Effective October 1, 2023, all substance use disorder (SUD) providers in the District of Columbia must obtain and maintain accreditation in good standing from CARF, COA, or TJC, following a phased timeline that began with application submission by December 15, 2022. Accreditation does not waive compliance with any departmental standards, and the Department retains full authority to monitor and enforce all chapter requirements. SUD providers must submit proof of each accreditation milestone to the Department.
View official source6351 BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ACCREDITATION 6351.1 Effective October 1, 2023, all SUD providers shall obtain and maintain in good standing behavioral health accreditation with at least one (1) of the following organizations: the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF), the Council on Accreditation (COA), or The Joint Commission (TJC). 6351.2 The timeline for SUD providers to obtain accreditation in accordance with § 6351.1 shall be as follows: By December 15, 2022, all SUD providers must submit an accreditation application to CARF, COA, or TJC and provide proof of the submission to the Department; By April 30, 2023, all SUD providers must obtain a letter of good standing from CARF, COA, or TJC and submit a copy to the Department; and By October 1, 2023, all SUD providers must be fully accredited with CARF, COA, or TJC and submit proof of accreditation to the Department. 6351.3 Accreditation through CARF, COA, or TJC shall not provide a waiver to SUD 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 62 DCR 12056 (September 4, 2015); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 67 DCR 011585 (October 9, 2020); as amended by 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 § 6351