November 21, 2022
New York State’s Office of Mental Health (OMH) has updated the Part 599 regulations for OMH Article 31 clinic services, now called Mental Health Outpatient Treatment and Rehabilitative Services (MHOTRS). These changes add multiple flexibilities including an option to provide Peer Support Services to Children, Youth, Adult, and Older Adult, as well as allowances for offsite service provision for all populations served within MHOTRS programs.
The updated regulations are effective as of promulgation on 11/23/22. Please note: It will take some time for Westlaw to be updated. A PDF version of the updated regulations attached for reference, formatted to indicate changes made. Any language that is underlined is new language added to the regulations; any language with [brackets] or [brackets and crossed out] is language that has been removed from the regulations.
Peer Support Services Guidance is also attached here.
An overview of changes includes:
- Updated clinic program name throughout regulation: “Mental Health Outpatient Treatment and Rehabilitative Services” (MHOTRS)
- Updated Definitions (including staffing definitions – LPHA & peer)
- Added Service Component Definitions
- Policy and Procedures
- Added optional services without an AA category
- Added NPP signing treatment plans
- Expanded language for off-site
- Added peer specific services and language
- IOP inclusion to delete waiver requirement
- Expanded allowance for co-enrollment
- Changes to Utilization Review – guidance to follow
- Continued conforming with AMA time standards
OMH is working to revise and distribute:
1. The Interpretive Guidance along with details on utilization review, co-enrollment and off-site services
2. FAQs
3. Standards of Care
Please reach out with any questions:
Adults: omh.sm.Adult-Clinic@omh.ny.gov
Children: omhchildclinics@omh.ny.gov
We look forward to our continued work with you all. Future training and presentations to follow in early 2023.