75-03-44-16. Availability and accessibility of services.

1. The certified clinic shall provide a safe, functional, clean, sanitary, and welcoming environment for individuals, staff, and contracted staff, if applicable, conducive to the provision of services identified in sections 75-03-44-25 through 75-03-44-36. The certified clinic shall operate nicotine-free campuses.

2. As informed by the community needs assessment, the certified clinic shall ensure services are provided during times that facilitate accessibility and meet the needs of the population served by the certified clinic, including some evening and weekend hours.

3. As informed by the community needs assessment, the certified clinic shall provide services at locations that ensure accessibility and meet the needs of the population to be served, such as settings in the community, including rural areas and reservations, and, as appropriate and feasible, in the homes of individuals.

4. The certified clinic shall provide transportation or transportation vouchers for individuals to the extent possible with relevant funding or programs in order to facilitate access to services in alignment with the person-centered and family-centered treatment plan.

5. To the extent possible, the certified clinic shall use telehealth, telemedicine, videoconferencing, remote patient monitoring, asynchronous interventions, or other technologies in alignment with the preferences of the individual to support access to all required services.

6. As informed by the community needs assessment, the certified clinic shall conduct outreach, engagement, and retention activities to support inclusion and access for individuals and populations.

7. Services provided by a certified clinic are subject to all state standards for the provision of both voluntary and court-ordered behavioral health services.

8. The certified clinic shall have a continuity of operations and disaster plan to ensure the certified clinic is able to effectively notify staff, individuals, and health care and community partners if a disaster or emergency occurs or if services are disrupted. The certified clinic, to the extent feasible, shall identify alternative locations and methods to sustain service delivery and access to behavioral health medications during a disaster, emergency, or disruption of services. The certified clinic's plan must also address health information technology systems security, ransomware protection, and backup and access to the information technology systems, including health records, in case of disaster, emergency, or disruption of service.

History: Effective April 1, 2026.

General Authority: NDCC 50-06-05.2, 50-06-41.4