DHS 40.03(27)
(27) “Mental health day treatment service” means non-residential care that is prescribed by a physician and that is provided in a clinically supervised therapeutic milieu that provides an integrated system of individual, family, and group psychotherapy, care coordination, and support services pursuant to a treatment plan.
DHS 40.03(28)
(28) “Mental health professional” means a licensed treatment professional, a qualified treatment trainee, or a recognized psychotherapy practitioner that practices within the scope of their practice.
DHS 40.03(29)
(29) “Mental health support worker” means an individual who has a bachelor's or master's degree and provides services to implement the treatment plan.
DHS 40.03(30)
(30) “Mental health technician” means an individual who assists mental health support workers and mental health professionals with implementation of support services.
DHS 40.03(31)
(31) “Mental illness” means a mental health disorder that a mental health professional determines substantially diminishes a youth's ability to carry out age-appropriate activities of daily living, except that “mental illness” does not include dementia or a developmental disability.
DHS 40.03(34)
(34) “Parent peer specialist” means a person with knowledge gained from parenting youth with social, emotional, behavioral, mental health or substance use challenges and who has training to increase their skills to guide and support other parents or those in a parenting role.
DHS 40.03(35)
(35) “Physical restraint” means use of physical force for the purpose of interfering with the movement of a youth, which includes forcibly moving or transporting a youth from one location to a seclusion room or area. “Physical restraint” does not include briefly holding a youth, without force, to calm or comfort her or him, or holding a youth's hand to safely escort him or her from one area to another and similar physical guidance and prompting techniques of brief duration.
DHS 40.03(36)
(36) “Positive behavior support” means specific proactive strategies, documented in the treatment plan, intended to replace challenging behaviors with positive and functional alternatives.
DHS 40.03(39)
(39) “Prescriber” means a physician, a physician assistant acting within the conditions and limitations set forth in ch.
Med 8, or an advanced practice nurse prescriber acting within the conditions and limitations set forth in s.
N 8.06.
DHS 40.03(40)
(40) “Program” means a community-based program or a hospital-based program.
DHS 40.03(41)
(41) “Psychotherapy” has the meaning given in s.
457.01 (8m), Stats., for marriage and family therapy, professional counseling, and social workers or s.
455.01 (6), Stats for psychologists.
DHS 40.03(42)
(42) “Psychotropic medication” means a prescription drug, as defined in s.
450.01 (20), Stats., that is prescribed by a prescriber to treat or manage mental illness.
DHS 40.03(43)
(43) “Qualified treatment trainee” means either of the following:
DHS 40.03(43)(a)
(a) A graduate student who is enrolled in an accredited institution in psychology, counseling, marriage and family therapy, social work, nursing or a closely related field and is doing a supervised practicum for their graduate degree program.
DHS 40.03(43)(b)
(b) A person who has been awarded a graduate degree by an accredited institution and has completed coursework in psychology, counseling, marriage and family therapy, social work, nursing or a closely related field who has not yet completed the applicable supervised practice requirements described under s.
MPSW 4.01,
12.01, or
16.04, or s.
Psy 2.10.
DHS 40.03(44)
(44) “Recognized psychotherapy practitioner” means an individual who may lawfully practice psychotherapy within the scope of a license, permit, registration or certificate granted by this state, other than under ch.
455 or
457, Stats.
DHS 40.03(45)
(45) “Registered nurse” means a person licensed under s.
441.06, Stats. as a registered nurse.
DHS 40.03(46)
(46) “Seclusion” means the involuntary confinement and isolation in a room or area from which the youth is prevented from leaving.
DHS 40.03(47)
(47) “Sensory interventions” means a treatment or therapy that makes use of, or aims to improve, sensitivity to one or more of the senses.
DHS 40.03(48)
(48) “Service” means a crisis response service, a mental health day treatment service, a support service, transition service, trauma-informed service, or minimum required service under s.
DHS 40.07 (4).
DHS 40.03(49)
(49) “Severe emotional disturbance” means an emotional or behavioral problem for a youth that currently meets, or at any time during the past year met, criteria for a mental disorder specified within a recognized diagnostic classification, and that produces a functional impairment which substantially interferes with or limits functioning in family, school, employment, relationships, or community activities.
DHS 40.03(50)
(50) “Staff member” means a person employed or contracted through the program who provides treatment services to a youth or legal representative.
