Staffing Model For Federally Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic Demonstration Includes Occupational Therapists
In the new rules for Federally Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHC), occupational therapists will be recognized as mental health practitioners. The federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued guidance about the CCBHC demonstration program on May 14, 2015. Additionally, federal House Resolution (HR) 1761, the Occupational Therapy in Mental Health Act, introduced in April 2015, modifies federal statute to define occupational therapists as mental health practitioners.
Currently, the federal definition of mental health professionals includes, "health service psychologists, licensed clinical social workers, licensed professional counselors, marriage and family therapists, psychiatric nurse specialists, and psychiatrists," according to Federal . . .