State-Funded Service Definitions

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Service Definitions describe the services that providers can be paid for in the state's public system of the Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Use Services (DMHDDSUS).

2024 State-Funded Enhanced Mental Health and Substance Use Services 

2024 State-Funded Mental Health and Substance Use Services - EFFECTIVE DATE: 10/1/24 

Please note that the “substance use” language has not been changed to remain in compliance with General Statute.  Utilization of more acceptable, less stigmatizing language is supported and used wherever possible.

  • November 1, 2019: The State-Funded Enhanced MH/SU Services 2019 document revision removed the Community Support Team (CST) service definition from the document. Community Support Team is now a standalone service definition located below.
  • December 15, 2019: The State-Funded Enhanced MH/SU Services 2019 document, State-Funded ACT Service, State-Funded Facility-Based Crisis-Child and State-Funded Community Support Team were amended to include a statement that the Division of MH/DD/SUS will not reimburse for conversion therapy per Executive Order # 97.  Additionally, a statement providing guidance to providers utilizing the Diagnostic Classification of Mental Health and Developmental Disorders of Infancy and Early Childhood (DC:0–5) manual was added to the State-Funded Enhanced MH/SU Services 2019 document and State-Funded Facility-Based Crisis-Child service definition.
  • November 1, 2021:  The State-Funded Enhanced Mental Health and Substance Use Services 2021 was amended to remove Diagnostic Assessment which is now a stand alone service definition policy, remove limit on billable units in a 24-hour period in MST and provide a clarification in the Outpatient Opioid treatment service definition policy.  The State-Funded FBC-Child service definition policy was amended to include telehealth language, increase number of days the service can be provided in a 12-month period and amend supervision requirements.  Additionally, the new standalone State-Funded Diagnostic Assessment service definition policy was published including telehealth clarification and ASAM language.
  • April 1, 2022:  The State-Funded Enhanced Mental Health and Substance Use Services 2022 document has several amendments, including but not limited to, the following: adding a Telehealth Services section (Section 3.1.1); updating the State-Funded Service Summary chart; replacing “face-to-face” with “in-person” language throughout the document; adding language regarding licensed and certified professionals in compliance with NCGA Session Law 2019-240 Senate Bill 537; revising length of stay in several service definition policies; and revising the Outpatient Opioid Treatment Payment Unit Section.  Please see Section 8 Policy Implementation for a detailed list of amendments.
  • May 15, 2022:  The State-Funded Facility-Based Crisis- Child service definition clinical policy was amended as follows: Subsection 5.3 a.: Added “or Licensed Practical Nurse under the supervision of a registered nurse” and Subsection 6.2 c. & b.1.: Removed “on-site”.
  • August 1, 2022:  The State-Funded Enhanced MH/SU Services 2022 document revision deleted the following from Section 8: Attachment D, Medically Supervised or ADATC Detoxification Crisis Stabilization Deleted “30” and replaced with “45” in the Service Exclusions section.  
  • February 15, 2023:  The State-Funded Enhanced Mental Health and Substance Use Services document was revised to include the following:  1) technical, non-substantive language changes throughout the policy and 2) substantive policy changes to the Mobile Crisis Management service definition clinical policy (see Section 8 pages 17-18 for a list of amendments).
  • February 15, 2023: The State-Funded Diagnostic Assessment service definition clinical policy has been revised to include the following: 1) technical, non-substantive language changes, 2) to add Federally recognized tribal or Indian Health Service provider language, and  3) to add ASAM level of care requirement for diagnostic assessment, ASAM training clarification with required learning objectives and minimum training hours. 
  • March 6, 2023: On Feb. 15, 2023, NC Medicaid and DMH/DD/SUS issued a bulletin that outlined new requirements for Mobile Crisis Management for both Medicaid Clinical Coverage Policy 8A and State Funded Policy to be effective Feb. 15, 2023. 
    • Due to workforce shortages, we are delaying the implementation of these new requirements. The previous policies have been posted to our clinical coverage/service definition pages and the previous requirements will continue effective Feb. 15, 2023, while we develop a path forward.  
    • September 25, 2023: The State-Funded Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services 2023 document was revised effective September 15, 2023 to include technical changes to the following: 1) Intensive In Home, 2) Psychosocial Rehabilitation, 3) Child and Adolescent Day Treatment and 4) Partial Hospitalization.  A summary of the technical changes can be found under Section 8.0 Policy Implementation (Page 17).
  • October 15, 2023: The State-Funded Opioid Treatment Program Service standalone service definition policy has been posted.  Additionally, the 2023 State-Funded Enhanced Mental Health and Substance Use Services document has been amended to remove the Outpatient Opioid Treatment service definition and all related references to the policy.  This document was also updated to change substance “abuse” to “use”, where possible, in accordance with legislative changes.  Please note: There are still instances where “abuse” has not been changed, in rule or otherwise, that require it to remain at this time.
