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Chapter 256B

Section 256B.0623

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256B.0623 ADULT REHABILITATIVE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES COVERED.

Subdivision 1.Scope.

Medical assistance covers adult rehabilitative mental health services as defined in subdivision 2, subject to federal approval, if provided to recipients as defined in subdivision 3 and provided by a qualified provider entity meeting the standards in this section and by a qualified individual provider working within the provider's scope of practice and identified in the recipient's individual treatment plan as defined in section 245.462, subdivision 14, and if determined to be medically necessary according to section 62Q.53.

Subd. 2.Definitions.

For purposes of this section, the following terms have the meanings given them.

(a) "Adult rehabilitative mental health services" means mental health services which are rehabilitative and enable the recipient to develop and enhance psychiatric stability, social competencies, personal and emotional adjustment, independent living, parenting skills, and community skills, when these abilities are impaired by the symptoms of mental illness. Adult rehabilitative mental health services are also appropriate when provided to enable a recipient to retain stability and functioning, if the recipient would be at risk of significant functional decompensation or more restrictive service settings without these services.

(1) Adult rehabilitative mental health services instruct, assist, and support the recipient in areas such as: interpersonal communication skills, community resource utilization and integration skills, crisis assistance, relapse prevention skills, health care directives, budgeting and shopping skills, healthy lifestyle skills and practices, cooking and nutrition skills, transportation skills, medication education and monitoring, mental illness symptom management skills, household management skills, employment-related skills, parenting skills, and transition to community living services.

(2) These services shall be provided to the recipient on a one-to-one basis in the recipient's home or another community setting or in groups.

(b) "Medication education services" means services provided individually or in groups which focus on educating the recipient about mental illness and symptoms; the role and effects of medications in treating symptoms of mental illness; and the side effects of medications. Medication education is coordinated with medication management services and does not duplicate it. Medication education services are provided by physicians, pharmacists, physician assistants, or registered nurses.

(c) "Transition to community living services" means services which maintain continuity of contact between the rehabilitation services provider and the recipient and which facilitate discharge from a hospital, residential treatment program under Minnesota Rules, chapter 9505, board and lodging facility, or nursing home. Transition to community living services are not intended to provide other areas of adult rehabilitative mental health services.

Subd. 3.Eligibility.

An eligible recipient is an individual who:

(1) is age 18 or older;

(2) is diagnosed with a medical condition, such as mental illness or traumatic brain injury, for which adult rehabilitative mental health services are needed;

(3) has substantial disability and functional impairment in three or more of the areas listed in section 245.462, subdivision 11a, so that self-sufficiency is markedly reduced; and

(4) has had a recent diagnostic assessment or an adult diagnostic assessment update by a qualified professional that documents adult rehabilitative mental health services are medically necessary to address identified disability and functional impairments and individual recipient goals.

Subd. 4.Provider entity standards.

(a) The provider entity must be certified by the state following the certification process and procedures developed by the commissioner.

(b) The certification process is a determination as to whether the entity meets the standards in this subdivision. The certification must specify which adult rehabilitative mental health services the entity is qualified to provide.

(c) A noncounty provider entity must obtain additional certification from each county in which it will provide services. The additional certification must be based on the adequacy of the entity's knowledge of that county's local health and human service system, and the ability of the entity to coordinate its services with the other services available in that county. A county-operated entity must obtain this additional certification from any other county in which it will provide services.

(d) Recertification must occur at least every three years.

(e) The commissioner may intervene at any time and decertify providers with cause. The decertification is subject to appeal to the state. A county board may recommend that the state decertify a provider for cause.

(f) The adult rehabilitative mental health services provider entity must meet the following standards:

(1) have capacity to recruit, hire, manage, and train mental health professionals, mental health practitioners, and mental health rehabilitation workers;

(2) have adequate administrative ability to ensure availability of services;

(3) ensure adequate preservice and inservice and ongoing training for staff;

(4) ensure that mental health professionals, mental health practitioners, and mental health rehabilitation workers are skilled in the delivery of the specific adult rehabilitative mental health services provided to the individual eligible recipient;

(5) ensure that staff is capable of implementing culturally specific services that are culturally competent and appropriate as determined by the recipient's culture, beliefs, values, and language as identified in the individual treatment plan;

(6) ensure enough flexibility in service delivery to respond to the changing and intermittent care needs of a recipient as identified by the recipient and the individual treatment plan;

(7) ensure that the mental health professional or mental health practitioner, who is under the clinical supervision of a mental health professional, involved in a recipient's services participates in the development of the individual treatment plan;

(8) assist the recipient in arranging needed crisis assessment, intervention, and stabilization services;

