Behavioral Health, Section 2. General Program Standards
$149
A course will expire on 06/30/2024
Leads to certification with duration:
1 year
CARF Standards (2023 SMY) / BH

Behavioral Health, Section 2. General Program Standards

For an organization to achieve quality services, the persons served are active participants in the planning, prioritization, implementation, and ongoing evaluation of the services offered. A commitment to quality and the involvement of the persons served span the entire time that the persons served are involved with the organization. The service planning process is individualized, establishing goals and objectives that incorporate the unique strengths, needs, abilities, and preferences of the persons served. The persons served have the opportunity to transition easily through a system of care.  

Curriculum content

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    This 2023 course focuses on program/service design, structure, and staffing, and how these support participation of the persons served and achievement of quality outcomes. It also addresses standards related to peer support services that include competency-based training, ethical codes, direct service activities, and inclusion of peer support specialists in designing and implementing services.

    • Lesson 2.A. Program/Service Structure (BH)

  • This 2023 course focuses on screening and assessment as an individualized process that determines a person’s eligibility for services and the organization’s ability to provide them. Standards within this course focus on an individualized assessment process that maximizes opportunities for the persons served to gain access to the organization’s programs and services. Programs minimize wait times, use standardized and appropriate admission criteria, and ensure that persons are oriented to the program and understand exactly what will happen as services are delivered.

  • This 2023 course focuses on the person-centered planning process, highlighting practices that support active involvement of the person served in determining the direction of their plan. Through this process, programs engage persons served in planning and directing their services, and individualized strengths, needs, abilities, and preferences are reflected in the plan and addressed through service delivery.

  • This 2023 course focuses on how programs utilize planning, preparation, and proactive follow-up to ensure the safety of persons served, support their ongoing well-being, and facilitate continuity of care.

  • This 2023 course focuses on practices applicable to programs that provide medication control, administration, or prescribing. Medication control is the process of physically controlling, storing, transporting, and disposing of medications, including self-administered medications. Medication administration refers to the process of preparing and giving of prescription and nonprescription medications by authorized and trained personnel to the person served. Prescribing is the result of an evaluation that determines if there is a need for medication and what medication is to be used in the treatment of the person served.

  • This 2023 course focuses on how programs strive to provide a safe, nurturing, and supportive environment and only employ seclusion and/or restraint as a last resort. Content addresses use of seclusion and/or restraint by trained and competent staff in accordance with procedures and legal protocols in order to mitigate risk to the person served and others.

  • This 2023 course focuses on how a complete and accurate record is developed to ensure that all appropriate individuals have access to relevant clinical and other information regarding each person served.

  • This 2023 course focuses on systems and procedures that provide for the ongoing monitoring of the quality, appropriateness, and utilization of services provided. This is largely accomplished through a systematic review of the records of the persons served that assists the program in improving the quality of services provided to each person served.

  • This 2023 course focuses on standards related to delivering individualized services through information and communication technologies. Standards address written procedures; training provided to personnel, persons served, and families/support systems; considerations related to privacy/confidentiality; equipment maintenance; and emergency procedures.