  • February 1, 2024: The following standalone service definition policies have been posted:  State-Funded Ambulatory WM Without Extended Onsite Monitoring Service, State-Funded Ambulatory WM With Extended Onsite Monitoring Service, State-Funded Clinically Managed Residential Withdrawal Management Service and State-Funded Medically Monitored Inpatient Withdrawal Management Service.  The 2024 State-Funded Enhanced Mental Health and Substance Use Services has been amended to remove the following services and all related references to these policies: Ambulatory Detoxification, Social Setting Detoxification, and Non-Hospital Medical Detoxification.   
  • February 2, 2024:  The 2023 Enhanced Mental Health and Substance Use Services-10/15/23 document has been re-posted and includes the following services and all related references to these policies: Ambulatory Detoxification, Social Setting Detoxification, and Non-Hospital Medical Detoxification.   These services will remain effective until 4/30/24.  The following standalone service definition policies have been re-posted with an effective date of 5/1/24:  State-Funded Ambulatory WM Without Extended Onsite Monitoring Service, State-Funded Ambulatory WM With Extended Onsite Monitoring Service, State-Funded Clinically Managed Residential Withdrawal Management Service and State-Funded Medically Monitored Inpatient Withdrawal Management Service. The 2024 State-Funded Enhanced Mental Health and Substance Use Services  has been amended to remove the following services and all related references to these policies with an effective date of 5/1/24: Ambulatory Detoxification, Social Setting Detoxification, and Non-Hospital Medical Detoxification. 
  • February 23, 2024:  The amended 2024 Enhanced Mental Health and Substance Use Services-with an effective date of March 1, 2024 has been posted. This document includes amendments to the utilization management section of the State-Funded Professional Treatment Services in Facility-Based Crisis program policy.    
  • April 1, 2024: The following standalone service definition policies have been posted with an effective date of 5/1/24:  State-Funded Substance Abuse Intensive Outpatient Program (SAIOP) and State-Funded Substance Abuse Comprehensive Outpatient Treatment (SACOT). The 2024 State-Funded Enhanced Mental Health and Substance Use Services-Effective Date: 5/1/24 has been amended to remove State-funded SAIOP and State-Funded SACOT and all related references to these policies.  
  • April 30, 2024: The implementation of the following state funded services has been postponed to allow the LME/MCOs and service providers the opportunity to align with new and amended policies and applicable licensure rule waivers: State-Funded Enhanced Mental Health & Substance Use Services 2024 (5/1/24 version), State-Funded Ambulatory Withdrawal Management without Extended Onsite Monitoring Services (Ambulatory Detoxification), State-Funded Ambulatory Withdrawal Management with Extended Onsite Monitoring Services, State-Funded Clinically Managed Residential Withdrawal Management Services (Social Setting Detoxification), State-Funded Medically Monitored Inpatient Withdrawal Management Services (Non-Hospital Medical Detoxification), State-Funded Substance Abuse Intensive Outpatient Program (SAIOP) and State-Funded Substance Abuse Comprehensive Outpatient Treatment (SACOT). Each of the existing state-funded services listed will continue to be available, with the exception of the State-Funded Ambulatory Withdrawal Management with Extended Onsite Monitoring Service, which is a new service.  These service definitions can be found in the State-Funded Enhanced Mental Health & Substance Use Services 2024 3/01/24 document (see above).  
  • July 16, 2024: The following new and revised withdrawal management (WM) standalone service definition policies with an effective date of 10/1/24 have been posted:  State-Funded Ambulatory WM Without Extended On-site Monitoring Service (formerly State-Funded Ambulatory Detoxification), State-Funded Ambulatory WM With Extended On-site Monitoring Service (New Service) and State-Funded Medically Monitored Inpatient Withdrawal Management Service (formerly State-Funded Non-Hospital Medical Detoxification).  The 2024 State-Funded Enhanced Mental Health and Substance Use Services- Effective 10/1/24 document was amended to remove the following services and all related references to these policies: State-Funded Ambulatory Detoxification and State-Funded Non-Hospital Medical Detoxification. Please see Section 8.0 page 17 for additional information.                                                           
  • State-Funded ACT Policy - 10/01/20
  • State-Funded Community Support Team (CST) - 10/01/20
  • State-Funded Facility-Based Crisis - Child - 5/15/22
  • State-Funded Diagnostic Assessment - 2/15/23
  • State-Funded Opioid Treatment Service - 10/15/23 
  • State-Funded Mental Health and Substance Use Services - 3/01/24
  • State-Funded Ambulatory WM Without Extended On-Site Monitoring Service - 10/01/24
  • State-Funded Ambulatory WM With Extended On-Site Monitoring Service - 10/01/24   
  • State-Funded Medically Monitored Inpatient Withdrawal Management Service - 10/01/24
        

