National Accreditation

National Accreditation demonstrates the exceptional quality of the contracted/credentialed Organizational Provider (Facility). The Organizational Provider goes through a rigorous process and a thorough site visit by the National Accreditation organization to become Nationally Accredited.

MBHP currently accepts four National Accreditation Organizations: The Joint Commission (JCAHO), Council on Accreditation (COA), Commission on the Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF), and Healthcare Facilities Accreditation Program (HFAP).

MBHP verifies the Organizational Provider's accreditation during the initial credentialing process and every three years during the re-credentialing process.

Provider Type - Descriptions of Individual Practitioners, Individual Practitioners in a Group, and Individual Practitioners within an Organizational Provider

The provider type is obtained through the provider's credentialing application. It is verified during the initial credentialing process and every three years or more often when requested by the provider. These provider descriptions are general in nature and are being made available to help you better understand the various types and levels of behavioral health providers that may be available to provide your care. These general descriptions were prepared using national standards. Please note that provider requirements will vary from state to state, thus, you may want to check with the provider's office if you have any specific questions.

Behavior Management Therapist (BMT)
These are master's-level practitioners (A master's-level practitioner for these purposes includes persons with the following credentials: developmental-behavioral pediatricians, developmental-behavioral pediatric fellows, LICSWs, LCSWs, LMFTs, LMHCs, licensed psychologists (PsyD, EdD, PhD), master's-level counselors, marriage and family therapy interns, mental health counselor interns, psychiatric nurse mental health clinical specialists, psychiatric nurse mental health clinical specialist trainee, psychiatric nurses, psychiatrists, psychiatry residents, psychology interns, and social work interns). This BMT develops specific behavioral objectives and interventions that are designed to diminish, extinguish, or improve specific behaviors related to the youth's behavioral health condition(s) and which are incorporated into the behavior management treatment plan and the risk management/safety plan.

Behavior Management Monitor (BMM)
These are practitioners who have received bachelor's or associate's degree in a human services field from an accredited university and have relevant experience working with youth and families who require behavior management to address mental health needs. The practitioner provides services which includes implementing the behavior treatment plan, monitoring the youth's behavior, reinforcing implementation of the treatment plan by the parent(s)/guardian(s)/caregiver(s), and reporting to the behavior management therapist on implementation of the treatment plan and progress toward behavioral objectives of performance goals.

Master's-Level In-Home Therapist (IHT)
In-Home Therapy is a structured, consistent, strength-based therapeutic relationship between a licensed clinician and the youth and family for the purpose of treating the youth's behavioral health needs, including improving the family's ability to provide effective support for the youth to promote his/her healthy functioning within the family. These are master's-level clinicians who work with a range of youth and their families who present varying degrees of complexity and needs. Master's-level clinicians must have a master's degree in a mental health field (including, but not restricted to, counseling, family therapy, social work, psychology, etc.) from an accredited college or university.

Therapeutic Training and Support (TT&S)
Therapeutic Training and Support is a service provided by a qualified paraprofessional working under the supervision of a clinician to support implementation of the licensed clinician's treatment plan to assist the youth and family in achieving the goals of that plan. The paraprofessional assists the clinician in implementing the therapeutic objectives of the treatment plan designed to address the youth's mental health, behavioral, and emotional needs. This service includes teaching the youth to understand, direct, interpret, manage, and control feelings and emotional responses to situations and to assist the family to address the youth's emotional and mental health needs. Phone contact and consultation are provided as part of the intervention.

Intensive Care Coordination (ICC)
Intensive Care Coordination provides a single point of accountability for ensuring that medically necessary services are accessed, coordinated, and delivered in a strength-based, individualized, family/youth-driven, and ethnically, culturally, and linguistically relevant manner. The ICC organizational provider is staffed with care coordinators who have successfully completed skill-based and competency-based training in the delivery of ICC consistent with the Systems of Care philosophy and the Wraparound planning process and have experience working with youth with SED and their families. Care Coordinators are Master, Bachelor, or Associate level staff with experience working with families and youth.

Family Support and Training (FS&T)
Family Support and Training is a service provided to the parent/caregiver of a youth (under the age of 21), in any setting where the youth resides, such as the home (including foster homes and therapeutic foster homes), and other community settings. Family Support and Training is a service that provides a structured, one-to-one, strength-based relationship between a Family Partner and a parent/caregiver. The purpose of this service is for resolving or ameliorating the youth's emotional and behavioral needs by improving the capacity of the parent/caregiver to parent the youth so as to improve the youth's functioning as identified in the outpatient or In-Home Therapy treatment plan or Individual Care Plan (ICP), for youth enrolled in Intensive Care Coordination (ICC), and to support the youth in the community or to assist the youth in returning to the community. Family Partners are the staff persons delivering this service.