(9) ensure that services are coordinated with other recipient mental health services providers and the county mental health authority and the federally recognized American Indian authority and necessary others after obtaining the consent of the recipient. Services must also be coordinated with the recipient's case manager or care coordinator if the recipient is receiving case management or care coordination services;

(10) develop and maintain recipient files, individual treatment plans, and contact charting;

(11) develop and maintain staff training and personnel files;

(12) submit information as required by the state;

(13) establish and maintain a quality assurance plan to evaluate the outcome of services provided;

(14) keep all necessary records required by law;

(15) deliver services as required by section 245.461;

(16) comply with all applicable laws;

(17) be an enrolled Medicaid provider;

(18) maintain a quality assurance plan to determine specific service outcomes and the recipient's satisfaction with services; and

(19) develop and maintain written policies and procedures regarding service provision and administration of the provider entity.

Subd. 5.Qualifications of provider staff.

Adult rehabilitative mental health services must be provided by qualified individual provider staff of a certified provider entity. Individual provider staff must be qualified under one of the following criteria:

(1) a mental health professional as defined in section 245.462, subdivision 18, clauses (1) to (6). If the recipient has a current diagnostic assessment by a licensed mental health professional as defined in section 245.462, subdivision 18, clauses (1) to (6), recommending receipt of adult mental health rehabilitative services, the definition of mental health professional for purposes of this section includes a person who is qualified under section 245.462, subdivision 18, clause (7), and who holds a current and valid national certification as a certified rehabilitation counselor or certified psychosocial rehabilitation practitioner;

(2) a mental health practitioner as defined in section 245.462, subdivision 17. The mental health practitioner must work under the clinical supervision of a mental health professional;

(3) a certified peer specialist under section 256B.0615. The certified peer specialist must work under the clinical supervision of a mental health professional; or

(4) a mental health rehabilitation worker. A mental health rehabilitation worker means a staff person working under the direction of a mental health practitioner or mental health professional and under the clinical supervision of a mental health professional in the implementation of rehabilitative mental health services as identified in the recipient's individual treatment plan who:

(i) is at least 21 years of age;

(ii) has a high school diploma or equivalent;

(iii) has successfully completed 30 hours of training during the two years immediately prior to the date of hire, or before provision of direct services, in all of the following areas: recipient rights, recipient-centered individual treatment planning, behavioral terminology, mental illness, co-occurring mental illness and substance abuse, psychotropic medications and side effects, functional assessment, local community resources, adult vulnerability, recipient confidentiality; and

(iv) meets the qualifications in subitem (A) or (B):

(A) has an associate of arts degree or two years full-time postsecondary education in one of the behavioral sciences or human services; is a registered nurse without a bachelor's degree; or who within the previous ten years has:

(1) three years of personal life experience with serious and persistent mental illness;

(2) three years of life experience as a primary caregiver to an adult with a serious mental illness or traumatic brain injury; or

(3) 4,000 hours of supervised paid work experience in the delivery of mental health services to adults with a serious mental illness or traumatic brain injury; or

(B)(1) is fluent in the non-English language or competent in the culture of the ethnic group to which at least 20 percent of the mental health rehabilitation worker's clients belong;

(2) receives during the first 2,000 hours of work, monthly documented individual clinical supervision by a mental health professional;

(3) has 18 hours of documented field supervision by a mental health professional or practitioner during the first 160 hours of contact work with recipients, and at least six hours of field supervision quarterly during the following year;

(4) has review and cosignature of charting of recipient contacts during field supervision by a mental health professional or practitioner; and

(5) has 15 hours of additional continuing education on mental health topics during the first year of employment and 15 hours during every additional year of employment.

Subd. 6.Required training and supervision.

(a) Mental health rehabilitation workers must receive ongoing continuing education training of at least 30 hours every two years in areas of mental illness and mental health services and other areas specific to the population being served. Mental health rehabilitation workers must also be subject to the ongoing direction and clinical supervision standards in paragraphs (c) and (d).

(b) Mental health practitioners must receive ongoing continuing education training as required by their professional license; or if the practitioner is not licensed, the practitioner must receive ongoing continuing education training of at least 30 hours every two years in areas of mental illness and mental health services. Mental health practitioners must meet the ongoing clinical supervision standards in paragraph (c).

