Alabama Administrative Code › Title 580 - ALABAMA DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH › Chapter 580-9-44 - PROGRAM OPERATIONS › Section 580-9-44-.02 - Personnel

Current through Register Vol. 42, No. 9, June 28, 2024
(1) Qualified Treatment Personnel. The entity
			 shall employ qualified and trained personnel to ensure the health, safety, and
			 well-being of its clientele, and to support efficient utilization of its resources.
(a) The entity shall develop, maintain, and
			 document implementation of written policies and procedures to ensure that all
			 personnel meet and remain current on credentials required for certification,
			 licensure, and for job performance and service delivery as specified by these
			 rules.
(b) Qualified Substance Abuse
			 Professionals (QSAP). The entity shall utilize qualified substance abuse
			 professionals, to provide treatment for individuals with substance related
			 disorders.
1. QSAP I. A Qualified Substance Abuse
			 Professional I (QSAP I) shall consist of:
(i) An
			 individual licensed in the State of Alabama as a:
(I) Professional Counselor, Graduate Level Social
			 Worker, Psychiatric Clinical Nurse Specialist, Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner,
			 Marriage and Family Therapist, Clinical Psychologist, Physician's Assistant,
			 Physician; or
(ii) An
			 individual who:
(I) Has a master's degree or above
			 from a nationally or regionally accredited university or college in psychology,
			 social work, counseling, psychiatric nursing, or other behavioral health area with
			 requisite course work equivalent to that of a degree in counseling, psychology,
			 social work, or psychiatric nursing, and
(II) Has successfully completed a clinical
			 practicum or has six month's post master's clinical experience; and
(III) Holds a substance abuse counselor
			 certification credential from the Alabama Association of Addiction Counselors,
			 National Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors, Alabama Alcohol and
			 Drug Abuse Association, or International Certification and Reciprocity
			 Consortium/Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse, Inc. which shall be obtained within thirty
			 (30) months of date of hire.
(iii) A QSAP I is authorized to provide services
			 as delineated in the most recent version of the ADMH Substance Abuse Services
			 Billing Manual as published and maintained by ADMH.
2. QSAP II. A Qualified Substance Abuse
			 Professional II (QSAP II) shall consist of:
(i) An
			 individual who:
(I) Has a Bachelor's Degree from a
			 nationally or regionally accredited university or college in psychology, social
			 work, community, rehabilitation, or pastoral counseling, family therapy, or other
			 behavioral health area that requires equivalent clinical course work, and
(II) Is licensed in the State of Alabama as a
			 Bachelor Level Social Worker; or
(III)
			 Has a Bachelor's Degree from a nationally or regionally accredited college or
			 university in psychology, social work, community, rehabilitation, or pastoral
			 counseling, family therapy, or other behavioral health area that requires equivalent
			 clinical course work, and
(IV) Holds a
			 substance abuse counselor certification credential from the Alabama Association of
			 Addiction Counselors, National Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors,
			 Alabama Alcohol and Drug Abuse Association, or International Certification and
			 Reciprocity Consortium, or
(V) Has a
			 bachelor's degree from a nationally or regionally accredited university or college
			 in psychology, social work, community rehabilitation, pastoral counseling, family
			 therapy, or other behavioral health area that requires equivalent clinical course
			 work and
(VI) Obtains a substance use
			 counselor certification credential from the Alabama Association of Addition
			 Counselors, National Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors, Alabama
			 Alcohol and Drug Abuse Association, or International Certification and Reciprocity
			 Consortium within 30 months of hire and
(VII) Participates in ongoing weekly supervision
			 from an assigned QSAP I that is documented and appropriately filed in their
			 personnel record for auditing purposes until counselor certification is
			 obtained.
(ii) A QSAP II is
			 authorized to provide services as delineated in the most recent version of the ADMH
			 Substance Abuse Services Billing Manual as published and maintained by
			 ADMH.
3. QSAP III. A
			 Qualified Substance Abuse Professional III (QSAP III) shall consist of:
(i) An individual who:
(I) Has a Bachelor's Degree from a nationally or
			 regionally accredited university or college in psychology, social work, community,
			 rehabilitation, or pastoral counseling, family therapy, or other behavioral health
			 area that requires equivalent clinical course work, and
(II) Participates in ongoing supervision by a
			 certified or licensed QSAP I for a minimum of one (1) hour individual per week until
			 attainment of a substance abuse counselor certification credential from the Alabama
			 Association of Addiction Counselors, National Association of Alcoholism and Drug
			 Abuse Counselors, or Alabama Alcohol and Drug Abuse Association, or International
			 Certification and Reciprocity Consortium/Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse, Inc. which
			 shall be obtained within thirty (30) months of hire.
(ii) A QSAP III is authorized to provide services
			 as delineated in the most recent version of the ADMH Substance Abuse Services
			 Billing Manual as published and maintained by ADMH.
4. Qualified Paraprofessionals(QPP). A qualified
			 paraprofessional shall have the following minimum qualifications:
(i) A high school diploma or equivalent,
			 and
(ii) One (1) year of work experience
			 directly related to job responsibilities and
(iii) Concurrent participation in clinical
			 supervision by a licensed or certified QSAP I.
(iv) A QPP is authorized to provide services as
			 delineated in the most recent version of the ADMH Substance Abuse Services Billing
			 Manual as published and maintained by ADMH.
5. Peer Support Specialist. A peer support
			 specialist must meet the following minimum qualifications:
(i) Certified by ADMH as a Certified Recovery
			 Support Specialist (CRSS) within six (6) months of date of hire, and
(ii) Concurrent participation in clinical
			 supervision by a licensed or certified QSAP I.
(iii) A Peer Support Specialist is authorized to
			 provide services as delineated in the most recent edition of the ADMH Substance
			 Abuse Services Billing Manual as published and maintained by ADMH.
6. Students who are completing a
			 graduate degree from a regionally accredited university or college in psychology,
			 counseling, social work, or psychiatric nursing may conduct direct services under
			 the following conditions:
(i) The student is in a
			 clinical practicum that is part of an officially sanctioned academic
			 curriculum.
(ii) The student receives a
			 minimum of one (1) hour per week of direct clinical supervision (face to face) from
			 a licensed or certified QSAP I.
(iii)
			 Any written clinical documentation generated by the student must be reviewed and
			 signed by the supervising clinical staff member.