This rule establishes minimum qualifications and responsibilities for individuals designated as 'essential treatment examiners' in Utah, who perform evaluations related to involuntary commitment and essential treatment proceedings under state law. Qualifying practitioners include physicians (preferably psychiatrists) and licensed clinical mental health counselors who hold designated examiner certification or have specialty training with at least five years of substance use disorder experience. The rule governs individual practitioner designation, not the licensing or operating standards of any specific facility or level of care.
View official sourceR523. Health and Human Services, Substance Use and Mental Health. R523-16. Essential Treatment Examiners. R523-16-1. Authority and Purpose. (1) Subsections 26B-5-104(2) and 26B-5-501(2) authorize this rule. (2) This rule establishes minimum standards for an essential treatment examiner. R523-16-2. Definitions. (1) "Essential treatment examiner" means the same as defined in Subsection 26B-5-501(2). (2) "Specialty training" means completion of the designated examiner certification training described in Rule R523-7 or another training recognized by the Division of Integrated Healthcare (division). R523-16-3. Essential Treatment Examiner Qualifications and Responsibilities. (1) The division shall designate an individual as specially qualified by training to perform the function of an essential treatment examiner, as described in Title 26B, Chapter 5, Part 5, Essential Treatment and Intervention, if that individual is: (a) a physician, as defined in Section 58-67-102, preferably a psychiatrist, as defined in Section 58-1-111; or (b) a licensed clinical mental health counselor, as described in Section 58-60-405, who: (i) holds a current designated examiner certification through the Office of Substance Use and Mental Health (office); or (ii) has received specialty training and has at least five years of continual experience diagnosing and treating substance use disorders. (2) An individual may contact the office to learn whether the division recognizes a training other than the training described in Rule R523-7 as a specialty training. KEY: essential treatment examiners, involuntary commitment, substance use Date of Last Change: February 17, 2026 Notice of Continuation: April 6, 2023 Authorizing, and Implemented or Interpreted Law: 26B-5-104(2); 26B-5-501(2)