Article 2
Definitions

12VAC35-105-20. Definitions.

The following words and terms when used in this chapter shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

"Abuse" (§ 37.2-100 of the Code of Virginia) means any act or failure to act by an employee or other person responsible for the care of an individual in a facility or program operated, licensed, or funded by the department, excluding those operated by the Virginia Department of Corrections, that was performed or was failed to be performed knowingly, recklessly, or intentionally, and that caused or might have caused physical or psychological harm, injury, or death to a person receiving care or treatment for mental illness, mental retardation (intellectual disability), or substance abuse (substance use disorders). Examples of abuse include acts such as:

1. Rape, sexual assault, or other criminal sexual behavior;

2. Assault or battery;

3. Use of language that demeans, threatens, intimidates, or humiliates the person;

4. Misuse or misappropriation of the person's assets, goods, or property;

5. Use of excessive force when placing a person in physical or mechanical restraint;

6. Use of physical or mechanical restraints on a person that is not in compliance with federal and state laws, regulations, and policies, professional accepted standards of practice, or the person's individualized services plan;

7. Use of more restrictive or intensive services or denial of services to punish the person or that is not consistent with the person's individualized services plan.

"Activities of daily living" or "ADLs" means personal care activities and includes bathing, dressing, transferring, toileting, grooming, hygiene, feeding, and eating. An individual's degree of independence in performing these activities is part of determining the appropriate level of care and services.

"Admission" means the process of acceptance into a service as defined by the provider's policies.

"Allied health professional" means a professional who is involved with the delivery of health or related services pertaining to the identification, evaluation, and prevention of diseases and disorders, such as a certified substance abuse counselor, certified substance abuse counseling assistant, peer recovery support specialist, certified nurse aide, or occupational therapist.

"ASAM" means the American Society of Addiction Medicine.

"Authorized representative" means a person permitted by law or 12VAC35-115 to authorize the disclosure of information or consent to treatment and services or participation in human research.

"Behavior intervention" means those principles and methods employed by a provider to help an individual receiving services to achieve a positive outcome and to address challenging behavior in a constructive and safe manner. Behavior intervention principles and methods must be employed in accordance with the individualized services plan and written policies and procedures governing service expectations, treatment goals, safety, and security.

"Behavioral treatment plan," "functional plan," or "behavioral support plan" means any set of documented procedures that are an integral part of the individualized services plan and are developed on the basis of a systematic data collection, such as a functional assessment, for the purpose of assisting individuals to achieve the following:

1. Improved behavioral functioning and effectiveness;

2. Alleviation of symptoms of psychopathology; or

3. Reduction of challenging behaviors.

"Brain injury" means any injury to the brain that occurs after birth, but before age 65, that is acquired through traumatic or nontraumatic insults. Nontraumatic insults may include anoxia, hypoxia, aneurysm, toxic exposure, encephalopathy, surgical interventions, tumor, and stroke. Brain injury does not include hereditary, congenital, or degenerative brain disorders or injuries induced by birth trauma.

"Care" or "treatment" means the individually planned therapeutic interventions that conform to current acceptable professional practice and that are intended to improve or maintain functioning of an individual receiving services delivered by a provider.

"Case management service" means services that can include assistance to individuals and their family members in assessing needed services that are responsive to the person's individual needs. Case management services include identifying potential users of the service; assessing needs and planning services; linking the individual to services and supports; assisting the individual directly to locate, develop, or obtain needed services and resources; coordinating services with other providers; enhancing community integration; making collateral contacts; monitoring service delivery; discharge planning; and advocating for individuals in response to their changing needs. "Case management service" does not include maintaining service waiting lists or periodically contacting or tracking individuals to determine potential service needs.

"Clinical experience" means providing direct services to individuals with mental illness or the provision of direct geriatric services or special education services. Experience may include supervised internships, practicums, and field experience.

"Clinically managed high-intensity residential care" means a substance use treatment program that offers 24 hour supportive treatment of individuals with significant psychological and social problems by credentialed addiction treatment professionals in an interdisciplinary treatment approach. A clinically managed high-intensity residential care program provides treatment to individuals who present with significant challenges, such as physical, sexual, or emotional trauma; past criminal or antisocial behaviors, with a risk of continued criminal behavior; an extensive history of treatment; inadequate anger management skills; extreme impulsivity; and antisocial value system.

"Clinically managed low-intensity residential care" means providing an ongoing therapeutic environment for individuals requiring some structured support in which treatment is directed toward applying recovery skills; preventing relapse; improving emotional functioning; promoting personal responsibility; reintegrating the individual into work, education, and family environments; and strengthening and developing adaptive skills that may not have been achieved or have been diminished during the individual's active addiction. A clinically managed low-intensity residential care program also provides treatment for individuals suffering from chronic, long-term alcoholism or drug addiction and affords an extended period of time to establish sound recovery and a solid support system.

"Commissioner" means the Commissioner of the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services.

"Community gero-psychiatric residential services" means 24-hour care provided to individuals with mental illness, behavioral problems, and concomitant health problems who are usually age 65 or older in a geriatric setting that is less intensive than a psychiatric hospital but more intensive than a nursing home or group home. Services include assessment and individualized services planning by an interdisciplinary services team, intense supervision, psychiatric care, behavioral treatment planning and behavior interventions, nursing, and other health related services.

"Community intermediate care facility/mental retardation" or "ICF/MR" means a residential facility in which care is provided to individuals who have mental retardation (intellectual disability) or a developmental disability who need more intensive training and supervision than may be available in an assisted living facility or group home. Such facilities shall comply with Title XIX of the Social Security Act standards and federal certification requirements, provide health or rehabilitative services, and provide active treatment to individuals receiving services toward the achievement of a more independent level of functioning or an improved quality of life.

"Complaint" means an allegation of a violation of this chapter or a provider's policies and procedures related to this chapter.

"Co-occurring disorders" means the presence of more than one and often several of the following disorders that are identified independently of one another and are not simply a cluster of symptoms resulting from a single disorder: mental illness, mental retardation (intellectual disability), or substance abuse (substance use disorders); brain injury; or developmental disability.

"Co-occurring services" means individually planned therapeutic treatment that addresses in an integrated concurrent manner the service needs of individuals who have co-occurring disorders.

"Corrective action plan" means the provider's pledged corrective action in response to cited areas of noncompliance documented by the regulatory authority. A corrective action plan must be completed within a specified time.

"Correctional facility" means a facility operated under the management and control of the Virginia Department of Corrections.

"Credentialed addiction treatment professional" means a person  who possesses one of the following credentials issued by the appropriate health regulatory board : (i) an addiction-credentialed physician or physician with experience or training in addiction medicine; (ii) a licensed nurse practitioner or a licensed physician assistant with experience or training in addiction medicine; (iii) a licensed psychiatrist; (iv) a licensed clinical psychologist; (v) a licensed clinical social worker; (vi) a licensed professional counselor; (vii) a licensed psychiatric clinical nurse specialist; (viii) a licensed psychiatric nurse practitioner; (ix) a licensed marriage and family therapist; (x) a licensed substance abuse treatment practitioner; (xi) a resident who is under the supervision of a licensed professional counselor (18VAC115-20-10), licensed marriage and family therapist (18VAC115-50-10), or licensed substance abuse treatment practitioner (18VAC115-60-10) and is registered with the Virginia Board of Counseling; (xii) a resident in psychology who is under supervision of a licensed clinical psychologist and is registered with the Virginia Board of Psychology (18VAC125-20-10); (xiii) a supervisee in social work who is under the supervision of a licensed clinical social worker and is registered with the Virginia Board of Social Work (18VAC140-20-10).

"Crisis" means a deteriorating or unstable situation often developing suddenly or rapidly that produces acute, heightened, emotional, mental, physical, medical, or behavioral distress or any situation or circumstance in which the individual perceives or experiences a sudden loss of the individual's ability to use effective problem-solving and coping skills.

"Crisis stabilization" means direct, intensive nonresidential or residential direct care and treatment to nonhospitalized individuals experiencing an acute crisis that may jeopardize their current community living situation. Crisis stabilization is intended to avert hospitalization or rehospitalization; provide normative environments with a high assurance of safety and security for crisis intervention; stabilize individuals in crisis; and mobilize the resources of the community support system, family members, and others for ongoing rehabilitation and recovery.

"Day support service" means structured programs of activity or training services for adults with an intellectual disability or a developmental disability, generally in clusters of two or more continuous hours per day provided to groups or individuals in nonresidential community-based settings. Day support services may provide opportunities for peer interaction and community integration and are designed to enhance the following: self-care and hygiene, eating, toileting, task learning, community resource utilization, environmental and behavioral skills, social skills, medication management, prevocational skills, and transportation skills. The term "day support service" does not include services in which the primary function is to provide employment-related services, general educational services, or general recreational services.

"Department" means the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services.

"Developmental disabilities" means autism or a severe, chronic disability that meets all of the following conditions identified in 42 CFR 435.1009:

1. Attributable to cerebral palsy, epilepsy, or any other condition, other than mental illness, that is found to be closely related to mental retardation (intellectual disability) because this condition results in impairment of general intellectual functioning or adaptive behavior similar to behavior of individuals with mental retardation (intellectual disability) and requires treatment or services similar to those required for these individuals;

2. Manifested before the individual reaches age 18;

3. Likely to continue indefinitely; and

4. Results in substantial functional limitations in three or more of the following areas of major life activity:

a. Self-care;

b. Understanding and use of language;

c. Learning;

d. Mobility;

e. Self-direction; or

f. Capacity for independent living.

"Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders" or "DSM" means the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition, DSM-5, of the American Psychiatric Association.

"Discharge" means the process by which the individual's active involvement with a service is terminated by the provider, individual, or authorized representative.

"Discharge plan" means the written plan that establishes the criteria for an individual's discharge from a service and identifies and coordinates delivery of any services needed after discharge.

"Dispense" means to deliver a drug to an ultimate user by or pursuant to the lawful order of a practitioner, including the prescribing and administering, packaging, labeling or compounding necessary to prepare the substance for that delivery (§ 54.1-3400 et seq. of the Code of Virginia).

"Emergency service" means unscheduled and sometimes scheduled crisis intervention, stabilization, and referral assistance provided over the telephone or face-to-face, if indicated, available 24 hours a day and seven days per week. Emergency services also may include walk-ins, home visits, jail interventions, and preadmission screening activities associated with the judicial process.