(c) Clinical supervision may be provided by a full- or part-time qualified professional employed by or under contract with the provider entity. Clinical supervision may be provided by interactive videoconferencing according to procedures developed by the commissioner. A mental health professional providing clinical supervision of staff delivering adult rehabilitative mental health services must provide the following guidance:

(1) review the information in the recipient's file;

(2) review and approve initial and updates of individual treatment plans;

(3) meet with mental health rehabilitation workers and practitioners, individually or in small groups, at least monthly to discuss treatment topics of interest to the workers and practitioners;

(4) meet with mental health rehabilitation workers and practitioners, individually or in small groups, at least monthly to discuss treatment plans of recipients, and approve by signature and document in the recipient's file any resulting plan updates;

(5) meet at least monthly with the directing mental health practitioner, if there is one, to review needs of the adult rehabilitative mental health services program, review staff on-site observations and evaluate mental health rehabilitation workers, plan staff training, review program evaluation and development, and consult with the directing practitioner; and

(6) be available for urgent consultation as the individual recipient needs or the situation necessitates.

(d) An adult rehabilitative mental health services provider entity must have a treatment director who is a mental health practitioner or mental health professional. The treatment director must ensure the following:

(1) while delivering direct services to recipients, a newly hired mental health rehabilitation worker must be directly observed delivering services to recipients by a mental health practitioner or mental health professional for at least six hours per 40 hours worked during the first 160 hours that the mental health rehabilitation worker works;

(2) the mental health rehabilitation worker must receive ongoing on-site direct service observation by a mental health professional or mental health practitioner for at least six hours for every six months of employment;

(3) progress notes are reviewed from on-site service observation prepared by the mental health rehabilitation worker and mental health practitioner for accuracy and consistency with actual recipient contact and the individual treatment plan and goals;

(4) immediate availability by phone or in person for consultation by a mental health professional or a mental health practitioner to the mental health rehabilitation services worker during service provision;

(5) oversee the identification of changes in individual recipient treatment strategies, revise the plan, and communicate treatment instructions and methodologies as appropriate to ensure that treatment is implemented correctly;

(6) model service practices which: respect the recipient, include the recipient in planning and implementation of the individual treatment plan, recognize the recipient's strengths, collaborate and coordinate with other involved parties and providers;

(7) ensure that mental health practitioners and mental health rehabilitation workers are able to effectively communicate with the recipients, significant others, and providers; and

(8) oversee the record of the results of on-site observation and charting evaluation and corrective actions taken to modify the work of the mental health practitioners and mental health rehabilitation workers.

(e) A mental health practitioner who is providing treatment direction for a provider entity must receive supervision at least monthly from a mental health professional to:

(1) identify and plan for general needs of the recipient population served;

(2) identify and plan to address provider entity program needs and effectiveness;

(3) identify and plan provider entity staff training and personnel needs and issues; and

(4) plan, implement, and evaluate provider entity quality improvement programs.

Subd. 7.Personnel file.

The adult rehabilitative mental health services provider entity must maintain a personnel file on each staff. Each file must contain:

(1) an annual performance review;

(2) a summary of on-site service observations and charting review;

(3) a criminal background check of all direct service staff;

(4) evidence of academic degree and qualifications;

(5) a copy of professional license;

(6) any job performance recognition and disciplinary actions;

(7) any individual staff written input into own personnel file;

(8) all clinical supervision provided; and

(9) documentation of compliance with continuing education requirements.

Subd. 8.Diagnostic assessment.

Providers of adult rehabilitative mental health services must complete a diagnostic assessment as defined in section 245.462, subdivision 9, within five days after the recipient's second visit or within 30 days after intake, whichever occurs first. In cases where a diagnostic assessment is available that reflects the recipient's current status, and has been completed within three years preceding admission, an adult diagnostic assessment update must be completed. An update shall include a face-to-face interview with the recipient and a written summary by a mental health professional of the recipient's current mental health status and service needs. If the recipient's mental health status has changed significantly since the adult's most recent diagnostic assessment, a new diagnostic assessment is required.

Subd. 9.Functional assessment.

Providers of adult rehabilitative mental health services must complete a written functional assessment as defined in section 245.462, subdivision 11a, for each recipient. The functional assessment must be completed within 30 days of intake, and reviewed and updated at least every six months after it is developed, unless there is a significant change in the functioning of the recipient. If there is a significant change in functioning, the assessment must be updated. A single functional assessment can meet case management and adult rehabilitative mental health services requirements if agreed to by the recipient. Unless the recipient refuses, the recipient must have significant participation in the development of the functional assessment.

Subd. 10.Individual treatment plan.

All providers of adult rehabilitative mental health services must develop and implement an individual treatment plan for each recipient. The provisions in clauses (1) and (2) apply:

(1) Individual treatment plan means a plan of intervention, treatment, and services for an individual recipient written by a mental health professional or by a mental health practitioner under the clinical supervision of a mental health professional. The individual treatment plan must be based on diagnostic and functional assessments. To the extent possible, the development and implementation of a treatment plan must be a collaborative process involving the recipient, and with the permission of the recipient, the recipient's family and others in the recipient's support system. Providers of adult rehabilitative mental health services must develop the individual treatment plan within 30 calendar days of intake. The treatment plan must be updated at least every six months thereafter, or more often when there is significant change in the recipient's situation or functioning, or in services or service methods to be used, or at the request of the recipient or the recipient's legal guardian.

