The North Carolina Substance Abuse Professional Practice Board released the following letter regarding its registration requirements:

The North Carolina Substance Abuse Professional Practice Board is in receipt of numerous inquiries regarding the Board’s registration requirements concerning professionals providing mental health treatment services to individuals with substance related disorders.

Given that these mental health professionals provide services to different classes of consumers (some presenting no substance related disorders, some presenting co-occurring substance abuse issues, and some presenting exclusively substance related disorders), all professionals do not need to be registered with the Board. Only those individuals providing treatment for substance abuse would need to be registered with the Board unless specifically exempted as described below.

Furthermore, of the professionals providing services to these two groups, there are professionals specifically exempt from the requirement that they be credentialed by the Board to provide substance abuse services (as set forth in North Carolina General Statute 90-113.42 [a], [b], and [c]) as follows:
(a) It shall be unlawful for any person not licensed or otherwise credentialed as a substance abuse professional pursuant to this Article to engage in those activities set forth in the scope of practice of a substance abuse professional under G.S. 90-113.31B, unless that person is regulated by another profession or is a registrant or intern as defined by this Article.
(b) It is not the intent of this article to regulate members of other regulated professions who provide substance abuse services or consultation in the normal course of the practice of their profession.
(c) This article does not apply to any person registered, certified, or licensed by the State or federal government to practice any other occupation or profession while rendering substance abuse services or consultation or performance of the occupation or profession for which the person is registered, certified, or licensed.

If you have any questions about this issue, please contact the North Carolina Substance Abuse Professional Practice Board at 919-832-5975.

You can download the letter HERE:   NCSAPPB Letter [73.3 KiB]

Care Management Technologies (CMT) will host a 1 hour webinar on “Best-Practices in Depression Treatment” on Tuesday, August 17, at 1 pm EDT.  Registration for the webinar is required and you should save the link that confirms your registration as the one that you will use when you log-in on the 17^th.

Topic: Best-Practices in Depression Treatment
Date: Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Time: 1:00 pm, Eastern Daylight Time (New York, GMT-04:00)

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To register for this meeting
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1. Go to https://intercall.webex.com/intercall/j.php?ED=141333072&RG=1&UID=0&RT=MiMxMQ%3D%3D
2. Register for the meeting.

Once the host approves your request, you will receive a confirmation email with instructions for joining the meeting.

To view in other time zones or languages, please click the link:
https://intercall.webex.com/intercall/j.php?ED=141333072&RG=1&UID=0&ORT=MiMxMQ%3D%3D

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For assistance
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1. Go to https://intercall.webex.com/intercall/mc
2. On the left navigation bar, click “Support” or You can contact :
mschoen@cmthealthcare.com

www.intercall.com

The University of Connecticut Health Center is recruiting substance abuse treatment providers for a web-based research study investigating beliefs about contingency management interventions for substance abusers. Training and experience with contingency management are NOT REQUIRED in order to participate. This survey involves questions about your prior clinical training experiences, characteristics about your work site, and your beliefs about contingency management. The survey is expected to take about 10-15 minutes to complete.

Study participants will have the option of entering a random drawing for one of four $100 gift cards in appreciation of participation.

For more information or to take the survey click HERE.

From the examiner.com

Secretary Lanier Cansler appointed Beth Melcher, PhD, and Steven Jordan to key leadership posts in Mental health/Developmental Disabilities/and Substance Abuse Services (MH/DD/SAS) within the NC Department of Health and Human Services today.

In a press release dated July 21, 2010, the highly anticipated announcement states, “Melcher has been named as Assistant Secretary for Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities,and Substance Abuse Services Development. She replaces Michael Watson, who is being promoted to the position of Deputy Secretary for Health Services.

Jordan will take over the position of director of the state Division of MH/DD/SAS. He will succeed retiring director, Leza Wainwright, who is stepping down from her position after 32 years of state service.

For more on this story click HERE.

The General Assembly passed S675 to prevent medicaid fraud and kickbacks.  You can view the complete text of the bill HERE.

The bill reads as follows:

It shall be unlawful for any person to knowingly and willfully solicit or receive any
remuneration (including any kickback, bribe, or rebate) directly or indirectly, overtly or
covertly, in cash or in-kind:
(1) In return for referring an individual to a person for the furnishing or
arranging for the furnishing of any item or service for which payment may
be made in whole or in part under this Part.
(2) In return for purchasing, leasing, ordering, or arranging for or
recommending purchasing, leasing, or ordering any good, facility, service, or
item for which payment may be made in whole or in part under this Part.
(h) It shall be unlawful for any person to knowingly and willfully offer or pay any
remuneration (including any kickback, bribe, or rebate) directly or indirectly, overtly or
covertly, in cash or in-kind to any person to induce such person:
(1) To refer an individual to a person for the furnishing or arranging for the
furnishing of any item or service for which payment may be made in whole
or in part under this Part.
(2) To purchase, lease, order, or arrange for or recommend purchasing, leasing,
or ordering any good, facility, service, or item for which payment may be
made in whole or in part under this Part.
(i) Subsections (g) and (h) of this section shall not apply to:
(1) Contracts between the State and a public or private agency where part of the
agency’s responsibility is referral of a person to a provider.
(2) Any conduct or activity that is specified in 42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7b(b)(3), as
amended, or any federal regulations adopted pursuant thereto.
(j) Nothing in subsections (g) and (h) of this section shall be interpreted or construed to
conflict with 42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7b(b), as amended, or with federal common law or federal
agency interpretations of the statute.”