"Group home or community residential service" means a congregate service providing 24-hour supervision in a community-based home having eight or fewer residents. Services include supervision, supports, counseling, and training in activities of daily living for individuals whose individualized services plan identifies the need for the specific types of services available in this setting.

"Home and noncenter based" means that a service is provided in the individual's home or other noncenter-based setting. This includes noncenter-based day support, supportive in-home, and intensive in-home services.

"IFDDS Waiver" means the Individual and Family Developmental Disabilities Support Waiver.

"Individual" or "individual receiving services" means a person receiving services that are licensed under this chapter whether that person is referred to as a patient, consumer, client, resident, student, individual, recipient, family member, relative, or other term. When the term is used, the requirement applies to every individual receiving licensed services from the provider.

"Individualized services plan" or "ISP" means a comprehensive and regularly updated written plan that describes the individual's needs, the measurable goals and objectives to address those needs, and strategies to reach the individual's goals. An ISP is person-centered, empowers the individual, and is designed to meet the needs and preferences of the individual. The ISP is developed through a partnership between the individual and the provider and includes an individual's treatment plan, habilitation plan, person-centered plan, or plan of care, which are all considered individualized service plans.

"Initial assessment" means an assessment conducted prior to or at admission to determine whether the individual meets the service's admission criteria; what the individual's immediate service, health, and safety needs are; and whether the provider has the capability and staffing to provide the needed services.

"Inpatient psychiatric service" means intensive 24-hour medical, nursing, and treatment services provided to individuals with mental illness or substance abuse (substance use disorders) in a hospital as defined in § 32.1-123 of the Code of Virginia or in a special unit of such a hospital.

"Instrumental activities of daily living" or "IADLs" means meal preparation, housekeeping, laundry, and managing money. A person's degree of independence in performing these activities is part of determining appropriate level of care and services.

"Intensity of Service" means the number, type, and frequency of staff interventions and other services provided during treatment at a particular level of care.

"Intensive community treatment service" or "ICT" means a self-contained interdisciplinary team of at least five full-time equivalent clinical staff, a program assistant, and a full-time psychiatrist that:

1. Assumes responsibility for directly providing needed treatment, rehabilitation, and support services to identified individuals with severe and persistent mental illness, especially those who have severe symptoms that are not effectively remedied by available treatments or who because of reasons related to their mental illness resist or avoid involvement with mental health services;

2. Minimally refers individuals to outside service providers;

3. Provides services on a long-term care basis with continuity of caregivers over time;

4. Delivers 75% or more of the services outside program offices; and

5. Emphasizes outreach, relationship building, and individualization of services.

"Intensive in-home service" means family preservation interventions for children and adolescents who have or are at-risk of serious emotional disturbance, including individuals who also have a diagnosis of mental retardation (intellectual disability). Intensive in-home service is usually time-limited and is provided typically in the residence of an individual who is at risk of being moved to out-of-home placement or who is being transitioned back home from an out-of-home placement. The service includes 24-hour per day emergency response; crisis treatment; individual and family counseling; life, parenting, and communication skills; and case management and coordination with other services.

"Investigation" means a detailed inquiry or systematic examination of the operations of a provider or its services regarding an alleged violation of regulations or law. An investigation may be undertaken as a result of a complaint, an incident report, or other information that comes to the attention of the department.

"Licensed mental health professional" or "LMHP" means a physician, licensed clinical psychologist, licensed professional counselor, licensed clinical social worker, licensed substance abuse treatment practitioner, licensed marriage and family therapist, certified psychiatric clinical nurse specialist, licensed behavior analyst, or licensed psychiatric/mental health nurse practitioner.

"Location" means a place where services are or could be provided.

"Medically managed withdrawal services" means detoxification services to eliminate or reduce the effects of alcohol or other drugs in the individual's body.

"Medically managed intensive inpatient service" means an organized service delivered in an inpatient setting including an acute care general hospital, psychiatric unit in a general hospital, or a free-standing psychiatric hospital. This service is appropriate for individuals whose acute biomedical and emotional, behavioral and cognitive problems are so severe that they require primary medical and nursing care. Services at this level of care are managed by a physician who is responsible for diagnosis, treatment and treatment plan decisions in collaboration with the individual.

"Medically monitored intensive inpatient treatment" means a substance use treatment program that provides 24-hour care in a facility under the supervision of medical personnel. The care provided shall include directed evaluation, observation, medical monitoring, and addiction treatment in an inpatient setting. The care provided may include the use of medication to address the effects of substance use. This service is appropriate for an individual whose subacute biomedical, and emotional, behavioral, or cognitive problems are so severe that they require inpatient treatment but who does not need the full resources of an acute care general hospital or a medically managed intensive inpatient treatment program.

"Mandatory outpatient treatment order" means an order issued by a court pursuant to § 37.2-817 of the Code of Virginia.

"Medical detoxification" means a service provided in a hospital or other 24-hour care facility under the supervision of medical personnel using medication to systematically eliminate or reduce effects of alcohol or other drugs in the individual's body.

"Medical evaluation" means the process of assessing an individual's health status that includes a medical history and a physical examination of an individual conducted by a licensed medical practitioner operating within the scope of his license.

"Medication" means prescribed or over-the-counter drugs or both.

"Medication administration" means the direct application of medications by injection, inhalation, ingestion, or any other means to an individual receiving services by (i) persons legally permitted to administer medications or (ii) the individual at the direction and in the presence of persons legally permitted to administer medications.

"Medication assisted opioid treatment (Opioid treatment service)" means an intervention strategy that combines outpatient treatment with the administering or dispensing of synthetic narcotics, such as methadone or buprenorphine (suboxone), approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration for the purpose of replacing the use of and reducing the craving for opioid substances, such as heroin or other narcotic drugs.

"Medication assisted treatment" or "MAT" means the use of FDA-approved medications in combination with counseling and behavioral therapies to provide treatment of substance use disorders. Medication assisted treatment includes but not limited to medication assisted opioid treatment.

"Medication error" means an error in administering a medication to an individual and includes when any of the following occur: (i) the wrong medication is given to an individual, (ii) the wrong individual is given the medication, (iii) the wrong dosage is given to an individual, (iv) medication is given to an individual at the wrong time or not at all, or (v) the wrong method is used to give the medication to the individual.

"Medication storage" means any area where medications are maintained by the provider, including a locked cabinet, locked room, or locked box.

"Mental Health Community Support Service (MHCSS)" means the provision of recovery-oriented services to individuals with long-term, severe mental illness. MHCSS includes skills training and assistance in accessing and effectively utilizing services and supports that are essential to meeting the needs identified in the individualized services plan and development of environmental supports necessary to sustain active community living as independently as possible. MHCSS may be provided in any setting in which the individual's needs can be addressed, skills training applied, and recovery experienced.

"Mental health intensive outpatient service" means a structured program of skilled treatment services focused on maintaining and improving functional abilities through a time-limited, interdisciplinary approach to treatment. This service is provided over a period of time for individuals requiring more intensive services than an outpatient service can provide, and may include individual, family or group counseling or psychotherapy; skill development and psychoeducational activities; certified peer support services; medication management; and psychological assessment or testing.

"Mental health outpatient service" means treatment provided to individuals on an hourly schedule, on an individual, group, or family basis, and usually in a clinic or similar facility or in another location. Mental health outpatient services may include diagnosis and evaluation, screening and intake, counseling, psychotherapy, behavior management, psychological testing and assessment, laboratory and other ancillary services, medical services, and medication services. Mental health outpatient service specifically includes:

1. Mental health services operated by a community services board or a behavioral health authority established pursuant to Chapter 5 (§ 37.2-500 et seq.) or Chapter 6 (§37.2-600 et seq.) of Title 37.2 of the Code of Virginia:

2. Mental health services contracted by a community services board or a behavioral health authority established pursuant to Chapter 5 (§37.2-500 et seq.) or Chapter 6 (§37.2-600 et seq.) of Title 37.2 of the Code of Virginia; or

3. Mental health services that are owned, operated, or controlled by a corporation organized pursuant to the provisions of either Chapter 9 (§13.1-601 et seq.) or Chapter 10 (§13.1-801 et seq.) of Title 13.1 of the Code of Virginia.

"Mental health partial hospitalization service" means time-limited active treatment interventions that are more intensive than outpatient services, designed to stabilize and ameliorate acute symptoms, and serve as an alternative to inpatient hospitalization or to reduce the length of a hospital stay. Partial hospitalization is provided through a minimum of twenty hours per week of skilled treatment services focused on individuals who require intensive, highly coordinated, structured and inter-disciplinary ambulatory treatment within a stable environment that is of greater intensity than intensive outpatient, but of lesser intensity than inpatient.

"Mental illness" means a disorder of thought, mood, emotion, perception, or orientation that significantly impairs judgment, behavior, capacity to recognize reality, or ability to address basic life necessities and requires care and treatment for the health, safety, or recovery of the individual or for the safety of others.

"Mental retardation (intellectual disability)" means a disability originating before the age of 18 years characterized concurrently by (i) significantly subaverage intellectual functioning as demonstrated by performance on a standardized measure of intellectual functioning administered in conformity with accepted professional practice that is at least two standard deviations below the mean; and (ii) significant limitations in adaptive behavior as expressed in conceptual, social, and practical adaptive skills (§ 37.2-100 of the Code of Virginia).

"Motivational enhancement" means a person-centered approach that is collaborative, employs strategies to strengthen motivation for change, increases engagement in substance use services, resolves ambivalence about changing substance use behaviors, and supports individuals to set goals to change their substance use.

"Neglect" means the failure by an individual or a program or facility operated, licensed, or funded by the department, excluding those operated by the Department of Corrections, responsible for providing services to do so, including nourishment, treatment, care, goods, or services necessary to the health, safety, or welfare of a person receiving care or treatment for mental illness, mental retardation (intellectual disability), or substance abuse (substance use disorders).

"Neurobehavioral services" means the assessment, evaluation, and treatment of cognitive, perceptual, behavioral, and other impairments caused by brain injury that affect an individual's ability to function successfully in the community.

