Accreditation and Deemed Status

Accreditation Rule Requirement

Ohio Administrative Code (OAC) 5122-25-02 (A)(D) requires an agency seeking certification for one or more of the following services to attain appropriate behavioral health accreditation prior to submitting an application for certification:

1. Behavioral health counseling and therapy service
2. Mental health assessment service
3. Pharmacologic management service
4. Partial hospitalization service
5. Crisis intervention mental health service
6. Community psychiatric supportive treatment (CPST) service

An agency may, but is not required to, obtain accreditation for the following services and apply for deemed status:

1. Intensive home based treatment (IHBT) service and/or
2. Assertive community treatment (ACT) service

Accreditation does not replace certification. An accredited agency must apply for certification by the Department for each mental health service in which it is seeking certification, and for each site at which it provides certified mental health services.

Additional information is available for agencies interested in obtaining certification by ODMH as a community mental health agency in the Behavioral Health Accreditation Information Sheet.

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Definition of Appropriate Behavioral Health Accreditation

ODMH issues a behavioral health accreditation crosswalk (large file) that lists the accrediting body programs/services for which an agency seeking ODMH certification must pursue accreditation. ODMH is not flexible on these programs/services even when an accrediting body offers choices. Furthermore, CARF, COA and TJC cannot waive this requirement on behalf of the Department. An agency may request a variance to “substitute” a different accrediting body program/service when it believes the program/service standards better meets the agency program description and rule intent. An agency is advised to do so prior to its accrediting body survey to ensure compliance.

Deemed Status

Deemed status essentially means “evidence of compliance". When the Department grants deemed status to an agency, it is accepting the agency’s appropriate behavioral health accreditation as evidence of compliance with the ODMH certification standards which are not exempt from deemed status. The following certification standards are exempt from deemed status:

1. Seclusion and Restraint (where ODMH has more restrictive or additional standards)
2. Incident notification (reporting major unusual incidents to ODMH)
3. Client Rights and Abuse
4. Consumer Outcomes
5. Requirement for agencies to submit a semi-annual PI survey
6. Uniform Cost Reporting
7. Intensive Home Based Treatment service (application & certification process, fidelity score reporting and additional consumer outcomes)
8. Assertive Community Treatment service (application & certification process, fidelity score reporting and additional consumer outcomes)

Please see OAC 5122-25-03 (A)(1) (large file) to review the rule in its entirety.

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Accrediting Bodies Recognized by ODMH

An agency can choose from one of the following accrediting organizations:

Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF)
4891 E. Grant Rd.
Tucson, AZ 85712
CARF Ohio Contact: Nancy Bradley
888.281.6531, Ext. 7145
nbradley@carf.org

Council on Accreditation for Children and Family Services (COA)
120 Wall Street, 11th Floor
New York, NY 10005
COA Ohio Contact: Joseph Seone, Director of Client Relations
866.262.8088, ext. 263

The Joint Commission (TJC)
One Renaissance Blvd.
Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181
TJC Ohio Contact: Peggy Lavin
630.792.5411
peggylavin@jointcommission.org

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