DHS 40.03(51)
(51) “Support service” means individualized advice, guidance, or assistance with planning, designed to facilitate positive alternatives to challenging behaviors, and to assist a youth with developing adaptive and functional restoration. “Support service” does not include psychotherapy or time spent in educational services, meals, or recreation.
DHS 40.03(51m)(a)(a) “Telehealth” means the use of telecommunications technology by a certified provider to deliver services allowable under this chapter, s.
DHS 107.02 (5), and ss.
49.45 (61) and
49.46 (2) (b) 21. to
23., Stats., including assessment, diagnosis, consultation, treatment, or transfer of medically relevant data in a functionally equivalent manner as that of an in-person contact.
DHS 40.03(51m)(b)
(b) “Telehealth” may include real-time interactive audio-only communication.
DHS 40.03(51m)(c)
(c) “Telehealth” does not include communication between a certified provider and a recipient that consists solely of an electronic mail, text, or facsimile transmission.
DHS 40.03(52)
(52) “Therapeutic milieu” means the combination of physical and interpersonal environments established and maintained in the mental health day treatment program to provide safety, trust, and consistency of care, and to model, teach, and reinforce positive and supportive behaviors and interactions among youth and staff.
DHS 40.03(53)
(53) “Therapeutic specialists” means experiential therapists, art therapists, and music therapists who have complied with the appropriate certification procedures for their profession as required by state statute or administrative rule or the governing body regulating their profession.
DHS 40.03(54)
(54) “Transition services” means services provided to a youth to ensure continuity of care and management of the youth's needs to ensure gradual reintegration back into school and the community as appropriate.
DHS 40.03(56)
(56) “Trauma” means significant distress or impairment in a person's social, coping, or other important areas of functioning, resulting from experiences or events.
DHS 40.03(57)
(57) “Trauma-informed service” means a service that is attentive to the role that trauma plays in the lives of youth and family members, including recognition of the traumatic effect of misdiagnosis, coercive treatment, and inadvertent re-traumatization.
DHS 40.03(58)
(58) “Variance” means a modification to a requirement of this chapter.
DHS 40.03(59)
(59) “Voluntary time out” means an intervention intended to accomplish any of the following:
DHS 40.03(59)(a)
(a) Encourage youth to voluntarily use a calming or safe place that does not physically confine the youth, and that permits program staff members to visually monitor the youth when they are experiencing agitation or anxiety.
DHS 40.03(59)(b)
(b) Protect a client from another client who is posing a risk of harm or serious disruption.
DHS 40.03(60)
(60) “Waiver” means an exemption from a specific requirement of this chapter.
DHS 40.03 History
History: CR 19-018: cr.
Register June 2020 No. 774, eff. 7-1-20; correction in (5), (21) (c), (23), (27), (31), (35), (41), (42), (43) (b), (49), (51) made under s.
35.17, Stats., and correction in (39) made under s.
13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats.,
Register June 2020 No. 774;
CR 23-053: cr. (18m), (49m), (51m)
Register September 2023 No. 813, eff. 10-1-23.
DHS 40.04(1)(a)(a)
General. A program that provides mental health day treatment services may not be established without certification from the department.
DHS 40.04 Note
Note: Application materials may be obtained from the Behavioral Health Certification Section, Division of Quality Assurance, PO Box 2969, Madison, WI 53701-2969 or online at
DHSDQAMentalHealthAODA@wisconsin.gov. Completed application materials may be submitted by mail to the Behavioral Health Certification Section, Division of Quality Assurance, PO Box 2969, Madison, WI 53701-2969.
DHS 40.04(1)(b)2.
2.
A program may apply for certification by submitting the following application materials to the department:
1) The age range and characteristics of youth the program proposes to admit and if the program proposes to offer services based on age, the age range and client characteristics for each service.
2) The maximum number of youth that the program proposes to serve at any given time.
3) The hours and days of the year when the program will operate, and the proposed times during the day and week when youth will receive services from the program.