"Outpatient service" means treatment provided to individuals on an hourly schedule, on an individual, group, or family basis, and usually in a clinic or similar facility or in another location. Outpatient services may include diagnosis and evaluation, screening and intake, counseling, psychotherapy, behavior management, psychological testing and assessment, laboratory and other ancillary services, medical services, and medication services. "Outpatient service" specifically includes:

1. Services operated by a community services board or a behavioral health authority established pursuant to Chapter 5 (§ 37.2-500 et seq.) or Chapter 6 (§ 37.2-600 et seq.) of Title 37.2 of the Code of Virginia;

2. Services contracted by a community services board or a behavioral health authority established pursuant to Chapter 5 (§ 37.2-500 et seq.) or Chapter 6 (§ 37.2-600 et seq.) of Title 37.2 of the Code of Virginia; or

3. Services that are owned, operated, or controlled by a corporation organized pursuant to the provisions of either Chapter 9 (§ 13.1-601 et seq.) or Chapter 10 (§ 13.1-801 et seq.) of Title 13.1 of the Code of Virginia.

"Partial hospitalization service" means time-limited active treatment interventions that are more intensive than outpatient services, designed to stabilize and ameliorate acute symptoms, and serve as an alternative to inpatient hospitalization or to reduce the length of a hospital stay. Partial hospitalization is focused on individuals with serious mental illness, substance abuse (substance use disorders), or co-occurring disorders at risk of hospitalization or who have been recently discharged from an inpatient setting.

"Person-centered" means focusing on the needs and preferences of the individual; empowering and supporting the individual in defining the direction for his life; and promoting self-determination, community involvement, and recovery.

"Program of assertive community treatment service" or "PACT" means a self-contained interdisciplinary team of at least 10 full-time equivalent clinical staff, a program assistant, and a full- or part-time psychiatrist that:

1. Assumes responsibility for directly providing needed treatment, rehabilitation, and support services to identified individuals with severe and persistent mental illnesses, including those who have severe symptoms that are not effectively remedied by available treatments or who because of reasons related to their mental illness resist or avoid involvement with mental health services;

2. Minimally refers individuals to outside service providers;

3. Provides services on a long-term care basis with continuity of caregivers over time;

4. Delivers 75% or more of the services outside program offices; and

5. Emphasizes outreach, relationship building, and individualization of services.

"Provider" means any person, entity, or organization, excluding an agency of the federal government by whatever name or designation, that delivers (i) services to individuals with mental illness, mental retardation (intellectual disability), or substance abuse (substance use disorders), (ii) services to individuals who receive day support, in-home support, or crisis stabilization services funded through the IFDDS Waiver, or (iii) residential services for individuals with brain injury. The person, entity, or organization shall include a hospital as defined in § 32.1-123 of the Code of Virginia, community services board, behavioral health authority, private provider, and any other similar or related person, entity, or organization. It shall not include any individual practitioner who holds a license issued by a health regulatory board of the Department of Health Professions or who is exempt from licensing pursuant to §§ 54.1-2901, 54.1-3001, 54.1-3501, 54.1-3601 and 54.1-3701 of the Code of Virginia.

"Psychosocial rehabilitation service" means a program of two or more consecutive hours per day provided to groups of adults in a nonresidential setting. Individuals must demonstrate a clinical need for the service arising from a condition due to mental, behavioral, or emotional illness that results in significant functional impairments in major life activities. This service provides education to teach the individual about mental illness, substance abuse, and appropriate medication to avoid complication and relapse and opportunities to learn and use independent skills and to enhance social and interpersonal skills within a consistent program structure and environment. Psychosocial rehabilitation includes skills training, peer support, vocational rehabilitation, and community resource development oriented toward empowerment, recovery, and competency.

"Qualified developmental disability professional" or "QDDP" means a person who possesses at least one year of documented experience working directly with individuals who have a developmental disability and who possesses one of the following credentials: (i) a doctor of medicine or osteopathy licensed in Virginia, (ii) a registered nurse licensed in Virginia, (iii) a licensed occupational therapist, or (iv) completion of at least a bachelor's degree in a human services field, including sociology, social work, special education, rehabilitation counseling, or psychology.

"Qualified mental health professional" or "QMHP" means a person who by education and experience is professionally qualified and registered by the Board of Counseling in accordance with 18VAC115-80 to provide collaborative mental health services for adults or children. A QMHP shall not engage in independent or autonomous practice. A QMHP shall provide such services as an employee or independent contractor of the department or a provider licensed by the department.

"Qualified mental health professional-adult" or "QMHP-A" means a person who by education and experience is professionally qualified and registered with the Board of Counseling in accordance with 18VAC115-80 to provide collaborative mental health services for adults. A QMHP-A shall provide such services as an employee or independent contractor of the department or a provider licensed by the department. A QMHP-A may be an occupational therapist who by education and experience is professionally qualified and registered with the Board of Counseling in accordance with 18VAC115-80.

"Qualified mental health professional-child" or "QMHP-C" means a person who by education and experience is professionally qualified and registered with the Board of Counseling in accordance with 18VAC115-80 to provide collaborative mental health services for children. A QMHP-C shall provide such services as an employee or independent contractor of the department or a provider licensed by the department. A QMHP-C may be an occupational therapist who by education and experience is professionally qualified and registered with the Board of Counseling in accordance with 18VAC115-80.

"Qualified mental health professional-eligible" or "QMHP-E" means a person receiving supervised training in order to qualify as a QMHP in accordance with 18VAC115-80 and who is registered with the Board of Counseling.

"Qualified paraprofessional in mental health" or "QPPMH" means a person who must meet at least one of the following criteria: (i) registered with the United States Psychiatric Association (USPRA) as an Associate Psychiatric Rehabilitation Provider (APRP); (ii) has an associate's degree in a related field (social work, psychology, psychiatric rehabilitation, sociology, counseling, vocational rehabilitation, human services counseling) and at least one year of experience providing direct services to individuals with a diagnosis of mental illness; (iii) licensed as an occupational therapy assistant, and supervised by a licensed occupational therapist, with at least one year of experience providing direct services to individuals with a diagnosis of mental illness; or (iv) has a minimum of 90 hours classroom training and 12 weeks of experience under the direct personal supervision of a QMHP-A providing services to individuals with mental illness and at least one year of experience (including the 12 weeks of supervised experience).

"Recovery" means a journey of healing and transformation enabling an individual with a mental illness to live a meaningful life in a community of his choice while striving to achieve his full potential. For individuals with substance abuse (substance use disorders), recovery is an incremental process leading to positive social change and a full return to biological, psychological, and social functioning. For individuals with mental retardation (intellectual disability), the concept of recovery does not apply in the sense that individuals with mental retardation (intellectual disability) will need supports throughout their entire lives although these may change over time. With supports, individuals with mental retardation (intellectual disability) are capable of living lives that are fulfilling and satisfying and that bring meaning to themselves and others whom they know.

"Referral" means the process of directing an applicant or an individual to a provider or service that is designed to provide the assistance needed.

"Residential crisis stabilization service" means (i) providing short-term, intensive treatment to nonhospitalized individuals who require multidisciplinary treatment in order to stabilize acute psychiatric symptoms and prevent admission to a psychiatric inpatient unit; (ii) providing normative environments with a high assurance of safety and security for crisis intervention; and (iii) mobilizing the resources of the community support system, family members, and others for ongoing rehabilitation and recovery.

"Residential service" means providing 24-hour support in conjunction with care and treatment or a training program in a setting other than a hospital or training center. Residential services provide a range of living arrangements from highly structured and intensively supervised to relatively independent requiring a modest amount of staff support and monitoring. Residential services include residential treatment, group or community homes, supervised living, residential crisis stabilization, community gero-psychiatric residential, community intermediate care facility-MR, sponsored residential homes, medical and social detoxification, neurobehavioral services, and substance abuse residential treatment for women and children.

"Residential treatment service" means providing an intensive and highly structured mental health, substance abuse, or neurobehavioral service, or services for co-occurring disorders in a residential setting, other than an inpatient service.

"Respite care service" means providing for a short-term, time limited period of care of an individual for the purpose of providing relief to the individual's family, guardian, or regular care giver. Persons providing respite care are recruited, trained, and supervised by a licensed provider. These services may be provided in a variety of settings including residential, day support, in-home, or a sponsored residential home.

"Restraint" means the use of a mechanical device, medication, physical intervention, or hands-on hold to prevent an individual receiving services from moving his body to engage in a behavior that places him or others at imminent risk. There are three kinds of restraints:

1. Mechanical restraint means the use of a mechanical device that cannot be removed by the individual to restrict the individual's freedom of movement or functioning of a limb or portion of an individual's body when that behavior places him or others at imminent risk.

2. Pharmacological restraint means the use of a medication that is administered involuntarily for the emergency control of an individual's behavior when that individual's behavior places him or others at imminent risk and the administered medication is not a standard treatment for the individual's medical or psychiatric condition.

3. Physical restraint, also referred to as manual hold, means the use of a physical intervention or hands-on hold to prevent an individual from moving his body when that individual's behavior places him or others at imminent risk.

"Restraints for behavioral purposes" means using a physical hold, medication, or a mechanical device to control behavior or involuntary restrict the freedom of movement of an individual in an instance when all of the following conditions are met: (i) there is an emergency; (ii) nonphysical interventions are not viable; and (iii) safety issues require an immediate response.

"Restraints for medical purposes" means using a physical hold, medication, or mechanical device to limit the mobility of an individual for medical, diagnostic, or surgical purposes, such as routine dental care or radiological procedures and related post-procedure care processes, when use of the restraint is not the accepted clinical practice for treating the individual's condition.

"Restraints for protective purposes" means using a mechanical device to compensate for a physical or cognitive deficit when the individual does not have the option to remove the device. The device may limit an individual's movement, for example, bed rails or a gerichair, and prevent possible harm to the individual or it may create a passive barrier, such as a helmet to protect the individual.

"Restriction" means anything that limits or prevents an individual from freely exercising his rights and privileges.

"Screening" means the process or procedure for determining whether the individual meets the minimum criteria for admission.

"Seclusion" means the involuntary placement of an individual alone in an area secured by a door that is locked or held shut by a staff person, by physically blocking the door, or by any other physical means so that the individual cannot leave it.

"Serious injury" means any injury resulting in bodily damage, harm, or loss that requires medical attention by a licensed physician, doctor of osteopathic medicine, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner while the individual is supervised by or involved in services, such as attempted suicides, medication overdoses, or reactions from medications administered or prescribed by the service.

