified by DMH is that a program is a service component which has a physical location (i.e., is location based), such as a Crisis Residential Unit; whereas a “service/support” certified by DMH is not necessarily confined to a standing physical location operated by the certified agency provider, such as Peer Support Services. C. As it relates to the process of DMH provider certification, the distinction between “service/support” and “program” primarily applies to Certificate of Operation issuance, as well as different application types (e.g., an application to add a new service/support or an application to add a new program). However, despite this specific context, the term, “services,” may also be utilized in a more general sense throughout the DMH Operational Standards to convey the services/supports and/or programs offered by a certified provider.