Therapeutic Mentor (TM)
The Therapeutic Mentor offers structured, one-to-one, strength-based support services between a therapeutic mentor and a youth for the purpose of addressing daily living, social, and communication needs. Services are provided to youth in any setting where the youth resides, such as the home or in other community settings such as school, child care centers, respite settings, and other culturally and linguistically appropriate community settings.

Nurses with Prescriptive Authority:
Psychiatric Nurse Mental Health Clinical Specialists (PNMHCS) are nurses with a master's degree and advanced training in psychiatry. They include Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRN). They are credentialed by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) in a mental health field. In most states, these nurses are authorized to prescribe psychotropic medications - in some cases independently and others under a formal collaboration agreement or in a supervised setting with a licensed physician.

Master's-Level Clinicians
Counselors must have a master's degree in an approved curriculum of counseling education, a minimum of 2 years of individual counseling, and a passing score on a state or national license exam to practice. Specific types of providers in this category are: Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT); Licensed Certified Social Worker (LCSW) or Licensed Independent Clinical (LICSW); Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC).

Psychiatrist
This provider is a medical doctor whose internship/residencies were specialized in the treatment of mental disorders. They are qualified to prescribe medication as a means to alleviate symptoms. They often work with or supervise mental health professionals who will provide the counseling in conjunction with the prescribed medication. Some psychiatrists will provide counseling themselves. Specific types of providers in this category are: medical doctor (MD), (including unspecified, adult, child and geriatric psychiatrists); Addictionologist; Developmental Behavioral Pediatrician (DBP); and Doctor of Osteopathy (DO), (including DO of Psychiatry or DO of an Unspecified Specialty).

Psychologist, Doctorate Level:
For this type of provider, most states require a doctorate degree from the psychology department of an accredited college and that the provider has passed a national licensing exam. Once licensed, in most states, they can supervise other counseling providers not yet licensed. Specific types of providers in this category are: Psychologist (EdD); Psychologist (PsyD); and Psychologist (PhD) (can be a specialist called a Neuropsychologist).

Outpatient Clinic/Mental Health Center:
These are community-based programs that offer mental health and/or substance use disorder services. By choosing "OP Clinic/MH Center," you will include the following provider types in your search: Outpatient Clinics and Mental Health Centers.

Specialty

The provider's special field of practice or expertise, which is obtained through the provider's credentialing application. This information is self-reported and verified during the initial credentialing process and every three years or more often when requested by the provider. The provider will be only listed in a requested specialty that the Massachusetts Behavioral Health Partnership can verify and that the provider has the education and training to support the requested specialty.

Languages

This information includes a list of languages spoken by the provider. This information is self-reported and verified during the initial credentialing process and every three years or more often on the provider's credentialing application, which is a signed document in which the provider confirms the information is accurate and complete.

Board Certification

Board Certification demonstrates exceptional expertise in a particular specialty and/or subspecialty, such as psychiatry. In order to be board certified, a practitioner must complete certain requirements beyond those required for licensure, including training and experience in the specialty area. They must also pass an examination given by the specialty board and complete continuing education requirements. When a provider is board certified, this means that he or she has graduated from a medical school; completed residency (training in a hospital); trained under supervision in a specialty; and passed exams given by a medical specialty board. This information is self-reported by the provider and verified during the initial credentialing process and every three years or more often on the provider's credentialing application, through one of the following primary sources: American Board of Medical Specialties; American Board of Psychiatry. Whether the provider is board certified or not will be noted with the provider's information. A physician's board certification status and the expiration date can be verified by going to the American Board of Medical Specialty (ABMS) at https://www.certificationmatters.org/is-your-doctor-board-certified/search-now.aspx or to http://www.abpn.com/.

Accepting New Patients

This means that the provider you are searching for is accepting new patients in at least one of the following age groups: Child (0-12); Adolescent (13-18); and Adult (19-64). This information is self-reported and verified during the initial credentialing process and every three years or more often on the provider's credentialing application, which is a signed document in which the provider confirms the information is accurate and complete.

Preferred Providers

The Preferred designation recognizes providers that have demonstrated notable results in treating individuals with Autism, including engagement with activities that promote clinical effectiveness, member access to services and administrative efficiencies.