"Service" means (i) planned individualized interventions intended to reduce or ameliorate mental illness, mental retardation (intellectual disability), or substance abuse (substance use disorders) through care, treatment, training, habilitation, or other supports that are delivered by a provider to individuals with mental illness, mental retardation (intellectual disability), or substance abuse (substance use disorders). Services include outpatient services, intensive in-home services, opioid treatment services, inpatient psychiatric hospitalization, community gero-psychiatric residential services, assertive community treatment and other clinical services; day support, day treatment, partial hospitalization, psychosocial rehabilitation, and habilitation services; case management services; and supportive residential, halfway house, and other residential services; (ii) day support, in-home support, and crisis stabilization services provided to individuals under the IFDDS Waiver; and (iii) planned individualized interventions intended to reduce or ameliorate the effects of brain injury through care, treatment, or other supports or in residential services for persons with brain injury.

"Shall" means an obligation to act is imposed.

"Shall not" means an obligation not to act is imposed.

"Skills training" means systematic skill building through curriculum-based psychoeducational and cognitive-behavioral interventions. These interventions break down complex objectives for role performance into simpler components, including basic cognitive skills such as attention, to facilitate learning and competency.

"Social detoxification service" means providing nonmedical supervised care for the individual's natural process of withdrawal from use of alcohol or other drugs.

"Specific high-intensity residential services" means a substance use treatment program that provides a structured recovery environment in combination with high-intensity clinical services provided in a manner to meet the functional limitations of individuals. The functional limitations of individuals who are placed within this level of care are primarily cognitive and can be either temporary or permanent.

"Sponsored residential home" means a service where providers arrange for, supervise, and provide programmatic, financial, and service support to families or persons (sponsors) providing care or treatment in their own homes for individuals receiving services.

"State board" means the State Board of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services. The board has statutory responsibility for adopting regulations that may be necessary to carry out the provisions of Title 37.2 of the Code of Virginia and other laws of the Commonwealth administered by the commissioner or the department.

"State methadone authority" means the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services that is authorized by the federal Center for Substance Abuse Treatment to exercise the responsibility and authority for governing the treatment of opiate addiction with an opioid drug.

"Substance abuse (substance use disorders)" means the use of drugs enumerated in the Virginia Drug Control Act (§ 54.1-3400 et seq.) without a compelling medical reason or alcohol that (i) results in psychological or physiological dependence or danger to self or others as a function of continued and compulsive use or (ii) results in mental, emotional, or physical impairment that causes socially dysfunctional or socially disordering behavior; and (iii), because of such substance abuse, requires care and treatment for the health of the individual. This care and treatment may include counseling, rehabilitation, or medical or psychiatric care.

"Substance abuse intensive outpatient service" means treatment provided in a concentrated manner for two or more consecutive hours per day to groups of individuals in a nonresidential setting. This service is provided over a period of time for individuals requiring more intensive services than an outpatient service can provide. Substance abuse intensive outpatient services include multiple group therapy sessions during the week, individual and family therapy, individual monitoring, and case management.

"Substance abuse intensive outpatient service" means structured treatment provided to individuals who require more intensive services than is normally provided in an outpatient service but do not require inpatient services. Treatment consists primarily of counseling and education about addiction-related and mental health challenges delivered a minimum of 9 to 19 hours of services per week for adults or 6 to 19 hours of services per week for children and adolescents. Within this level of care an individual's needs for psychiatric and medical services are generally addressed through consultation and referrals.

"Substance abuse outpatient service" means a center based substance abuse treatment delivered to individuals for less than 9 hours of service per week for adults, or less than 6 hours per week for adolescents, on an individual, group, or family basis. Substance abuse outpatient services may include diagnosis and evaluation, screening and intake, counseling, psychotherapy, behavior management, psychological testing and assessment, laboratory and other ancillary services, medical services, and medication services. Substance abuse outpatient service specifically includes:

1. Substance abuse services operated by a community services board or a behavioral health authority established pursuant to Chapter 5 (§37.2-500 et seq.) or Chapter 6 (§37.2-600 et seq.) of Title 37.2 of the Code of Virginia;

2. Substance abuse services contracted by a community services board or a behavioral health authority established pursuant to Chapter 5 (§37.2-500 et seq.) or Chapter 6 (§37.2-600 et seq.) of Title 37.2 of the Code of Virginia; or

3. Substance abuse services that are owned, operated, or controlled by a corporation organized pursuant to the provisions of either Chapter 9 (§13.1-601 et seq.) or Chapter 10 (§13.1-801 et seq.) of Title 13.1 of the Code of Virginia.

4. Substance abuse services or an office practice that provides professionally directed aftercare, individual, and other addiction services to individuals according to a predetermined regular schedule of fewer than 9 contact hours a week.

"Substance abuse partial hospitalization services" means a short-term, non-residential substance use treatment program provided for a minimum of 20 hours a week that uses multidisciplinary staff and is provided for individuals who require a more intensive treatment experience than intensive outpatient treatment but who do not require residential treatment. This level of care is designed to offer highly structured intensive treatment to those individuals whose condition is sufficiently stable so as not to require 24 hour per day monitoring and care, but whose illness has progressed so as to require consistent near-daily treatment intervention.

"Substance abuse residential treatment for women with children service" means a 24-hour residential service providing an intensive and highly structured substance abuse service for women with children who live in the same facility.

"Supervised living residential service" means the provision of significant direct supervision and community support services to individuals living in apartments or other residential settings. These services differ from supportive in-home service because the provider assumes responsibility for management of the physical environment of the residence, and staff supervision and monitoring are daily and available on a 24-hour basis. Services are provided based on the needs of the individual in areas such as food preparation, housekeeping, medication administration, personal hygiene, treatment, counseling, and budgeting.

"Supportive in-home service" (formerly supportive residential) means the provision of community support services and other structured services to assist individuals, to strengthen individual skills, and that provide environmental supports necessary to attain and sustain independent community residential living. Services include drop-in or friendly-visitor support and counseling to more intensive support, monitoring, training, in-home support, respite care, and family support services. Services are based on the needs of the individual and include training and assistance. These services normally do not involve overnight care by the provider; however, due to the flexible nature of these services, overnight care may be provided on an occasional basis.

"Therapeutic day treatment for children and adolescents" means a treatment program that serves (i) children and adolescents from birth through age 17 and under certain circumstances up to 21 with serious emotional disturbances, substance use, or co-occurring disorders or (ii) children from birth through age seven who are at risk of serious emotional disturbance, in order to combine psychotherapeutic interventions with education and mental health or substance abuse treatment. Services include: evaluation; medication education and management; opportunities to learn and use daily living skills and to enhance social and interpersonal skills; and individual, group, and family counseling.

"Time out" means the involuntary removal of an individual by a staff person from a source of reinforcement to a different, open location for a specified period of time or until the problem behavior has subsided to discontinue or reduce the frequency of problematic behavior.

"Volunteer" means a person who, without financial remuneration, provides services to individuals on behalf of the provider.

Part II
Licensing Process

12VAC35-105-30. Licenses.

A. Licenses are issued to providers who offer services to individuals who have mental illness, mental retardation (intellectual disability), or substance abuse (substance use disorders); have developmental disability and are served under the IFDDS Waiver; or have brain injury and are receiving residential services.

B. Providers shall be licensed to provide specific services as defined in this chapter or as determined by the commissioner. These services include:

1. Case management;

2. Clinically managed high-intensity residential care;

3. Clinically managed low-intensity residential care;

4. Community gero-psychiatric residential;

3.5. Community intermediate care facility-MR;

4.6. Residential crisis stabilization;

5.7. Nonresidential crisis stabilization;

6.8. Day support;

7.9. Day treatment, includes therapeutic day treatment for children and adolescents;

8.10. Group home and community residential;

9.11. Inpatient psychiatric;

10.12. Intensive Community Treatment (ICT);

11.13. Intensive in-home;

12. Managed withdrawal, including medical detoxification and social detoxification;

13.14. Medically managed intensive inpatient service;

15. Medically monitored intensive inpatient treatment;

16. Medication assisted opioid treatment;

17. Mental health community support;

14. Opioid treatment/medication assisted treatment;

15.18. Mental health intensive outpatient;

19. Mental health outpatient;

20. Mental health partial hospitalization;

21. Emergency;

16. Outpatient;

17. Partial hospitalization;

18.22. Program of assertive community treatment (PACT);

19.23. Psychosocial rehabilitation;

20.24. Residential treatment;

21.25. Respite care;

22.26. Specific high-intensity residential;

27. Sponsored residential home;

23.28. Substance abuse residential treatment for women with children;

24.29. Substance abuse intensive outpatient;

25.30. Substance abuse outpatient;

31. Substance abuse partial hospitalization;

32. Supervised living residential; and

26.33. Supportive in-home.

C. A license addendum shall describe the services licensed, the disabilities of individuals who may be served, the specific locations where services are to be provided or administered, and the terms and conditions for each service offered by a licensed provider. For residential and inpatient services, the license identifies the number of individuals each residential location may serve at a given time.

Part VI
Additional Requirements for Selected Services

Article 1
Medication Assisted Opioid Treatment (Opioid Treatment Services)

12VAC35-105-925. Standards for the evaluation of new licenses for providers of services to individuals with opioid addiction.

A. Applicants requesting an initial license to provide a service for the treatment of opioid addiction through the use of methadone or any other opioid treatment medication or controlled substance shall supply information to the department that demonstrates the appropriateness of the proposed service in accordance with this section.

B. The proposed site of the service shall comply with § 37.2-406 of the Code of Virginia.

C. In jurisdictions without zoning ordinances, the department shall request that the local governing body advise it as to whether the proposed site is suitable for and compatible with use as an office and the delivery of health care services. The department shall make this request when it notifies the local governing body of a pending application.

D. Applicants shall demonstrate that the building or space to be used to provide the proposed service is suitable for the treatment of opioid addiction by submitting documentation of the following:

1. The proposed site complies with the requirements of the local building regulatory entity;

2. The proposed site complies with local zoning laws or ordinances, including any required business licenses;

3. In the absence of local zoning ordinances, the proposed site is suitable for and compatible with use as offices and the delivery of health care services;

4. In jurisdictions where there are no parking ordinances, the proposed site has sufficient off-street parking to accommodate the needs of the individuals being served and prevent the disruption of traffic flow;

5. The proposed site can accommodate individuals during periods of inclement weather;

6. The proposed site complies with the Virginia Statewide Fire Prevention Code; and

7. The applicant has a written plan to ensure security for storage of methadone at the site, which complies with regulations of the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), and the Virginia Board of Pharmacy.

