Ongoing use of risk description and treatment planning guide previously associated with Rule 25

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Behavioral Health e-Memo

#22-18

07/26/2022

Ongoing use of risk description and treatment planning guide previously associated with Rule 25


Rule 25, a substance use disorder (SUD) treatment access process, ended on July 1, 2022. The Direct Access process, which has been in place since October 2020, is now the sole process available to Minnesotans seeking public assistance for SUD treatment. The Behavioral Health Fund (BHF) will continue funding clients meeting financial eligibility as specified in the BHF eligibility guidelines. Counties and tribes are still responsible for determining financial eligibility of the client seeking SUD treatment.

Elements of Rule 25 were proposed to enter into statute this past legislative session, but this did not happen. Neither the risk descriptions nor treatment planning guide were placed into statute.

The Department of Human Services (DHS) wants to clarify that providers not enrolled in the 1115 Demonstration can continue to use the Risk Descriptions and Severity Ratings of Substance Use Disorder Acuity without violating policy regulations.

Also, providers not enrolled in the 1115 Demonstration project can continue to follow the placement directions found in Minnesota Statute 254B.04, subdivisions 2a-2c, without being in violation of existing rule or statute.

NOTE: DHS encourages providers to become familiar with American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) criteria as the State continues to align more closely with these ASAM standards.

Moving forward, level of care determination should be based on clinical judgment rather than on the treatment planning guide that was in Rule 25. For those participating in the 1115 Demonstration project, continue to follow the level of care guidelines for placement found in the Assessment and Placement Grid


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