A provider offering transition planning services under DC Department of Behavioral Health must give the Department at least 90 days' written notice before discontinuing services, or immediate notice if discontinuation is imminent. The notice must include a continuity of care plan and record preservation plans, which the Department will review and may require modifications to. Even after discontinuation, the provider remains legally obligated to preserve, maintain, and make client records available upon request.
View official source6506 PROVIDER DISCONTINUATION OF SERVICES 6506.1 A transition planning provider shall provide written notification to the Department at least ninety (90) calendar days before its discontinuation of the transition planning service, or immediately upon knowledge of an impending discontinuation of service less than ninety (90) calendar days in the future. This notification shall include plans for continuity of care for current clients/consumers and preservation of clients’/consumers’ records. 6506.2 The Department shall review the continuity of care plan and make recommendations to the provider. The provider shall incorporate all Department recommendations necessary to ensure a safe and orderly transfer of care. 6506.3 Discontinuation of the transition planning service does not absolve a provider from its legal responsibilities regarding the preservation and storage of client/consumer records as described in §§ 6509.6, 6509.8, and 6509.9, and all other applicable Federal and District laws and regulations. A provider shall take all necessary and appropriate measures to ensure client/consumer records are preserved, maintained, and made available to the clients/consumers upon request after discontinuation of services. SOURCE: Final Rulemaking published at 68 DCR 876 (January 15, 2021). District of Columbia Municipal Regulations Mental Health 22-A DCMR § 6506