E. Applicants shall submit information to demonstrate that there are sufficient personnel available to meet the following staffing requirements and qualifications:

1. The program director shall be licensed or certified by the applicable Virginia health regulatory board or by a nationally recognized certification board or eligible for this license or certification with relevant training, experience, or both, in the treatment of individuals with opioid addiction;

2. The medical director shall be a board-certified addictionologist or have successfully completed or will complete within one year a course of study in opiate addiction that is approved by the department;

3. A minimum of one pharmacist;

4. Nurses;

5. Counselors shall be licensed or certified by the applicable Virginia health regulatory board or by a nationally recognized certification board or eligible for this license or certification; and

6. Personnel to provide support services.

F. Applicants shall submit a description for the proposed service that includes:

1. Proposed mission, philosophy, and goals of the provider;

2. Care, treatment, and services to be provided, including a comprehensive discussion of levels of care provided and alternative treatment strategies offered;

3. Proposed hours and days of operation;

4. Plans for on-site security; and

5. A diversion control plan for dispensed medications, including policies for use of drug screens.

G. Applicants shall, in addition to the requirements of 12VAC35-105-580 C 2, provide documentation of their capability to provide the following services and support directly or by arrangement with other specified providers when such services and supports are (i) requested by an individual being served or (ii) identified as an individual need, based on the assessment conducted in accordance with 12VAC35-105-60 B and included in the individualized services plan:

1. Psychological services;

2. Social services;

3. Vocational services;

4. Educational services; and

5. Employment services.

H. Applicants shall submit documentation of contact with community services boards or behavioral health authorities in their service areas to discuss their plans for operating in the area and to develop joint agreements, as appropriate.

I. Applicants shall provide policies and procedures that each individual served to be assessed every six months by the treatment team to determine if that individual is appropriate for safe and voluntary medically supervised withdrawal, alternative therapies including other medication assisted treatments, or continued federally approved pharmacotherapy treatment for opioid addiction.

J. Applicants shall submit policies and procedures describing services they will provide to individuals who wish to discontinue opioid treatment services.

K. Applicants shall provide assurances that the service will have a community liaison responsible for developing and maintaining cooperative relationships with community organizations, other service providers, local law enforcement, local government officials, and the community at large.

L. The department shall conduct announced and unannounced reviews and complaint investigations in collaboration with the Virginia Board of Pharmacy and DEA to determine compliance with the regulations.

12VAC35-105-930. Registration, certification or accreditation.

A. The medication assisted opioid treatment service shall maintain current registration or certification with:

1. The federal Drug Enforcement Administration;

2. The federal Department of Health and Human Services; and

3. The Virginia Board of Pharmacy.

B. A provider of medication assisted opioid treatment services shall maintain accreditation with an entity approved under federal regulations.

12VAC35-105-960. Physical examinations.

A. The individual shall have a complete physical examination prior to admission to the service unless the individual is transferring from another licensed opioid agonistmedication assisted opioid treatment service. The results of serology and other tests shall be available within 14 days of admission.

B. Physical exams of each individual shall be completed annually or more frequently if there is a change in the individual's physical or mental condition.

C. The provider shall maintain the report of the individual's physical examination in the individual's service record.

D. On admission, all individuals shall be offered testing for AIDS/HIV. The individual may sign a notice of refusal without prejudice.

E. The provider shall coordinate treatment services for individuals who are prescribed benzodiapines and prescription narcotics with the treating physician. The coordination shall be the responsibility of the provider's physician and shall be documented.

12VAC35-105-1000. Preventing duplication of medication services.

To prevent duplication of medication assisted opioid medicationtreatment services to an individual, the provider shall implement a written policy and procedures for contacting every medication assisted opioid treatment service within a 50-mile radius before admitting an individual.

Article 2
Medically Managed Withdrawal Services Medically Monitored Intensive Inpatient Services

12VAC35-105-1055. Description of level of care provided.

In the service description the provider shall describe the level of services and the medical management provided.

12VAC35-105-1110. Admission assessments.

During the admission process, providers of managed withdrawal services medically monitored intensive inpatient services shall:

1. Identify individuals with a high-risk for medical complications or who may pose a danger to themselves or others;

2. Assess substances used and time of last use;

3. Determine time of last meal;

4. Administer a urine screen;

5. Analyze blood alcohol content or administer a breathalyzer; and

6. Record vital signs.

12VAC35-105-1420. (Reserved.)

Part VII

Addiction Medicine Service Requirements

Article 1

 Medically Managed Intensive Inpatient

12VAC35-105-1430. Medically managed intensive inpatient staff criteria.

A medically managed intensive inpatient program shall meet the following staff requirements:

1. Have a team of appropriately trained and credentialed professionals who provide medical management by physicians 24 hours a day, primary nursing care and observation 24 hours a day, and professional counseling services 16 hours a day;

2. Have an interdisciplinary team of appropriately credentialed clinical staff, including addiction-credentialed physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurses, counselors, psychologists, and social workers, who assess and treat individuals with severe substance use disorders, or addicted individuals with concomitant acute biomedical, emotional or behavioral disorders;

3. Have staff who are knowledgeable about the biopsychosocial dimensions of addiction as well as biomedical, emotional, behavioral and cognitive disorders;

4. Have facility-approved addiction counselors or licensed, certified, or registered addiction clinicians who administer planned interventions according to the assessed needs of the individual; and

5. All clinical staff shall be qualified by training and experience and appropriately licensed, certified, or registered by the appropriate health regulatory board to serve individuals admitted to the service.

12VAC35-105-1440. Medically managed intensive inpatient program criteria.

A medically managed intensive inpatient program shall meet the following programmatic requirements.  The program shall:

1. Deliver services in a 24 hour medically managed, acute care setting and shall be available to all individuals within that setting;

2. Provide cognitive, behavioral, motivational, pharmacologic, and other therapies provided on an individual or group basis, depending on the individual's needs;

3. Provide, for the individual who has a severe biomedical disorder, physical health interventions to supplement addiction treatment;

4. Provide, for the individual who has stable psychiatric symptoms, individualized treatment activities designed to monitor the individual's mental health;

5. Provide planned clinical interventions that are designed to enhance the individual's understanding and acceptance of his addiction illness;

6. Provide family and caregiver treatment services as deemed appropriate by a licensed professional and included in an assessment and treatment plan;

7. Provide health education services;

8. Make medication assisted treatment (MAT) available for all individuals admitted to the service. MAT may be provided by facility staff or coordinated through alternative resources; and

9. Comply with Rules and Regulations for Licensing Providers by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services 12VAC35-105-1055 through 12VAC35-105-1130.

12VAC35-105-1450. Medically managed intensive inpatient admission criteria.

Before a medically managed intensive inpatient program may admit an individual, the individual shall meet the criteria for admission as defined by the provider's policies. The provider's policy regarding admission shall at a minimum require the individual to:

1. Meet diagnostic criteria for a substance use disorder or addictive disorder of moderate to high severity as defined by the DSM; and

2. Meet the admission criteria of Level 4.0 of ASAM including the specific criteria for adult and adolescent populations.

12VAC35-105-1460. Medically managed intensive inpatient discharge criteria.

Before a medically managed intensive inpatient program may discharge or transfer an individual, the individual shall meet the criteria for discharge or transfer as defined by the provider's policies, which shall include provisions for the discharge or transfer of individuals who have:

1. Achieved the goals of the treatment services and no longer require ASAM 4.0 level of care;

2. Been unable to achieve the goals of the individual's treatment but could achieve the individual's goals with a different type of treatment; or

3. Achieved the individual's original treatment goals, but have developed new treatment challenges that can only be adequately addressed in a different type of treatment.

12VAC35-105-1470. Medically managed intensive inpatient co-occurring enhanced programs.

A. Medically managed intensive inpatient co-occurring enhanced programs shall be staffed by appropriately credentialed mental health professionals, who assess and treat the individual's co-occurring mental disorders. All clinical staff shall be qualified by training and experience and appropriately licensed, certified, or registered by the appropriate health regulatory board to serve individuals admitted to the service.

B. Medically managed intensive inpatient co-occurring enhanced programs shall offer individualized treatment activities designed to stabilize the individual's active psychiatric symptoms, including medication evaluation and management.  

Article 2

Medically Monitored Intensive Inpatient Services

12VAC35-105-1480. Medically monitored intensive inpatient services staff criteria.

A medically monitored intensive inpatient treatment program shall meet the following staff requirements.  The program shall:

1. Have a licensed physician to oversee the treatment process and assure quality of care. A physician, a licensed nurse practitioner, or a licensed physician assistant shall be available 24 hours a day in person or by telephone. A physician shall assess the individual in person within 24 hours of admission;

2. Offer 24-hour nursing care, and shall conduct a nursing assessment on admission. The level of nursing care must be appropriate to the severity of needs of individuals admitted to the service;

3. Have interdisciplinary staff, including physicians, nurses, addiction counselors, and behavioral health specialists, who are able to assess and treat the individual and obtain and interpret information regarding the individual's psychiatric and substance use or addictive disorders;

4. Offer daily onsite counseling and clinical services. Clinical staff shall be knowledgeable about the biological and psychosocial dimensions of addiction and other behavioral health disorders with specialized training in behavior management techniques and evidence-based practices;

5. Have staff able to provide a planned regimen of 24 hour professionally directed evaluation, care and treatment services;

6. Make MAT available for all individuals. MAT may be provided by facility staff or coordinated through alternative resources; and

7. All clinical staff shall be qualified by training and experience and appropriately licensed, certified, or registered by the appropriate health regulatory board to serve individuals admitted to the service.

12VAC35-105-1490. Medically monitored intensive inpatient services program criteria.

