1. (1) General staff qualifications. Program staff retained to provide services at a CCF shall be qualified as follows:

   1. (a) Psychiatrists shall be licensed to practice medicine in Wisconsin under ch. 448, Stats., and be certified by the medical examining board to practice as a psychiatrist.
   2. (b) Psychologists shall be licensed to practice in Wisconsin under ch. 455, Stats.
   3. (c) Psychology residents shall hold a doctoral degree in psychology meeting the requirements of s. 455.04 (1) (c), Stats.
   4. (d) Psychiatric residents shall hold a doctoral degree in medicine and be in training to become a psychiatrist.
   5. (e) Physicians shall be licensed and board certified to practice medicine or osteopathy under ch. 448, Stats.
   6. (f) Physician assistants shall be certified and registered pursuant to ss. 448.05 and 448.07, Stats.
   7. (g) Nurse practitioners or clinical specialists shall hold a current license as a registered nurse under ch. 441, Stats., hold a master’s degree from an accredited graduate school of nursing, and be board certified by an applicable national nurse certifying body.
   8. (h) Advanced practice nurse prescribers certified under ch. N 8 shall be nurse practitioners or clinical specialists, hold a current license as a registered nurse under ch. 441, Stats., hold a master’s degree from an accredited graduate school of nursing, and be board-certified by an applicable national nurse certifying body.
   9. (i) Registered nurses shall meet the qualifications established in ch. 441, Stats., and be certified by the board of nursing.
   10. (j) Licensed practical nurses shall be licensed under 441, Stats.
   11. (k) Nursing assistants shall be certified in the department’s registry of nurse aids.
   12. (L) Certified social workers, certified advance practice social workers and certified independent social workers shall meet the qualifications established in ch. 457, Stats., and chs. MPSW 1, 3, 6,19, and 20 and have received certification by the examining board of social workers, marriage and family therapists and professional counselors.
   13. (m) Licensed clinical social workers shall meet the qualifications established in ch. 457, Stats., and be licensed by the examining board of social workers, marriage and family therapists and professional counselors with 3,000 hours of supervised clinical experience where the majority of clients are children or adults with mental disorders or substance-use disorders.
   14. (n) Professional counselors and marriage and family therapists shall meet the qualifications established in ch. 457, Stats., and be certified by the examining board of social workers, marriage and family therapists and professional counselors.
   15. (o) Master’s level clinicians shall have a master’s degree and coursework in areas directly related to providing mental health services including master’s in clinical psychology, psychology, school or educational psychology, rehabilitation psychology, counseling and guidance, counseling psychology or social work.
   16. (p) Other qualified mental health professionals shall have at least a bachelor’s degree in a relevant area of education or human services and a minimum of 6 months of combined experience providing mental health services, or work experience and training equivalent to a bachelor’s degree including a minimum of 4 years of work experience providing mental health services.

   17. (q) Substance abuse counselors shall meet any of the following qualifications:

       1. 1. A clinical substance abuse counselor as defined in s. SPS 160.02 (5).
       2. 2. A substance abuse counselor as defined in s. SPS 160.02 (26).
       3. 3. A substance abuse counselor-in-training as defined in s. SPS 160.02 (27).
       4. 4. An individual who holds a physician, psychologist, clinical social worker, marriage and family therapist, or professional counselor license, or an advanced practice social worker certificate or independent social worker certificate granted under chs. 448, 455, 457, Stats., and practices within their scope.

   18. (r) Certified peer specialist shall meet all the following qualifications:

       1. 1. Lived experience with mental illness or substance use disorders, or both.
       2. 2. Completed the Wisconsin certified peer specialist training and passed the examination.

   19. (s) Certified parent peer specialist shall meet all the following qualifications:

       1. 1. Lived experience caring for an individual with mental illness or substance use disorders, or both.
       2. 2. Completed the Wisconsin certified parent peer specialist training and passed the examination.
   20. (t) Peer recovery coaches shall meet the training and experience requirements in subch. II of ch. DHS 72.
   21. (u) Specialists in specific areas of therapeutic assistance, such as recreational, art, and music therapies, shall have complied with the appropriate certification or registration procedures for their profession as required by state statute or administrative rule or the governing body regulating their profession.
   22. (v) Occupational therapists and assistants shall meet the requirements of subch. VII of ch. 448, Stats.
   23. (w) Behavioral health technicians or similarly titled staff providing direct client care and serving in a clinically supportive role shall be paraprofessionals who are employed based on personal aptitude and life experience which demonstrates their ability to provide effective emergency behavioral health services and have professional health care experience.

2. (2) Required personnel. A CCF shall have all of the following minimum staff positions at staffing levels identified in their staffing plan:

   1. (a) Treatment or medical director. A CCF shall have a treatment or medical director who is qualified under sub. (1) (a) or (b) and responsible for all of the following:

      1. 1. Assuming clinical responsibility and direction for the provision of care.
      2. 2. Providing clinical psychiatric services consistent with their scope of practice.
      3. 3. Assuming responsibilities afforded a treatment director which are consistent with ch. 51, Stats.
   2. (b) Nursing administrator. A CCF shall have a nursing administrator who is qualified under sub. (1) (e) to (i), and responsible for the medical health services provided by the program. The nursing administrator shall also be responsible for ensuring that all staff members providing medical health services have the qualifications required for their role in the program and comply with all requirements relating to medical and physical health assessment, treatment planning, service delivery, and documentation.

   3. (c) Clinical director. A CCF shall have a clinical director who is qualified under sub. (1) (a), (b), (m) or (n) who is responsible for all of the following:

      1. 1. The day-to-day clinical crisis services provided by the program.
      2. 2. Ensuring that staff providing these services have the qualifications required for their role in a CCF and comply with all requirements relating to crisis assessment, care planning, service delivery, and documentation.

   4. (d) Program administrator. A CCF shall have a program administrator who is responsible for all of the following:

      1. 1. Administration and overall operation of a CCF.
      2. 2. Ensuring that appropriate policies and procedures for services are developed and carried out in compliance with this chapter.
      3. 3. Administrative oversight of the job performance and action of service staff.
      4. 4. Compliance with regulations governing the care and treatment of clients and the standards of practice for behavioral health professionals.

3. (3) Permissible dual roles.

   1. (a) The treatment director under sub. (2) (a) may also serve as the clinical director under sub. (2) (c).
   2. (b) The treatment director, nursing administrator, or clinical director under sub. (2) (a), (b), or (c) may also serve as the program administrator under sub. (2) (d).
4. (4) Background checks. A CCF shall comply with the criminal history and patient abuse record search requirements in s. 50.065, Stats.

History

History: EmR2507: emerg. cr., eff. 6-16-25; CR 25-051: cr. Register February 2026 No. 842, eff. 3-1-26; correction in (1) (h), (m), (p), (q) 4., (v), (2) (c) (intro.) made under s. 35.17, Stats., Register February 2026 No. 842.