NBCC/ACA/AMHCA Alert: New Army Directive Authorizes Counselor Independent Practice/Army Hiring More Counselors
NBCC, ACA and AMHCA are pleased to announce that on July 26, 2011, Secretary of the Army John M. McHugh signed Army Directive 2011-09, Employment of Licensed Professional Counselors as Fully Functioning Army Substance Abuse Program Practitioners. This directive authorizes “the Army Substance Abuse Program to employ licensed professional counselors and licensed mental health counselors as independent practitioners with a well-defined scope of practice.”
The directive also establishes credentialing and privileging standards for licensed counselors who seek employment through the Army Substance Abuse Program (ASAP). click here to read more
Implementation Update #89 has been posted to the DMH/DD/SAS website.
- Medicaid Waiver Strategic Plan
- MH/DD/SAS Integrated Care Toolkit
- CABHA Monitoring
- Electronic Submission of Prior Authorization
- Quality of Care Update
- IRIS Updates for FY 2012
- Independent Assessment for CST
- Proposed Changes to Medicaid Policy 8C
- Clarification of NCCI & Enrollment
- Outpatient Billing "Incident to" a Physician
- Perception of Care Surveys
- CAP-MR/DD and MFP Slots
- Press Release on Health Care Fraud
State Waiver Strategic Plan Input
The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) seeks your ideas and feedback as we begin developing a strategic plan for implementing the 1915 (b)/(c) Medicaid Waiver statewide as required in House Bill 916. An “initial draft” of a State Waiver Strategic Plan has been compiled that identifies six strategic objectives with action steps and milestones for your consideration. The final strategic plan is due to DHHS by September 1 and to the NC General Assembly by October 1, 2011.
We invite all stakeholders, service recipients, families, advocates, LMEs, providers and the general public to send written input to CommentsDraftWaiverStrategic@dhhs.nc.gov no later than Monday, August 15, 2011. We are also seeking input from several advisory groups. DHHS is grateful for your interest and participation in this process.
http://www.ncdhhs.gov/mhddsas/waiver/draftwaiver.htm
The Professional Association Council (PAC), a group composed of mental health professional leaders including representatives from LPCANC, developed the questions on the new 1915(b)(c) waivers in North Carolina. The answers are provided by the Department of Health and Human Services. 1915(b)(c) waivers use a funding model based on the LME's per person cost for the Medicaid population. The following is a link to information on 1915(b)(c) waivers from the Division of Medical Assistance's website 1915(b)(c) waivers.
Questions & Answer Sheet
Update on Unmanaged Visits for Children: Outpatient Behavioral Health Therapy Providers
As a result of action by the General Assembly, the 26 unmanaged outpatient behavioral health therapy visits limit for children will decrease to 16 unmanaged visits.
Prior authorization will be required for all outpatient services for children after the 16th visit. As a reminder, prior authorization will continue to be required for adults after the 8th visit.
To ease the transition for providers and recipients, this change will now be effective January 1, 2011, to correspond with the new benefit year.
The Department of Veterans Affairs Recognizes Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselors!
Click here for details.
Update on Medicaid Unmanaged Visits for Children
As a result of action by the General Assembly, the 26 unmanaged Medicaid outpatient behavioral health therapy visits limit for children will decrease to 16 unmanaged visits. Prior authorization will be required for all outpatient services for children after the 16th visit. As a reminder, prior authorization will continue to be required for adults after the 8th visit. To ease the transition for providers and recipients, this change will now be effective January 1, 2011, to correspond with the new benefit year.
LPC omission in Children's Development Service Agency policies. Click here for details.
North Carolina Office of State Personnel has added permanent job classifications for Licensed Professional Counselors
Click here for details.
LPCANC Successfully Advocates for a New North Carolina Department of Insurance Policy on Licensed Professional Counselor Associates Click here for details.
Extension of Coverage for Provisionally Licensed Providers Billing Outpatient Behavioral Health Services through the Local Management Entity
The deadline for coverage of provisionally licensed providers delivering outpatient behavioral health services as a reimbursable service under Medicaid and state funds and billed through the Local Management Entity (LME) has been extended to June 30, 2011. Click here to see details from NC Div of Mental Health's Implementation Update #70 (go to page 9).
North Carolina Office of Administrative Hearings has published final version of rulemaking re: LPC's, LPC- Associates and LPC-Supervisor.
Please click here then go to Issue 15 - 02/01/2010. Here you can choose document or pdf file version. You will find the administrative rules information on page 1277.
LPC Act Amendment FAQ's
Click here for details...
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