Effective October 1, 2023, all Free-Standing Mental Health Clinic (FSMHC) providers in DC must obtain and maintain accreditation with CARF, COA, or TJC, following a phased timeline beginning with application submission by December 15, 2022. Accreditation does not waive compliance with any departmental standards, and the DC Department of Behavioral Health retains full monitoring and enforcement authority over FSMHCs.
View official source3015 BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ACCREDITATION 3015.1 Effective October 1, 2023, all Free-Standing Mental Health Clinic (FSMHC) providers shall obtain and maintain in good standing behavioral health accreditation with at least one (1) of the following organizations: the Commission Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF), the Council on Accreditation (COA), or The Joint Commission (TJC). 3015.2 The timeline for FSMHC providers to obtain accreditation in accordance with § 3015.1 shall be as follows: By December 15, 2022, all FSMHC providers shall submit an accreditation application to CARF, COA, or TJC and provide proof of the submission to the Department; By April 30, 2023, all FSMHC providers shall obtain a letter of good standing from CARF, COA, or TJC and submit a copy to the Department; and By October 1, 2023, all FSMHC providers shall be fully accredited with CARF, COA, or TJC and submit proof of accreditation to the Department. 3015.3 Accreditation through CARF, COA, or TJC shall not provide a waiver to FSMHC providers for any of the standards delineated in this chapter. The Department shall retain authority to monitor for and enforce compliance with all standards established in this chapter. SOURCE: Final Rulemaking published at 70 DCR 003050 (March 10, 2023); as corrected by Errata Notice published at 71 DCR 004474 (April 19, 2024). District of Columbia Municipal Regulations Mental Health 22-A DCMR § 3015