2018-2019 State-Funded MH/DD/SUS Service Definitions

State-Funded DMHDDSUS Service Definitions 2003-2019 - 12/15/19

The Division of MH/DD/SUS Service Definitions package has been revised based on DSM-5, ASAM, NC TRACKS and APSM language and other technical changes.

Technical revisions to the document include the following:

  • DSM-IV to DSM-5 including "or any subsequent editions of this reference material" to be inclusive of future changes.
  • ASAM PPC-2-R to The ASAM Criteria language (e.g. ASAM changed from Roman numeral to numerical)
  • IPRS and Pioneer to NC TRACKS language.
  • Revised "substance use" language to better reflect DSM-5 language when possible. Changed substance use to substance use when it pertained to a disorder, diagnosis, symptom, condition, intervention, treatment, etc. The substance use language stayed in place if it pertained to a provider, professional, service, etc. due to licensure rules, general statutes, DMA SPA, etc.
  • Updated developmental disabilities language to IDD as appropriate.
  • Included the Supports Intensity Scale under Medical Necessity as appropriate.
  • Eliminated service definitions that have been end dated (e.g. assertive outreach, case support, case management, etc.) See Quick Reference Guide, Appendix A for more details.
  • Eliminated service definitions when the definition utilized for billing purposes are found in other service definition or policy documents (e.g. SAIOP is in the State-Funded Enhanced MH/SA Service Definition package and child residential services are in DMA Clinical
  • Coverage Policy 8-D-2)See Quick Reference Guide, Appendix A for more details.
  • The only clinically revised service definition in the package was Outpatient Services. DMH/DD/SUS currently follows the Division of Medical Assistance's 8C, Outpatient Behavioral Health Services Provided by Direct-Enrolled Providers for outpatient services provided by licensed (CPT codes) or associate level professionals (for H-Codes) with the exception of the "Incident to" criteria. However, DMH/DD/SUS also has a set of YP codes specifically for "Designated Non-Licensed Substance Abuse Counseling Professionals". As a result, the Outpatient Services (SA YP Codes) definition in this package is now specifically for the SA-specific YP codes.

Additionally, a Quick Reference Guide: Revisions to 2003 State Service Definitions Package is included at the end of the document in Addendum A. This guide serves as a reference tool to determine which services are still in the package, services that are no longer in the package and where they can be found and services that were eliminated due to end dating.  

Additional State-Funded Service Definition Policies:

Documents