4) The treatment, services and supports, including parent peer specialists when appropriate, that will be offered by the program, and a rationale for how they will help the youth population achieve and sustain positive outcomes. If the program proposes to incorporate specific evidence-based practices in its array of services, a description of those services, the training and certification that its staff members have received or will receive that qualifies them to offer those services, and how those services will be provided. A description of the therapeutic milieu the program proposes to create with the proposed treatment, services and supports, how it will be maintained, its intended therapeutic benefits, and the rationale supporting its use for the youth served by the program. If the program proposes to offer other services within the same facility or program, it shall indicate the process that the program will use in deciding when and how to offer these services, how it will obtain any necessary authorization for these services, and how these services will be funded and regulated.
5) The program's proposal for meeting staffing level requirements in s.
DHS 40.10 (2), the qualifications and roles for each position, and an analysis showing that staffing is adequate to meet the needs of the youth that the program proposes to serve. A description is also required of any specialized training and certification that program staff members have received or will be receiving that will help them better identify and address the specific needs of the youth served by the program.
6) A description of the physical settings indicating where services will be provided and whether these settings will be used for other purposes. Documentation of inspection or permit indicating the state building code requirements have been met, including chs.
SPS 361 to
366, American with Disabilities Act, any applicable local ordinance or municipal building codes, and any additional information requested by the department.
7) If a program is proposing to operate a community-based program in a school, an agreement that describes the school in which the program will be located, the area or areas in the school where program operations will occur, the interactions that the program will have with other school activities and classes, the relationship that the program staff will have with school staff, how program staff and school staff will maintain separate duties, and the activities that youth will be participating in while also receiving services through the program.
8) How the program will participate in care coordination for youth within the community.
9) Where client records will be maintained and how confidentiality requirements of those records will be safeguarded, as required under s.
DHS 40.15.
10) How the program will arrange for food service to any youth who is in the program for four or more hours during a day.
DHS 40.04(1)(c)
(c)
Initial on-site inspection. Upon receipt of all application materials described in sub.
(2), the applicant shall do all of the following:
DHS 40.04(1)(c)1.
1. Permit the department to conduct an on-site inspection of the program's physical settings to determine compliance with this chapter.
DHS 40.04(1)(c)2.
2. Make available for review by the department any documentation necessary to determine compliance with the standards in this chapter.
DHS 40.04(1)(d)1.1. The department shall make a certification determination within 60 days of receiving all completed application materials.
DHS 40.04(1)(d)2.
2. The department may grant certification if all the requirements of this chapter are met.
DHS 40.04(1)(d)3.
3. If the department determines that a program applying for certification does not comply with the requirements of this chapter, has a major deficiency, or the program description is not approved, the department may deny certification. A denial of certification shall be in writing and shall contain the reason for the denial and notice of appeal rights.
DHS 40.04(1)(e)
(e)
Scope of certification. Certification granted by the department shall only be valid for the program described in the application materials.
DHS 40.04(2)(a)
(a)
Notification of changes. A program that has received certification from the department shall notify the department of any change of administration, ownership, program name, required staff, or any other program change that may affect compliance with this chapter before the effective date of the change. A new application will be required if, upon notification, the department determines there is a substantial change in the program.
DHS 40.04 Note
Note: Program notifications should be made to: Behavioral Health Certification Section, Division of Quality Assurance, PO Box 2969, Madison, WI 53701-2969 or by emailing
DHSDQAMentalHealthAODA@wisconsin.gov.
DHS 40.04(2)(b)2.
2. Any program that intends to close shall notify the department in writing at least 30 days before closing and comply with s.
DHS 40.15 (9).
DHS 40.04(2)(c)
(c)
Biennial report and fees. Every 24 months, by the date of renewal, the program shall submit a biennial report on the form provided by the department, and shall submit payment of certification continuation fees for the purpose of renewing certification of the program for two years.
DHS 40.04(2)(d)
(d)
Ongoing on-site inspections. The program shall permit unannounced, on-site inspections of the program by the department to conduct program reviews, to conduct complaint or death investigations involving any aspect of the program, or to determine a program's progress in correcting a deficiency or major deficiency cited by the department. All of the following conditions apply to an on-site inspection:
DHS 40.04(2)(d)1.
1. The department shall use a random selection process for reviewing client records during program reviews.
DHS 40.04(2)(d)2.
2. The department shall conduct client interviews as part of the program review process.
DHS 40.04(2)(e)1.
1. If the department determines that a program has a deficiency, the department shall issue a notice of deficiency to the program. The notice of deficiency may place restrictions on the activities of the program, or suspend or terminate the program's certification.