A medically monitored intensive inpatient treatment program shall meet the following programmatic requirements.  The program shall:

1. Be made available to all individuals within the inpatient setting;

2. Provide a combination of individual and group therapy as deemed appropriate by a licensed mental health professional and included in an assessment and treatment plan. Such therapy shall be adapted to the individual's level of comprehension;

3. Make available medical and nursing services onsite to provide ongoing assessment and care of addiction needs;

4. Provide direct affiliations with other easily accessible levels of care or close coordination through referral to more or less intensive levels of care and other services;

5. Provide family and caregiver treatment services as deemed appropriate by a licensed mental health professional and included in an assessment and treatment plan;

6. Provide educational and informational programming adapted to individual needs. The educational and informational programming shall include materials designed to enhance the individual's understanding of addiction and may include peer recovery support services as appropriate;

7. Utilize random drug screening to monitor drug use and reinforce treatment gains;

8. Regularly monitor the individual's adherence in taking any prescribed medications; and

9. Comply with Rules and Regulations for Licensing Providers by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services 12VAC35-105-1055 through 12VAC35-105-1130.

12VAC35-105-1500. Medically monitored intensive inpatient admission criteria.

Before a medically monitored intensive inpatient program may admit an individual, the individual shall meet the criteria for admission as defined by the provider's policies. The provider's policy regarding admission shall at a minimum require the individual to:

1. Meet diagnostic criteria for a substance use disorder of the DSM or addictive disorder of moderate to high severity; and

2. Meet the admission criteria of Level 3.7 of ASAM including the specific criteria for adult and adolescent populations.

12VAC35-105-1510. Medically monitored intensive inpatient discharge criteria.

A. Before a medically monitored intensive inpatient program may discharge or transfer an individual, the individual shall meet the criteria for discharge or transfer as defined by the provider's policies, which shall include provisions for the discharge or transfer of individuals who have:

1. Achieved the goals of the treatment services and no longer require ASAM 3.7 level of care;

2. Been unable to achieve the goals of the individual's treatment but could achieve the individual's goals with a different type of treatment; or

3. Achieved the individual's original treatment goals, but have developed new treatment challenges that can only be adequately addressed in a different type of treatment.

B. Discharge planning shall occur for individuals and include realistic plans for the continuity of MAT services as indicated.

12VAC35-105-1520. Medically monitored intensive inpatient co-occurring enhanced programs.

A. Medically monitored intensive inpatient co-occurring enhanced programs shall offer psychiatric services, medication evaluation, and laboratory services as indicated by the needs of individuals admitted to the service. A psychiatrist shall assess the individual by telephone within 4 hours of admission and in person with 24 hours following admission. A LMHP shall conduct a behavioral health-focused assessment at the time of admission. A registered nurse shall monitor the individual's progress and administer, or monitor the individual's self-administration of, psychotropic medications.

B. Medically monitored intensive inpatient co-occurring enhanced programs shall be staffed by addiction psychiatrists and appropriately credentialed behavioral health professionals, who are able to assess and treat co-occurring psychiatric disorders and who have specialized training in behavior management techniques and evidence based practices.  All clinical staff shall be qualified by training and experience and appropriately licensed, certified, or registered by the appropriate health regulatory board to serve individuals admitted to the service.

C. Medically monitored intensive inpatient co-occurring enhanced programs shall offer planned clinical activities designed to promote stabilization of the individual's behavioral health needs and psychiatric symptoms and to promote such stabilization, including medication education and management, and motivational and engagement strategies.   

Article 3
Clinically Managed High-Intensity Residential Services

12VAC35-105-1530. Clinically managed high-intensity residential services staff criteria.

A clinically managed high-intensity residential care program shall meet the following staff requirements.  The program shall: 

1. Offer telephone or in-person consultation with a physician, a licensed nurse practitioner, or a licensed physician assistant in case of emergency related to an individual's substance use disorder 24 hours a day 7 days a week;

2. Offer onsite 24-hour-a-day clinical staffing by credentialed addiction treatment professionals and other allied health professionals, such as peer recovery specialists, who work in an interdisciplinary team;

3. Have clinical staff knowledgeable about the biological and psychosocial dimensions of substance use and mental health disorders and their treatment. Staff shall be able to identify the signs and symptoms of acute psychiatric conditions. Staff shall have specialized training in behavior management techniques; and

4. All clinical staff shall be qualified by training and experience and appropriately licensed, certified, or registered by the appropriate health regulatory board to serve individuals admitted to the service.

12VAC35-105-1540. Clinically managed high-intensity residential services program criteria.

A clinically managed high-intensity residential care program shall meet the following programmatic requirements. The program shall:

1. Provide daily clinical services including a range of cognitive, behavioral, and other therapies in individual or group therapy; programming; and psychoeducation as deemed appropriate by a licensed professional and included in an assessment and treatment plan;

2. Provide counseling and clinical interventions to teach an individual the skills needed for daily productive activity, prosocial behavior, and reintegration into family and community;

3. Provide motivational enhancement and engagement strategies appropriate to an individual's stage of readiness to change and comprehension;

4. Have direct affiliations with other easily accessible levels of care or provide coordination through referral to more or less intensive levels of care and other services;

5. Provide family and caregiver treatment services as deemed appropriate by a licensed professional and included in an assessment and treatment plan;

6. Provide educational, vocational, and informational programming adaptive to individual needs;

7. Utilize random drug screening to monitor progress and reinforce treatment gains as appropriate to an individual treatment plan;

8. Ensure and document that the length of an individual's stay shall be determined by the individual's condition and functioning;

9. Make a substance use treatment program available for all individuals; and

10. Make MAT available for all individuals. Medication assisted treatment may be provided by facility staff, or coordinated through alternative resources.

12VAC35-105-1550. Clinically managed high-intensity residential services admission criteria.

A. The individuals served by clinically managed high-intensity residential care are individuals who are not sufficiently stable to benefit from outpatient treatment regardless of intensity of service.

B. Before a clinically managed high-intensity residential service program may admit an individual, the individual shall meet the criteria for admission as defined by the provider's policies. The provider's policy regarding admission shall at a minimum require the individual to:

1. Meet diagnostic criteria for a substance use disorder and/or addictive disorder of moderate to high severity as defined by the DSM; and

2. Meet the admission criteria of Level 3.5 of ASAM.

12VAC35-105-1560. Clinically managed high-intensity residential services discharge criteria.

Before a clinically managed high-intensity residential service program may discharge or transfer an individual, the individual shall meet the criteria for discharge or transfer as defined by the provider's policies, which shall include provisions for the discharge or transfer of individuals who have:

1. Achieved the goals of the treatment services and no longer require ASAM 3.5 level of care;

2. Been unable to achieve the goals of the individual's treatment but could achieve the individual's goals with a different type of treatment; or

3. Achieved the individual's original treatment goals, but have developed new treatment challenges that can only be adequately addressed in a different type of treatment.

12VAC35-105-1570. Clinically managed high-intensity residential services co-occurring enhanced programs.

A. Clinically managed high-intensity residential services co-occurring enhanced programs shall offer psychiatric services, medication evaluation, and laboratory services. Such services shall be available by telephone within 8 hours and on-site or closely coordinated off-site within 24 hours.

B. Clinically managed high-intensity residential services co-occurring enhanced programs shall be staffed by appropriately credentialed mental health professionals, including addiction psychiatrists who are able to assess and treat co-occurring mental disorders and who have specialized training in behavior management techniques.  All clinical staff shall be qualified by training and experience and appropriately licensed, certified, or registered by the appropriate health regulatory board to serve individuals admitted to the service.

C. Clinically managed high-intensity residential services co-occurring enhanced programs shall offer planned clinical activities designed to stabilize the individual's mental health problems and psychiatric symptoms and to maintain such stabilization, including medication education and management, and motivational and engagement strategies. Goals of therapy shall apply to both the individual's substance use disorder and any co-occurring mental disorder. 

Article 4
Clinically Managed Population- Specific High-Intensity Residential Services-

12VAC35-105-1580. Clinically managed population-specific high-intensity residential services staff criteria.

A high intensity residential services program shall meet the following staff requirements.  The program shall:

1. Offer telephone or in-person consultation with a physician or, a licensed nurse practitioner, or a physician assistant in case of emergency related to an individual's substance use disorder 24 hours a day, 7 days a week;

2. Have allied health professional staff on-site 24 hours a day. At least one clinician with competence in the treatment of substance use disorder shall be available on-site or by telephone 24 hours a day;

3. Have clinical staff knowledgeable about the biological and psychosocial dimensions of substance use and mental health disorders and their treatment, and able to identify the signs and symptoms of acute psychiatric conditions. Staff shall have specialized training in behavior management techniques; and

4. All clinical staff shall be qualified by training and experience and appropriately licensed, certified, or registered by the appropriate health regulatory board to serve individuals admitted to the service.

12VAC35-105-1590. Clinically managed population-specific high-intensity residential services program criteria.

A high-intensity residential services program shall meet the following programmatic requirements.  The program shall:

1. Provide daily clinical services which shall include a range of cognitive, behavioral and other therapies administered on an individual and group basis, medication education and management, educational groups, and occupational or recreation activities as deemed appropriate by a licensed professional and included in an assessment and treatment plan;

2. Provide daily professional addiction and mental health treatment services which may include relapse prevention, exploring interpersonal choices, peer recovery support and development of a social network;

3. Provide services to improve the individual's ability to structure and organize the tasks of daily living and recovery. Such services shall accommodate the cognitive limitations within this population;

4. Make available medical, psychiatric, psychological, laboratory and toxicology services through consultation or referral, as indicated by the individual's condition;

5. Provide case management including ongoing transition and continuing care planning;

6. Provide motivational interventions appropriate to the individual's stage of readiness to change, and designed to address the individual's functional limitations;

7. Have direct affiliations with other easily accessible levels of care or coordinate through referral to more or less intensive levels of care and other services;

8. Provide family and caregiver treatment services as deemed appropriate by an assessment and treatment plan;

9. Utilize random drug screening to monitor progress and reinforce treatment gains;

10. Regularly monitor the individual's adherence in taking prescribed medications;

11. Make the substance use treatment program available to all individuals served by the residential care service; and

12. Make MAT available for all individuals. Medication assisted treatment may be provided by facility staff, or coordinated through alternative resources.

12VAC35-105-1600. Clinically managed population-specific high-intensity residential services admission criteria.

Before a clinically managed, population-specific, high-intensity residential service program may admit an individual; the individual shall meet the criteria for admission as defined by the provider's policies. The provider's policy regarding admission shall at a minimum require the individual to:

1. Meet diagnostic criteria for a substance use disorder and/or addictive disorder of moderate to high severity as defined by the DSM; and

2. Meet the admission criteria of Level 3.3 of ASAM.

12VAC35-105-1610. Clinically managed population-specific high-intensity residential services discharge criteria.

