Program Requirement One (1): Staffing – Licensure and Credentialing of

Program Requirement One (1): Staffing – Licensure and Credentialing of Providers A. All CCBHC providers who furnish services directly, and any Designated Collaborating Organization (DCO) providers that furnish services under arrangement with the CCBHC, are legally authorized in accordance with federal, state, and local laws, and act only within the scope of their respective state licenses, certifications, or registrations and in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations. This includes any applicable state Medicaid billing regulations or policies. Pursuant to the requirements of the PAMA statute, CCBHC providers must have and maintain all necessary state-required licenses, certifications, or other credentialing. When CCBHC providers are working toward licensure, appropriate supervision must be provided in accordance with applicable state laws. B. The CCBHC staffing plan meets the requirements of the state behavioral health authority (i.e., DMH) and any accreditation standards required by the state. The staffing plan is informed by the community needs assessment and includes clinical, peer, and other staff. In accordance with the staffing plan, the CCBHC maintains a core workforce comprised of employed and contracted staff. Staffing shall be appropriate to address the needs of people receiving services at the CCBHC, as reflected in their treatment plans, and as required to meet program requirements of these criteria. C. CCBHC staff must include a medically trained behavioral health care provider, either employed or available through formal arrangement, who can prescribe and manage medications independently under state law, including buprenorphine and other FDA- approved medications used to treat opioid, alcohol, and tobacco use disorders. This rule would not include methadone, unless the CCBHC is also an Opioid Treatment Program (OTP). If the CCBHC does not have the ability to prescribe methadone for the treatment of opioid use disorder directly, it shall refer to an OTP (if any exist in the CCBHC service area) and provide care coordination to ensure access to methadone. The CCBHC must have staff, either employed or under contract, who are licensed or certified substance use treatment counselors or specialists. If the Medical Director is not experienced with the treatment of substance use disorders, the CCBHC must have experienced addiction medicine physicians or specialists on staff, or arrangements that ensure access to consultation on addiction medicine for the Medical Director and clinical staff. The CCBHC must include staff with expertise in addressing trauma and promoting the recovery of children and adolescents with serious emotional disturbance (SED) and adults with serious mental illness (SMI). Examples of staff include a combination of the following: (1) psychiatrists (including general adult psychiatrists and subspecialists), (2) nurses, (3) licensed independent clinical social workers, (4) licensed mental health counselors/therapists, (5) licensed psychologists, (6) licensed marriage and family therapists, (7) licensed occupational therapists, (8) staff trained to provide case management, (9) certified/trained peer specialist(s)/recovery coaches, (10) licensed addiction counselors/therapists, (11) certified/trained family peer specialists, (12) medical assistants, and (13) community health workers. D. CCBHCs should seek practitioners with experience in the assessment and diagnosis of SUD, substance intoxication and withdrawal; pharmacological management of intoxication, withdrawal, and SUDs; ambulatory withdrawal management; outpatient addiction treatment; toxicology testing; and pharmacodynamics of commonly used substances. E. The CCBHC supplements its core staff as necessary to adhere to Program Requirements Three (3) and Four (4) and individual treatment plans, through arrangements with and referrals to other providers.