Mississippi Administrative Code › Title 24 - Mental Health › Part 5 - DMH Peer Support Specialist Professional Standards and Requirement › Chapter Nine - Professional Responsibilities

Current through June 25, 2024
SCOPE OF PRACTICE
* DMH professional credentials are valid only in Mississippi's
				"state mental health system." DMH Certified Peer Support Specialist
				Professional may only
use the title
if actively
				employed in the state mental health system
(or in Inactive
				Status).
* Certified Peer Support Specialists Professional are certified
				to provide services involving application of the principles, methods and
				procedures of Peer Support Specialist Professional's service provision within
				Mississippi's state mental health system.
* The principles, methods and procedures of Peer Support
				Specialist Professionals are expected to be in compliance with the
DMH
				Operational Standards for Mental Health, Intellectual/Developmental
				Disabilities, and Substance Abuse Community Service Providers.
* DMH Certified Peer Support Specialist Professional, should
				only practice within the boundaries of their credential(s) held.
* This certification does not qualify an individual to provide
				services outside this scope of practice or in private practice. Practicing
				beyond the scope of practice may lead to sanctions as described in Chapter
				9.
* A person issued a certificate by the Department of Mental
				Health may use the title appropriate to his/her category of professional
				certification while in the employ of a state mental health system program
(or while in Inactive Status).
* Professional identification is directly affected by
				employment. DMH-credentialed individuals who experience a change in or
				separation from state mental health system employment are expected to follow
				the relevant guidelines noted in the section, Reporting Changes in Vital
				Information.
REPORTING CHANGES IN VITAL INFORMATION
Credentialed individuals are required to notify DMH
within 14 working days
of a change in legal name,
				address or employment.
Name Change
Each credentialed individual should ensure that his/her current
				wall certificate bears his/her current legal name. An individual whose legal
				name has changed is expected to request a new certificate reflecting the new
				name. Once the new certificate is generated, the previous certificate is
				invalid.
To request a name change, the individual should submit a
				written/email request for a name change, along with a
copy
of legal documentation of the name change. The
				request should indicate the new name as it should appear on the replacement
				certificate. Name changes reported at the time of a new application (i.e.,
				upgrade or renewal application)
do not
have to be
				accompanied by a request or copy of the legal documentation.
Only individuals in good standing who are currently employed in
				the state mental health system
(or in Inactive Status)
may
				request a replacement certificate.
Address Change
An individual whose email address, mailing address and/or
				telephone number has changed is expected to contact DMH with the new
				information.
Employment Change
Upon separation of the credentialed individual from
				state mental health system employment
, the individual's DMH
				professional credential will become null and void
unless
he/she provides notification of reemployment in
				the state mental health system or requests and receives an appropriate
				credential status change, as covered in the "Separation From State Mental
				Health System Employment" section below.
Notification of a change in
place
of employment
(not job
				title)
must be submitted in writing/email by either the credentialed
				individual
OR
the place of employment
				from which the credentialed individual is separating.
An individual who is either leaving state mental health system
				employment or changing to a new state mental health system program should
				follow the requirements under "Separation From State Mental Health System
				Employment" below.
SEPARATION FROM STATE MENTAL HEALTH SYSTEM
				EMPLOYMENT
It is the credentialed individual's responsibility to keep
				track of his/her employment situation (and the potential for notification of
				separation of employment via the separating employer), accordingly.
Once DMH receives written/email notification of separation from
				employment (as outlined above), DMH will allow the individual a period of
up to 45 calendar days from the date of
				notification
to pursue one of the following options:
1)
If the individual has become
			 employed with a new "state mental health system" program
, the
			 individual should update his/her employment information by submitting a new
			 Verification of Employment Form from the new place of employment.
2)
If the individual IS NO LONGER
			 EMPLOYED in the "state mental heath system
," the individual may
			 request a status change for his/her credential.
Status change
			 options include
:
* Request Relinquished Status (available to provisional and
				full certification);
* Request Extended Status (available only to provisional
				certification);
* Request Inactive Status (available only to full
				certification); and,
* Request Retired Status (available only to full
				certification).
More information on credentialing statuses and how to
				obtain a status change is listed under the "Credential Status Change Requests,"
				"Provisional Certification Status Categories" and "Full Certification Status
				Categories" sections below.
During this 45-day period, unless employed in a state mental
				health system program and in good standing, individuals in this situation are
				not allowed to practice.
At the end of the 45-day period, if no appropriate action is
				taken by the credentialed individual to either: 1) update his/her employment or
				2) request an appropriate status change, the credential will expire and be
				changed to either Lapsed or Defaulted Status, as appropriate; this is an
				automatic process - no notification by DMH will be made. Lapsed and Defaulted
				Status mean the credential is expired, and the individual no longer holds the
				credential.
Status change requests
initiated by the
				credentialed individual
are subject to Review Board
				approval.
If a DMH-credentialed individual has a question about what to
				do if he/she has left state mental health system employment, the individual
				should contact DMH for assistance at the earliest indication of such
				separation.
DMH-credentialed individuals must be aware that notification of
				separation of employment may come from either the separating employer OR the
				credentialed individual. DMH
does not
notify a certified individual when a separating employer has made this
				notification.
The certified individual is held to the 45-day time frame,
				regardless of whether the notification of employment separation came from the
				certified individual or the separating employer.