A. Before a clinically managed, population-specific, high-intensity residential service program may discharge or transfer an individual, the individual shall meet the criteria for discharge or transfer as defined by the provider's policies, which shall include provisions for the discharge or transfer of individuals who have:

1. Achieved the goals of the treatment services and no longer require ASAM 3.3 level of care;

2. Been unable to achieve the goals of the individual's treatment but could achieve the individual's goals with a different type of treatment; or

3. Achieved the individual's original treatment goals, but have developed new treatment challenges that can only be adequately addressed in a different type of treatment.

B. Discharge planning shall occur for individuals and include realistic plans for the continuity of MAT services as indicated.

12VAC35-105-1620. Clinically managed population-specific high-intensity residential services co-occurring enhanced programs.

A. Clinically managed population-specific high-intensity residential services co-occurring enhanced programs shall offer psychiatric services, medication evaluation, and laboratory services. Such services shall be available by telephone within 8 hours and on-site or closely coordinated off-site within 24 hours, as appropriate to the severity and urgency of the individual's mental condition.

B. Clinically managed population-specific high-intensity residential services co-occurring enhanced programs shall be staffed by appropriately credentialed psychiatrists and licensed mental health professionals who are able to assess and treat co-occurring mental disorders and who have specialized training in behavior management techniques.  All clinical staff shall be qualified by training and experience and appropriately licensed, certified, or registered by the appropriate health regulatory board to serve individuals admitted to the service.

C. Clinically managed population-specific high-intensity residential services co-occurring enhanced programs shall offer planned clinical activities designed to stabilize the individual's mental health problems and psychiatric symptoms, and to maintain such stabilization, including medication education and management and motivational and engagement strategies. Goals of therapy shall apply to both the substance use disorder and any co-occurring mental health disorder(s).

Article 5

Clinically Managed Low-Intensity Residential Services

12VAC35-105-1630. Clinically managed low-intensity residential services staff criteria.

A clinically-managed, low-intensity residential services program shall meet the following staff requirements.  The program shall:

1. Offer telephone or in-person consultation with a physician in case of emergency related to an individual's substance use disorder, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The program shall also provide allied health professional staff on-site 24 hours a day;

2. Have clinical staff who are knowledgeable about the biological and psychosocial dimensions of substance use disorder and their treatment, and are able to identify the signs and symptoms of acute psychiatric conditions;

3. Have a team comprised of appropriately trained and credentialed medical, addiction and mental health professionals; and

4. All clinical staff shall be qualified by training and experience and appropriately licensed, certified, or registered by the appropriate health regulatory board to serve individuals admitted to the service.

12VAC35-105-1640. Clinically managed low-intensity residential services program criteria.

A clinically-managed, low-intensity residential services program shall meet the following programmatic requirements.  The program shall:

1. Offer a minimum of five hours a week of professionally directed treatment in addition to other treatment services offered to individuals such as partial hospitalization or intensive outpatient treatment the focus of which is stabilizing the individual's substance use disorder. Services shall be designed to improve the individual's ability to structure and organize the tasks of daily living and recovery;

2. Ensure collaboration with care providers to develop an individual treatment plan for each individual with time-specific goals and objectives;

3. Provide counseling and clinical monitoring to support successful initial involvement in regular, productive daily activity;

4. Provide case management services;

5. Provide motivational interventions appropriate to the individual's stage of readiness to change and comprehension;

6. Have direct affiliations with other easily accessible levels of care or coordinate through referral to more or less intensive levels of care and other services.

7. Include the ability to arrange for needed procedures as appropriate to the severity and urgency of the individual's condition;

8. Provide family and caregiver treatment and peer recovery support services as deemed appropriate by a licensed professional and included in an assessment and treatment plan;

9. Provide addiction pharmacotherapy and the ability to arrange for pharmacotherapy for psychiatric medications;

10. Utilize random drug screening to monitor progress and reinforce treatment gains;

11. Make a substance abuse treatment program available to all individuals; and

12. Make MAT available for all individuals. Medication assisted treatment may be provided by facility staff, or coordinated through alternative resources.

12VAC35-105-1650. Clinically managed low-intensity residential services admission criteria.

Before a clinically-managed, low-intensity residential service program may admit an individual, the individual shall meet the criteria for admission as defined by the provider's policies. The provider's policy regarding admission shall at a minimum require the individual to:

1. Meet diagnostic criteria for a substance use disorder and/or addictive disorder of moderate to high severity as defined by the DSM; and

2. Meet the admission criteria of Level 3.1 of ASAM.

12VAC35-105-1660. Clinically managed low-intensity residential services discharge criteria.

Before a clinically-managed, low-intensity residential service program may discharge or transfer an individual, the individual shall meet the criteria for discharge or transfer as defined by the provider's policies, which shall include provisions for the discharge or transfer of individuals who have:

1. Achieved the goals of the treatment services and no longer require ASAM 3.1 level of care;

2. Been unable to achieve the goals of the individual's treatment but could achieve the individual's goals with a different type of treatment; or

3. Achieved the individual's original treatment goals, but have developed new treatment challenges that can only be adequately addressed in a different type of treatment.

12VAC35-105-1670. Clinically managed low-intensity residential services co-occurring enhanced programs.

A. Clinically managed low-intensity residential services co-occurring enhanced programs shall offer psychiatric services, including medication evaluation and laboratory services. Such services shall be provided on-site or closely coordinated off-site, as appropriate to the severity and urgency of the individual's mental condition.

B. Clinically managed low-intensity residential services co-occurring enhanced programs shall be staffed by appropriately credentialed licensed mental health professionals, who are able to assess and treat co-occurring disorders with the capacity to involve addiction-trained psychiatrists.  All clinical staff shall be qualified by training and experience and appropriately licensed, certified, or registered by the appropriate health regulatory board to serve individuals admitted to the service.

C. Clinically managed low-intensity residential services co-occurring enhanced programs shall offer planned clinical activities that are designed to stabilize the individual's mental health problems and psychiatric symptoms and to maintain such stabilization, including medication education and management and motivational and engagement strategies. Goals of therapy shall apply to both the substance use disorder and any co-occurring mental disorder.

Article 6
Partial Hospitalization

12VAC35-105-1680. Substance abuse partial hospitalization services (ASAM LOC 2.5) staff criteria.

A substance abuse partial hospitalization program shall meet the following staff requirements.  The program shall:

1. Have an interdisciplinary team of addiction treatment professionals including counselors, psychologists, social workers, and addiction-credentialed physicians. Physicians treating individuals in this level shall have specialty training or experience in addiction medicine;

2. Have staff able to obtain and interpret information regarding the individual's biopsychosocial needs;

3. Have staff trained to understand the signs and symptoms of mental disorders, and to understand and be able to explain the uses of psychotropic medications and their interactions with substance-related disorders; and

4. All clinical staff shall be qualified by training and experience and appropriately licensed, certified, or registered by the appropriate health regulatory board to serve individuals admitted to the service.

12VAC35-105-1690. Substance abuse partial hospitalization services program criteria.

A substance abuse partial hospitalization program shall meet the following programmatic requirements.  The program shall:

1. Offer no less than 20 hours of programming per week in a structured program. Services may include individual and group counseling, medication management, family therapy, peer recovery support services, educational groups, or occupational and recreational therapy;

2. Provide a combination of individual and group therapy as deemed appropriate by a licensed professional and included in an assessment and treatment plan;

3. Provide medical and nursing services as deemed appropriate by a licensed professional and included in an assessment and treatment plan;

4. Provide motivational enhancement and engagement strategies appropriate to an individual's stage of readiness to change and comprehension;

5. Have direct affiliations with other easily accessible levels of care or coordinate through referral to more or less intensive levels of care and other services;

6. Provide family and caregiver treatment services as deemed appropriate by a licensed professional and included in an assessment and treatment plan;

7. Provide educational and informational programming adaptable to individual needs;

8. Ensure and document that the length of service shall be determined by the individual's condition and functioning;

9. Make emergency services available by telephone 24 hours a day 7 days a week when the program is not in session; and

10. Make MAT available for all individuals. MAT may be provided by facility staff, or coordinated through alternative resources.

12VAC35-105-1700. Substance abuse partial hospitalization admission criteria.

Before a substance abuse partial hospitalization program may admit an individual, the individual shall meet the criteria for admission as defined by the provider's policies. The provider's policy regarding admission shall at a minimum require the individual to:

1. Meet diagnostic criteria for a substance use disorder and/or addictive disorder as defined by the DSM; and

2. Meet the admission criteria of Level 2.5 of ASAM including the specific criteria for adult and adolescent populations.

12VAC35-105-1710. Substance abuse partial hospitalization discharge criteria.

Before a substance abuse partial hospitalization program may discharge or transfer an individual, the individual shall meet the criteria for discharge or transfer as defined by the provider's policies, which shall include provisions for the discharge or transfer of individuals who have:

1. Achieved the goals of the treatment services and no longer require ASAM 2.5 level of care;

2. Been unable to achieve the goals of the individual's treatment but could achieve the individual's goals with a different type of treatment; or

3. Achieved the individual's original treatment goals, but have developed new treatment challenges that can only be adequately addressed in a different type of treatment.

12VAC35-105-1720. Substance abuse partial hospitalization co-occurring enhanced programs.

A. Substance abuse partial hospitalization co-occurring enhanced programs shall offer psychiatric services appropriate to the individual's mental health condition. Such services shall be available by telephone and on site or closely coordinated off site, within a shorter time than in a co-occurring capable program.

B. Substance abuse partial hospitalization co-occurring enhanced programs shall be staffed by appropriately credentialed mental health professionals, who assess and treat co-occurring mental disorders. Intensive case management shall be delivered by cross-trained, interdisciplinary staff through mobile outreach, and involves engagement-oriented addiction treatment and psychiatric programming.  All clinical staff shall be qualified by training and experience and appropriately licensed, certified, or registered by the appropriate health regulatory board to serve individuals admitted to the service.

C. Substance abuse partial hospitalization co-occurring enhanced programs shall offer intensive case management, assertive community treatment, medication management and psychotherapy.

Article 7
Intensive Outpatient Services

12VAC35-105-1730. Substance abuse intensive outpatient services staff criteria.

