 |
ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Seventh Legislature, First Regular Session
behavioral health facilities; accreditation
Purpose
Requires health care institutions licensed to provide inpatient, residential or outpatient behavioral health services to be accredited by an approved independent, nonprofit accrediting organization.
Background
A health care institution is every place, institution, building or agency, whether organized for profit or not, that provides facilities with medical services, nursing services, behavioral health services, health screening services, other health-related services, supervisory care services, personal care services or directed care services and includes home health agencies, outdoor behavioral health care programs and hospice service agencies (A.R.S. ยง 36-401).
Health care institution accreditation is the process whereby a non-governmental organization with trained external peer reviewers evaluate a health care organization's compliance with pre-established performance standards. Those institutions whose services meet the organization's performance standards may become accredited (National Library of Medicine).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Requires health care institutions licensed to provide inpatient, residential or outpatient behavioral health services to be accredited by an independent, nonprofit accrediting organization approved by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
2. Delays the accreditation requirement for health care institutions located in counties with fewer than 1,000,000 persons until October 1, 2027.
3. Requires a behavioral health outpatient treatment center's patient intake form to include the license number of the sober living home in which the patient is living, if applicable, and for the Department of Health Services to verify compliance during any in-person survey or complaint investigation.
4. Defines sober living home.
5. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Prepared by Senate Research
February 10, 2025
MM/slp