Mental Health Licensing and Certification
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The Mental Health Licensing (MHL) Section of DHCS is responsible for the licensing and oversight of mental health programs on a statewide basis, ranging from acute to long-term programs. MHL Section is responsible for implementing and maintaining a system to ensure compliance with licensing requirements, as specified in state statutes, for the entire range of 24-hour psychiatric and rehabilitation care facilities, including Psychiatric Health Facilities (PHFs) and Mental Health Rehabilitation Centers (MHRCs). MHL Section responsibilities include the implementation of civil and monetary sanctions, including cease and desist orders, on DHCS' licensed mental health facilities as well as procedures for the appeal of an administrative action. MHL Section is also responsible for the approval of 5150 facilities designated by the counties throughout the State of California for the purpose of 72-hour treatment and evaluation under Welfare and Institutions Code (W&I) Code section 5150 of the Lanterman-Petris-Short Act and the Children's Civil Commitment and Mental Health Treatment Act, W&I Code sections 5585.50/5585.55.
STRTP-IMD
Short Term Residential
Therapeutic Programs (STRTP) are defined as residential facilities that provide
an integrated program of specialized and intensive care and supervision,
services and supports, treatment, and short-term, 24-hour care and supervision
to children. STRTPs are licensed by the California Department of Social
Services; however, DHCS is responsible for the oversight of the mental health
program approval. Although DHCS has oversight for the mental health program
approval, some counties have been delegated the authority to issue a mental
health program approval to STRTPs within their borders.
DHCS has been tasked with
conducting Institution for Mental Disease (IMD) determinations for all STRTPs.
The STRTP-IMD FAQs were developed to give additional guidance to STRTP
providers regarding the IMD determination assessment tool based on Centers for
Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) guidelines. The CMS guidelines are found
in Sections 4390 and 4390.1 of the State Medicaid Manual.
They also include
responses to questions received during statewide webinars conducted on June 3
and July 8, 2021 regarding the IMD determination tool, as well as questions
submitted to DHCS by other individuals.
Additional information is available on the
STRTP Grants: FAQs regarding grant funding available to county mental health plans (MHPs) to support STRTPs that are deemed to meet the federal IMD criteria to maintain capacity while facilities develop and implement transition strategies to modify their program characteristics to come into compliance with the longstanding federal IMD exclusion.
The Department of Health
Care Services (DHCS) has developed a list of Institution for
Mental Disease (IMD) facilities according to the definition in the Centers
of Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) Manual 4390 and Title 9, California
Code of Regulations, Section 1810.222.1. that is published annually by
Licensing and Certification Division/Mental Health Licensing Section. The
IMD List will be updated annually in January, and more frequently,
if necessary.
Seclusion and Restraint
Senate Bill 130, Chapter 750, Statutes of 2003, amended the Health and Safety Code, adding §1180 that mandates the Department of Health Care Services to collect data for Psychiatric Health Facilities (PHFs) and Mental Health Rehabilitation Centers (MHRCs) regarding the use of seclusion and restraint (S&R), and to make the data publicly accessible on the Internet.
The S&R data collected and published annually on this website include all of the following:
- the number of deaths that occur while persons are in seclusion or behavioral restraints, or where it is reasonable to assume that a death was proximately related to the use of seclusion or behavioral restraints;
- the number of serious injuries sustained by persons while in seclusion or subject to behavioral restraints;
- the number of serious injuries sustained by staff that occur during the use of seclusion or behavioral restraints;
- the number of incidents of seclusion;
- the number of incidents of use of behavioral restraints;
- the duration of time spent per incident in seclusion;
- the duration of time spent per incident subject to behavioral restraints;
- the number of times an involuntary emergency medication is used to control behavior.
Seclusion and Restraint Definitions
Seclusion and Restraint Data Reports
Contact Information
Main MHL Section Phone Number
MHL
Section Email Address | (916)
323-1864
MHLC@dhcs.ca.gov |
UOR Report Line
UOR
Email Address | (916) 327-8378
MHUOR@dhcs.ca.gov |
| Fax | (916) 440-5600 |