(2) The individual treatment plan must include:

(i) a list of problems identified in the assessment;

(ii) the recipient's strengths and resources;

(iii) concrete, measurable goals to be achieved, including time frames for achievement;

(iv) specific objectives directed toward the achievement of each one of the goals;

(v) documentation of participants in the treatment planning. The recipient, if possible, must be a participant. The recipient or the recipient's legal guardian must sign the treatment plan, or documentation must be provided why this was not possible. A copy of the plan must be given to the recipient or legal guardian. Referral to formal services must be arranged, including specific providers where applicable;

(vi) cultural considerations, resources, and needs of the recipient must be included;

(vii) planned frequency and type of services must be initiated; and

(viii) clear progress notes on outcome of goals.

(3) The individual community support plan defined in section 245.462, subdivision 12, may serve as the individual treatment plan if there is involvement of a mental health case manager, and with the approval of the recipient. The individual community support plan must include the criteria in clause (2).

Subd. 11.Recipient file.

Providers of adult rehabilitative mental health services must maintain a file for each recipient that contains the following information:

(1) diagnostic assessment or verification of its location that is current and that was reviewed by a mental health professional who is employed by or under contract with the provider entity;

(2) functional assessments;

(3) individual treatment plans signed by the recipient and the mental health professional, or if the recipient refused to sign the plan, the date and reason stated by the recipient as to why the recipient would not sign the plan;

(4) recipient history;

(5) signed release forms;

(6) recipient health information and current medications;

(7) emergency contacts for the recipient;

(8) case records which document the date of service, the place of service delivery, signature of the person providing the service, nature, extent and units of service, and place of service delivery;

(9) contacts, direct or by telephone, with recipient's family or others, other providers, or other resources for service coordination;

(10) summary of recipient case reviews by staff; and

(11) written information by the recipient that the recipient requests be included in the file.

Subd. 12.Additional requirements.

(a) Providers of adult rehabilitative mental health services must comply with the requirements relating to referrals for case management in section 245.467, subdivision 4.

(b) Adult rehabilitative mental health services are provided for most recipients in the recipient's home and community. Services may also be provided at the home of a relative or significant other, job site, psychosocial clubhouse, drop-in center, social setting, classroom, or other places in the community. Except for "transition to community services," the place of service does not include a regional treatment center, nursing home, residential treatment facility licensed under Minnesota Rules, parts 9520.0500 to 9520.0670 (Rule 36), or an acute care hospital.

(c) Adult rehabilitative mental health services may be provided in group settings if appropriate to each participating recipient's needs and treatment plan. A group is defined as two to ten clients, at least one of whom is a recipient, who is concurrently receiving a service which is identified in this section. The service and group must be specified in the recipient's treatment plan. No more than two qualified staff may bill Medicaid for services provided to the same group of recipients. If two adult rehabilitative mental health workers bill for recipients in the same group session, they must each bill for different recipients.

Subd. 13.Excluded services.

The following services are excluded from reimbursement as adult rehabilitative mental health services:

(1) recipient transportation services;

(2) a service provided and billed by a provider who is not enrolled to provide adult rehabilitative mental health service;

(3) adult rehabilitative mental health services performed by volunteers;

(4) provider performance of household tasks, chores, or related activities, such as laundering clothes, moving the recipient's household, housekeeping, and grocery shopping for the recipient;

(5) direct billing of time spent "on call" when not delivering services to recipients;

(6) activities which are primarily social or recreational in nature, rather than rehabilitative, for the individual recipient, as determined by the individual's needs and treatment plan;

(7) job-specific skills services, such as on-the-job training;

(8) provider service time included in case management reimbursement;

(9) outreach services to potential recipients;

(10) a mental health service that is not medically necessary; and

(11) any services provided by a hospital, board and lodging, or residential facility to an individual who is a patient in or resident of that facility.

Subd. 14.Billing when services are provided by qualified state staff.

When rehabilitative services are provided by qualified state staff who are assigned to pilot projects under section 245.4661, the county or other local entity to which the qualified state staff are assigned may consider these staff part of the local provider entity for which certification is sought under this section and may bill the medical assistance program for qualifying services provided by the qualified state staff. Payments for services provided by state staff who are assigned to adult mental health initiatives shall only be made from federal funds.

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Revisor of Statutes