CREDENTIAL STATUS CHANGE REQUESTS
Credentialed individuals needing to make a status change
				request should submit the request in writing (or via email) to DMH, along with
				any pertinent supporting information. Applicable credentialing timelines must
				be met. Individuals needing assistance regarding status change requests should
				contact DMH for assistance. Contact information is located inside the document
				cover.
Status change requests
initiated by the credentialed
				individual
are subject to Review Board approval.
CERTIFICATION STATUS CATEGORIES
The following status categories are applicable to
				individuals holding certification as a Certified Peer Support Specialist
				Professional (CPSSP).
Current Status
An individual holding certification which is in good standing
				(including timely submission of all forms, fees, changes of information, etc.)
				and without sanctions will be considered to be in Current Status.
An individual whose credential is in Current Status is able to
				practice within the scope of practice of this credentialing program and the
				ethical standards/principles.
In order to maintain Current Status, a CPSSP is expected to
				notify DMH in writing (or via email)
within 14 working
				days
of a change in vital information such as name, address,
				employment, etc. The name of a person whose credential is in Current Status
				will appear on any list produced by DMH if he/she is Current at the time the
				list is produced.
Inactive Status
The Review Board may grant Inactive Status to a fully-certified
				individual who is leaving employment in the state mental health system and who
				wishes to maintain the credential.
Inactive Status will only be granted to a fully-certified
				individual who is in good standing (Current Status) at the time of the
				request.
In order to pursue Inactive Status, the certified individual
				must submit a written/email request to DMH The request will be presented to the
				Review Board.
In the request, the fully-certified individual should request
				Inactive Status, provide an explanation as to why the status change is needed
				and indicate a specific time period for the inactivity. Documentation which
				supports the request may be submitted along with the request. The Review Board
				may verify the circumstances surrounding the request.
Individuals granted Inactive Status must meet
				renewal requirements
,
including payment of required fees
				and completion of required continuing education requirements. Otherwise, the
				certified individual's credential will lapse.
An individual in Inactive Status is allowed to continue to use
				the professional title behind his/her name, but is
not
allowed to practice.
A person in Inactive Status may be returned to Current Status
				upon submission of a written/email request, along with an appropriate
				Verification of Employment Form reflecting current employment within the state
				mental health system.
Lapsed Status
Lapsed Status means the fully-certified individual's credential
				has expired and is no longer valid. A fully-certified individual's credential
				may lapse for any of the following reasons, including but not limited
				to:
* Failure to renew professional certification according to
				established timelines;
* Failure to make a special request, according to established
				timelines and obtain an appropriate certification status;
* Review Board's determination of failure to submit a
				satisfactory request for a status change;
* Failure to comply with the terms of the status change request
				approved by the Review Board; and/or,
* Separation from state mental health system employment without
				appropriate status change.
Lapsing from the program immediately overrides any other status
				category held by a fully-certified individual. Upon lapsing, the individual
				immediately ceases to hold certification.
Retired Status
The Review Board may grant Retired Status to an individual who
				has retired and is no longer employed in the state mental health system.
				Retired status is intended for individuals who have ceased working because they
				have either reached the age of retirement or have accumulated the number of
				work years to retire.
In order to pursue Retired Status, the individual (upon
				retirement) must submit a written/email request to DMH. DMH will present the
				request to the Review Board. In the request, the individual should request
				Retired Status and indicate the date of retirement. The Review Board may verify
				the circumstances surrounding the request. The individual granted Retired
				Status is no longer required to meet renewal requirements/fees and is permitted
				to keep his/her certificate.
Relinquished
				Status
A fully-certified individual who determines that he/she no
				longer needs/wants to hold and maintain professional certification may submit a
				written/email request to the Review Board requesting Relinquished Status. The
				Review Board may verify the circumstances surrounding the request. Once
				approved for Relinquished Status, the individual no longer holds the
				credential. The individual's certificate is null and void.
CERTIFICATION REINSTATEMENT
A Peer Support Specialist Professional whose
full
				certification
has expired
within the past three
				years
, as determined by DMH's records (Relinquished, Retired or
				Lapsed Status) and who expired in good standing, may reactivate his/her
				certification by requesting reinstatement, paying the reinstatement fee, paying
				past renewal fees (including late charges) and submitting documentation of
				continuing education credit as determined by DMH or the Review Board.
				Reinstatement of certification is determined on a case-by-case basis, at the
				discretion of DMH and the Review Board. Individuals interested in reinstatement
				should contact DMH for additional information. Fees are subject to change.
				Reinstatement is not available to
provisionally-certified
individuals.
During a renewal year
, an
				individual desiring reinstatement must wait six months before applying for
				reinstatement.
Beyond three years, post-expiration, total reapplication is
				required.
CREDENTIAL VERIFICATION & REPORTING
Upon request, DMH reports specific information about
				DMH-credentialed individuals. The fields of information which may be shared
				with individuals making inquiry are:
* Name;
* Type of certification;
* Certificate number;
* Date of issuance;
* Date of expiration;
* Credential status; and,
* Whether or not formal disciplinary action has been taken
				against the individual.
During renewal season, DMH reserves the right to hold
				such verification requests until all credential!ng records are up-to-date, post
				renewal.