Health, Department of

Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Services

Chapter 5: Community Mental Health or Substance Use Disorder Treatment Centers: Professional Standards for Personnel and Service Quality

Effective Date: 04/09/2020 to 09/18/2024

Rule Type: Superceded Rules & Regulations

Reference Number: 048.0077.5.04092020

Chapter 5

Community Mental Health or Substance Use Disorder Treatment Centers: Professional Standards for Personnel and Service Quality

Section 1. Purpose and Applicability.

(a) This Chapter:

(i) Establishes professional standards for personnel providing behavioral health services purchased in whole or in part by the Department in a community mental health or substance use disorder treatment center; and

(ii) Prescribes standards for the quality of behavioral health services provided by community mental health or substance use disorder treatment centers purchased in whole or in part by the Department.

(b) This Chapter applies to all community mental health or substance use disorder treatment centers whose services are purchased by the Department, in whole or in part, under the Community Human Services Act, Wyoming Statutes 35-1-611 to -627.

Section 2. Personnel Standards.

(a) A community mental health or substance use disorder treatment center shall employ an executive director on a full-time basis.

(i) An individual may not serve as an executive director unless the individual:

(A) Is qualified clinical staff and has a minimum of two (2) years of relevant experience in behavioral health services management or administration; or

(B) Has an advanced degree in a health related or business field and a minimum of two (2) years of relevant experience in behavioral health services management or administration.

(ii) Regardless of the criteria imposed under subsection (a)(i) of this Section, an executive director employed prior to the effective date of these Rules is eligible to continue in the executive director role at his or her current place of employment on the date these Rules become effective.

(b) A community mental health or substance use disorder treatment center shall ensure that:

(i) Only qualified clinical staff provide the clinical services purchased in whole or in part by the Department; and (ii) All qualified clinical staff receive training necessary for billing services to Medicaid.

(c) A community mental health or substance use disorder treatment center shall:

(i) Designate a peer specialist; and

(ii) Ensure the designated peer specialist receives the training required to bill peer specialist services to Wyoming Medicaid.

Section 3. Service Quality.

(a) A community mental health or substance use disorder treatment center shall:

(i) Be certified according to Chapter 2 of these Rules;

(ii) Utilize evidence-based practices and promising practices;

(iii) Guarantee each client’s right to an individualized plan of appropriate services which provides for treatment in the least restrictive environment that may reasonably be expected to benefit the client;

(iv) Develop processes to manage wait lists or practice same day access;

(v) Develop practices which result in high quality services as demonstrated in positive, cost effective client outcomes that are determined by the Department in collaboration with providers;

(vi) Provide integrated mental health or substance use disorder treatment services that are coordinated with primary care as applicable; and

(vii) Gather and use client feedback to improve the quality of care.

Section 4. Variances.

(a) A community mental health or substance use disorder treatment center may request a variance from the Department of any standard imposed under Section 2 of this Chapter.

(i) A variance is a permanent change to a required standard and may be requested at any time.

(ii) A request for variance must be made in writing and signed by the chair of the governing board.

(iii) A request for variance must establish how the variance will maintain or enhance the quality of a center’s operations and client services.

(b) The Administrator reserves absolute discretion in considering and granting a request for variance.

(i) The Administrator shall communicate to the provider, their decision in writing on a variance request and if denied, grounds for denial.

(ii) If the Administrator grants a variance request, the requesting provider shall keep a copy of the Administrator’s decision as part of the provider’s records.

(iii) If the Administrator denies a variance request, the Administrator’s denial is final and not subject to administrative review.