A substance abuse intensive outpatient services program shall meet the following staff requirements.  The program shall:

1. Be staffed by interdisciplinary team of appropriately credentialed addiction treatment professionals, including counselors, psychologists, social workers, and addiction-credentialed physicians. Physicians shall have specialty training or experience in addiction medicine or addiction psychiatry;

2. Have program staff that is able to obtain and interpret information regarding the individual's biopsychosocial needs;

3. Have program staff trained to understand the signs and symptoms of mental disorders, and to understand and be able to explain the uses of psychotropic medications and their interactions with substance use and other addictive disorders; and

4. All clinical staff shall be qualified by training and experience and appropriately licensed, certified, or registered by the appropriate health regulatory board to serve individuals admitted to the service.

12VAC35-105-1740. Substance abuse intensive outpatient services program criteria.

A substance abuse intensive outpatient program shall meet the following programmatic requirements.  The program shall:

1. Offer a minimum of three service hours per service day to achieve no less than nine hours and no more than nineteen hours of programming per week in a structured environment;

2. Ensure psychiatric and other medical consultation shall be available within 24 hours by telephone and within 72 hours in person;

3. Offer consultation in case of emergency related to an individual's substance use disorder by telephone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, when the treatment program is not in session;

4. Provide a combination of individual and group therapy as deemed appropriate by a licensed professional and included in an assessment and treatment plan;

5. Have direct affiliations with other easily accessible levels of care or coordinate through referral to more or less intensive levels of care and other services;

6. Provide family and caregiver treatment and peer recovery support services as deemed appropriate by a licensed professional and included in an assessment and treatment plan;

7. Provide education and informational programming adaptable to individual needs and developmental status;

8. Ensure and document that the length of service shall be determined by the individual's condition and functioning; and

9. Make MAT available for all individuals. MAT may be provided by facility staff, or coordinated through alternative resources.

12VAC35-105-1750. Substance abuse intensive outpatient services admission criteria.

Before a substance abuse intensive outpatient service program may admit an individual, the individual shall meet the criteria for admission as defined by the provider's policies. The provider's policy regarding admission shall at a minimum require the individual to:

1. Meet diagnostic criteria for a substance use disorder and/or addictive disorder as defined by the DSM; and

2. Meet the admission criteria of Level 2.1 of ASAM including the specific criteria for adult and adolescent populations.

12VAC35-105-1760. Substance abuse intensive outpatient services discharge criteria.

Before a substance abuse intensive outpatient service program may discharge or transfer an individual, the individual shall meet the criteria for discharge or transfer as defined by the provider's policies, which shall include provisions for the discharge or transfer of individuals who have:

1. Achieved the goals of the treatment services and no longer require ASAM 2.1 level of care;

2. Been unable to achieve the goals of the individual's treatment but could achieve the individual's goals with a different type of treatment; or

3. Achieved the individual's original treatment goals, but have developed new treatment challenges that can only be adequately addressed in a different type of treatment.

12VAC35-105-1770. Substance abuse intensive outpatient services co-occurring enhanced programs.

A. Substance abuse intensive outpatient services co-occurring enhanced programs shall offer psychiatric services appropriate to the individual's mental health condition. Such services shall be available by telephone and on site or closely coordinated off site, within a shorter time than in a co-occurring capable program.

B. Substance abuse intensive outpatient services co-occurring enhanced programs shall be staffed by appropriately credential mental health professionals, who assess and treat co-occurring mental disorders. Capacity to consult with an addiction psychiatrist shall be available. All clinical staff shall be qualified by training and experience and appropriately licensed, certified, or registered by the appropriate health regulatory board to serve individuals admitted to the service.

C. Substance abuse intensive outpatient services co-occurring enhanced programs shall offer intensive case management, assertive community treatment, medication management and psychotherapy.

Article 8
Substance Abuse Outpatient Services

12VAC35-105-1780. Substance abuse outpatient services staff criteria.

Substance abuse outpatient service programs shall meet the following staff requirements.  The program shall:

1. Have appropriately credentialed or licensed treatment professionals who assess and treat substance-related, mental and addictive disorders;

2. Have program staff who are capable of monitoring stabilized mental health problems and recognizing any instability of individuals with co-occurring mental health conditions;

3. Provide medication management services, by a licensed independent practitioner with prescribing authority; and

4. All clinical staff shall be qualified by training and experience and appropriately licensed, certified, or registered by the appropriate health regulatory board to serve individuals admitted to the service.

12VAC35-105-1790. Substance abuse outpatient service program criteria.

Substance abuse outpatient service programs shall meet the following programmatic requirements.  The program shall:

1. Offer no more than nine hours of programming a week;

2. Ensure emergency services shall be available by telephone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week;

3. Provide individual or group counseling, motivational enhancement, family therapy, educational groups, occupational and recreational therapy, psychotherapy, addiction and pharmacotherapy shall be provided as indicated by each individual's needs;

4. For individuals with mental illness, ensure the use of psychotropic medication, mental health treatment and the individual's relationship to substance abuse disorders shall be addressed as the need arises;

5. Provide medical, psychiatric, psychological, laboratory, and toxicology services, on-site or through consultation or referral. Medical and psychiatric consultation shall be available within 24 hours by telephone, or if in person, within a time frame appropriate to the severity and urgency of the consultation requested;

6. Have direct affiliations with other easily accessible levels of care or coordinate through referral to more or less intensive levels of care and other services; and

7. Ensure through documentation that the duration of treatment varies with the severity of the individual's illness and his response to treatment.

12VAC35-105-1800. Substance abuse outpatient service admission criteria.

Before a substance abuse outpatient service program may admit an individual, the individual shall meet the criteria for admission as defined by the provider's policies. The provider's policy regarding admission shall at a minimum require the individual to:

1. Meet diagnostic criteria for a substance use disorder and/or addictive disorder as defined by the DSM; and

2. Meet the admission criteria of Level 1.0 of ASAM including the specific criteria for adult and adolescent populations.

12VAC35-105-1810. Substance abuse outpatient services discharge criteria.

Before a substance abuse outpatient service program may discharge or transfer an individual, the individual shall meet the criteria for discharge or transfer as defined by the provider's policies, which shall include provisions for the discharge or transfer of individuals who have:

1. Achieved the goals of the treatment services and no longer require ASAM 1.0 level of care;

2. Been unable to achieve the goals of the individual's treatment but could achieve the individual's goals with a different type of treatment; or

3. Achieved the individual's original treatment goals, but have developed new treatment challenges that can only be adequately addressed in a different type of treatment.

12VAC35-105-1820. Substance abuse outpatient services co-occurring enhanced programs.

A. Substance abuse outpatient services co-occurring enhanced programs shall offer ongoing intensive case management for highly crisis-prone individuals with co-occurring disorders.

B. Substance abuse outpatient services co-occurring enhanced programs shall include credentialed mental health trained personnel who are able to assess, monitor, and manage the types of severe and chronic mental disorders seen in a level 1 setting as well as other psychiatric disorders that are mildly unstable. Staff shall be knowledgeable about management of co-occurring mental and substance-related disorders, including assessment of the individual's stage of readiness to change and engagement of individuals who have co-occurring mental disorders.  All clinical staff shall be qualified by training and experience and appropriately licensed, certified, or registered by the appropriate health regulatory board to serve individuals admitted to the service.

C. Substance abuse outpatient services co-occurring enhanced programs shall offer therapies to actively address, monitor, and manage psychotropic medication, mental health treatment and the interaction with substance-related and addictive disorders.

Article 9
Medication Assisted Opioid Treatment Program

12VAC35-105-1830. Medication assisted opioid treatment staff criteria.

Medication assisted opioid treatment programs shall meet the following staff requirements.  The program shall:

1. Have linkage with or access to psychological, medical, and psychiatric consultation;

2. Have access to emergency medical and psychiatric care through affiliations with more intensive levels of care;

3. Have access to physical evaluations and ongoing primary medical care; 

4. Have the ability to conduct or arrange for appropriate laboratory and toxicology tests; and

5. All clinical staff whether employed by the provider or available through consultation, contract, or other means shall be qualified by training and experience and appropriately licensed, certified, or registered by the appropriate health regulatory board to serve individuals admitted to the service.

12VAC35-105-1840. Medication assisted opioid treatment program criteria.

Medication assisted opioid treatment programs shall meet the following programmatic requirements. The program shall:

1. Provide individualized, patient-centered assessment and treatment, which may include peer recovery support services;

2. Provide case management, including medical monitoring and coordination, with on and off-site treatment services provided as needed;

3. Provide psychoeducation, including HIV/AIDS education, and other health education services;

4. Assess, order, administer, reassess, and regulate medication and dose levels appropriate to the individual; supervise withdrawal management from opioid analgesics, including methadone or buprenorphine; and oversee and facilitate access to appropriate treatment;

5. Monitor drug testing that is to be done a minimum of 8 times per year; and

6. Comply with Rules and Regulations for Licensing Providers by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services 12VAC35-105-925 through 12VAC35-105-1050.

12VAC35-105-1850. Medication assisted opioid treatment admission criteria.

Before a medication assisted opioid treatment program may admit an individual, the individual shall meet the criteria for admission as defined by the provider's policies. The provider's policy regarding admission shall at a minimum require the individual to:

1. Meet diagnostic criteria for severe opioid use disorder; and

2. Meet the admission criteria of Level 1.0 of ASAM.

12VAC35-105-1860. Medication assisted opioid treatment discharge criteria.

Before a medication assisted opioid treatment program may discharge or transfer an individual, the individual shall meet the criteria for discharge or transfer as defined by the provider's policies, which shall include provisions for the discharge or transfer of individuals who have:

1. Achieved the goals of the treatment services and no longer require ASAM OTS level of care;

2. Been unable to achieve the goals of the individual's treatment but could achieve the individual's goals with a different type of treatment; or

3. Achieved the individual's original treatment goals, but have developed new treatment challenges that can only be adequately addressed in a different type of treatment.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (12VAC35-105)

The ASAM: Treatment for Addictive, Substance-Related and Co-Occuring Conditions, Third Edition, American Society of Addiction Medicine, Address, asam.org.

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition. DSM-5, American Psychiatric Association, 800 Maine Avenue, S.W., Suite 900 Washington, DC 20024, psychiatry.org