# Mental Health Outpatient Services Quality Management System

A comprehensive QMS template designed for outpatient mental health clinics, counseling centers, and behavioral health practices.

## 🧠 Designed For

- **Community Mental Health Centers** - Publicly funded outpatient services
- **Private Psychiatric Practices** - Outpatient psychiatry and medication management
- **Counseling and Therapy Centers** - Individual, group, and family therapy
- **Child/Adolescent Mental Health** - Pediatric outpatient behavioral health
- **Substance Abuse Treatment** - Outpatient addiction services
- **Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOP)** - Structured day treatment
- **Partial Hospitalization Programs (PHP)** - Day hospital services

## 📋 Regulatory Framework

This template supports compliance with:

- **The Joint Commission** - Behavioral Health Care accreditation
- **CARF** - Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities
- **State Mental Health Authority** - State licensing and certification
- **HIPAA** - Mental health information privacy
- **42 CFR Part 2** - Substance abuse treatment confidentiality
- **State Licensing Boards** - Psychologist, social worker, counselor regulations
- **Medicare/Medicaid** - Outpatient mental health billing requirements
- **APA Practice Guidelines** - Evidence-based treatment standards
- **SAMHSA** - Substance abuse treatment guidelines

## Repository Structure

```
├── SOPs/
│   ├── Intake-Assessment/     # Referral, intake, diagnostic evaluation
│   ├── Treatment/             # Therapy protocols, medication management
│   ├── Crisis-Management/     # Crisis response, safety planning, hospitalization
│   ├── Documentation/         # Progress notes, treatment plans, outcomes
│   ├── Compliance/            # Consent, confidentiality, records
│   └── General/               # Document control, training, CAPA
├── Forms/
│   ├── Intake-Forms/          # Registration, consent, authorization, history
│   ├── Assessment-Tools/      # PHQ-9, GAD-7, AUDIT, depression/anxiety scales
│   ├── Treatment-Plans/       # Initial and updated treatment plan templates
│   ├── Safety-Plans/          # Crisis plans, safety contracts
│   ├── Progress-Notes/        # Session documentation templates
│   └── Training/              # Competency assessments
├── Policies/                  # Practice policies
├── Work-Instructions/         # Step-by-step procedures
└── Templates/                 # Document templates
```

## Document Numbering Convention

- **POL-XXX**: Policies
- **SOP-INT-XXX**: Intake/Assessment SOPs
- **SOP-TX-XXX**: Treatment SOPs
- **SOP-CRS-XXX**: Crisis Management SOPs
- **SOP-DOC-XXX**: Documentation SOPs
- **SOP-CMP-XXX**: Compliance SOPs
- **WI-XXX**: Work Instructions
- **FRM-XXX**: Forms and Records

## 🤖 AI-Powered Assistance

This repository includes **AtomicAI**, your outpatient mental health QMS assistant. Mention `@atomicai` in any issue or pull request to:

- Draft intake and assessment procedures
- Create treatment protocols for specific conditions
- Generate crisis intervention and safety planning SOPs
- Develop progress note documentation standards
- Create consent and confidentiality procedures
- Review documents for accreditation compliance

### Example Prompts

- "@atomicai create an SOP for psychiatric intake evaluation"
- "@atomicai draft a crisis intervention and safety planning protocol"
- "@atomicai write a progress note documentation standard per billing requirements"
- "@atomicai create a treatment plan template for depression"
- "@atomicai develop a no-show and missed appointment policy"
- "@atomicai create a telehealth informed consent procedure"

## Getting Started

1. **Establish Consent Procedures** - Configure informed consent and authorization forms
2. **Standardize Assessments** - Implement validated screening tools
3. **Define Documentation Standards** - Set up progress note and treatment plan templates
4. **Create Crisis Protocols** - Establish safety planning and escalation procedures
5. **Train Clinicians** - Use competency assessment forms

## Key Documents to Create First

1. **Intake Assessment SOP** - Standardized evaluation process
2. **Treatment Planning Policy** - Individualized treatment plan requirements
3. **Crisis Response Procedure** - Suicidal/homicidal ideation management
4. **Safety Plan Template** - Client crisis planning tool
5. **Progress Note Standards** - Documentation requirements for sessions
6. **Informed Consent Forms** - Treatment consent, HIPAA, 42 CFR Part 2
7. **Telehealth Policy** - Virtual care protocols and consent

## Special Considerations for Outpatient Mental Health

### Intake and Assessment
- Referral management and triage
- Comprehensive diagnostic evaluation
- Validated screening instruments
- Treatment matching and level of care
- Insurance authorization

### Treatment Services
- Evidence-based therapy protocols
- Medication evaluation and management
- Group therapy programming
- Family and couples therapy
- Care coordination with other providers

### Crisis Management
- Suicide risk assessment
- Safety planning
- Crisis hotline resources
- Hospitalization criteria and procedures
- Post-crisis follow-up

### Documentation and Compliance
- HIPAA and 42 CFR Part 2 requirements
- Progress note medical necessity
- Treatment plan updates
- Outcome measurement
- Supervision and peer review

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*This template is maintained by AtomicQMS. For questions, open an issue in this repository.*