Pa. Code 5230.51

Staff qualifications

This regulation establishes minimum staff qualifications for directors, psychiatric rehabilitation specialists, workers, and assistants employed by Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services (PRS) agencies licensed under 55 Pa. Code Chapter 5230. Requirements vary by role and by the age group served (adults 18+ or adolescents ages 14–17), with specific degree, work experience, and certification (CPRP or CFRP) requirements for each position. Agencies serving both age groups must ensure directors and specialists hold both certifications. Degree credentials must come from accredited institutions or be evaluated by recognized foreign credential evaluation services.

55 Pa. Code § 5230.51 - Staff qualifications 

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(a)
 A
 director of a PRS agency that serves individuals 18 years of age or older shall
 have one of the following: 
(1)
 A bachelor's
 degree and CPRP certification.

(2)

 A bachelor's degree and at least 3 years work experience in mental health
 direct service, 2 years of which must be work experience in PRS. CPRP
 certification shall be attained within 2 years of hire as a PRS
 director.

(3)
 An associate's degree
 and CPRP certification, if employed as the PRS director of a licensed PRS
 facility for at least 6 months immediately prior to May 11,
 2013.

(b)
 A psychiatric
 rehabilitation specialist who works with individuals 18 years of age or older
 shall have one of the following: 
(1)
 A
 bachelor's degree and 2 years work experience in mental health direct service,
 1 year of which must be work experience in PRS. CPRP certification shall be
 attained within 2 years from the date of hire as a psychiatric rehabilitation
 specialist.

(2)
 CPRP
 certification.

(c)
 A
 psychiatric rehabilitation worker shall have one of the following: 
 
(1)
 A bachelor's degree.

(2)
 An associate's degree and 1 year work
 experience in mental health direct service.

(3)
 A CPS certificate and 1 additional year
 paid or volunteer work experience in mental health direct service.

(4)
 A high school diploma or GED and 2 years
 work experience in human services which must include 1 year of mental health
 direct service.

(d)
 A
 psychiatric rehabilitation assistant shall have a high school diploma or GED
 and 6 months experience in human services.

(e)
 A director of a PRS agency that serves
 individuals 14 years of age or older but under 18 years of age shall have one
 of the following:
(1)
 A bachelor's degree and
 CFRP certification.

(2)
 A
 bachelor's degree and at least 3 years work experience in mental health direct
 service, 2 years of which must be work experience in PRS. CFRP certification
 shall be attained within 2 years of hire as a PRS director or within 2 years of
 the date the PRS agency received approval of its service description that
 identifies that it will be serving individuals 14 years of age or older but
 under 18 years of age, whichever is later.

(f)
 A psychiatric rehabilitation specialist
 who works with individuals 14 years of age or older but under 18 years of age
 shall have one of the following: 
(1)
 A
 bachelor's degree and 2 years work experience in mental health direct service,
 1 year of which must be work experience in PRS. CFRP certification shall be
 attained either within 2 years from the date of hire as a psychiatric
 rehabilitation specialist or within 2 years of the date the PRS agency received
 approval of its service description that identifies that it will be serving
 individuals 14 years of age or older but under 18 years of age, whichever is
 later.

(2)
 CFRP
 certification.

(g)
 An
 associate's degree or bachelor's degree must be awarded by a college or
 university accredited by an agency recognized by the United States Department
 of Education or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation, or an
 equivalent degree from a foreign college or university that has been evaluated
 by the Association of International Credential Evaluators, Inc., or the
 National Association of Credential Evaluation Services. The Department will
 accept a general equivalency report from the listed evaluator agencies to
 verify a foreign degree or its equivalency.

(h)
 If the PRS agency serves both individuals
 18 years of age or older and individuals 14 years of age or older but under 18
 years of age, the director and the psychiatric rehabilitation specialists shall
 have both a CPRP certification and a CFRP certification.

Notes

55

 Pa. Code §
 
5230.51

Amended by
 
Pennsylvania
 Bulletin, Vol. 55, No. 03, January 18, 2025
, effective
 
1/18/2025

This section cited in 55 Pa. Code §
 
5230.52
 (relating to general
 staffing requirements).

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