The Licensing and Certification (L&C) Unit of the California Department of Mental Health (DMH) is responsible for implementing and maintaining a system to assure compliance with state regulations and statutes related to facility licensure and program certification, in a variety of 24-hour psychiatric and rehabilitation care facilities.

Related responsibilities include review of unusual occurrence reports (UOR) and administration of the criminal background check law (Welfare & Institutions Code 5404) for facilities licensed by the DMH.

Two (2) facility/program types subject to DMH licensure requirements are:

• Mental Health Rehabilitation Centers (MHRC)
• Psychiatric Health Facilities (PHF)

Mental Health Treatment Programs certified by DMH are:

• Community Residential Treatment Systems (CRTS), which are licensed by the Department of Social Services (DSS);
• Community Treatment Facilities (CTF) licensed by DSS;
• Special Treatment Programs (STP) in Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNF/STP), licensed by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH).

The DMH L&C Unit is also responsible for the review and approval of 5150 designated facilities that have been designated by a County Board of Supervisors and meet the California Code of Regulations (CCR) 663 Minimum Staffing Requirements.

There are currently twenty (20) PHFs licensed by DMH, ten (10) of which are owned and operated by private organizations.  Ten (10) PHFs are operated by local governments and funded by county monies.  Three (3) PHFs are either accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) or are federally certified to provide treatment to Medicare or Short Doyle/MediCal recipients.

Program and licensure requirements for PHF are in Title 22, Division 5 of the California Code of Regulations.

Mental Health Rehabilitation Centers (MHRC) were established to provide a Department of Mental Health (DMH) licensed 24-hour care facility program.  MHRCs are to provide intensive support and rehabilitation services designed to assist persons, 18 years or older, with mental disorders who would have been placed in a state hospital or another mental health facility to develop the skills to become self sufficient and capable of increasing levels of independent functioning.

Program and licensure requirements for MHRC are in Title 9, Division 1, Chapter 3.5,

For more information about DMH Licensing & Certification, Please call (916) 651-3907.