Barrins Bulletin
March 2025
Embracing Change: A Season of Transformation in Behavioral Health
Dear Readers,
As the seasons shift, we are reminded of the natural cycles of change—each bringing new opportunities for growth and renewal. In the world of behavioral health, change is not just inevitable; it is essential. Psychiatric hospitals, community behavioral health centers, and human services organizations are continuously evolving to meet the needs of the individuals they serve.
From adapting to new policies and reimbursement models to integrating innovative treatment approaches, our field is in a constant state of transformation. Just as autumn gives way to winter, and winter to spring, organizations must embrace change with resilience and purpose. In this season of transition, we reflect on the challenges and opportunities ahead—exploring how we can cultivate environments that foster recovery, strengthen teams, and enhance patient/client centered care.
It is a time to focus on strategies for navigating change in behavioral health, spotlight best practices in leadership and team development, and share insights on sustaining high-performance cultures in times of uncertainty. Change is not just something to endure—it’s something to harness for lasting impact. Let’s step forward into this season of transformation together.
Our newsletter is designed to support behavioral health organizations through this time of constant change by offering clear, straightforward regulatory and accreditation updates, along with practical compliance tips to help navigate these challenging times. We hope this edition eases both your mind and your workload—so keep reading for insights that can lighten the load and even bring a little fun to your compliance journey.
As always, we appreciate your input on the newsletter. Please take a moment to share your comments and let us know your thoughts. Additionally, we welcome suggestions for topics you would like to see covered in future issues. We eagerly anticipate hearing from you! Don’t hesitate to forward this newsletter to your colleagues; their insights are invaluable to us as well.
Best Regards,
Julia Finken
RN, BSN, MBA, CPHQ, CLSSMBB
Senior Vice President
25+ Years of Expertise, Tailored Solutions for Your Success in Behavioral Healthcare
HBS: We Bring Buildings to Life
At the heart of this growth is our leadership team—each bringing deep industry expertise, a commitment to excellence, and a passion for helping clients navigate complex challenges. We’re excited to introduce you to the rest of the HBS team driving your organization’s success!
HBS Solutions
As your dedicated consultancy partner, we provide tailored solutions from planning through ongoing operations. Explore our additional programs below to see our full suite of services:
Medical Equipment Planning
From renovations to new facilities, we deliver solutions that improve healthcare outcomes and efficiency. Our Equipment Planners integrate design, planning, and procurement with deep industry expertise.
Transition Planning
Moving into a new space is both exciting and challenging. Our Transition Planners create clear roadmaps to streamline operations, reduce risk, and ensure a seamless facility launch.
Activation Planning
Moving into a new space is both exciting and challenging. Our Transition Planners create clear roadmaps to streamline operations, reduce risk, and ensure a seamless facility launch.
Digital Technology Consulting
Reliable, scalable technology is more critical than ever. HBS helps clients navigate logistical, operational, and financial challenges by embedding expertise or augmenting in-house teams to align technology investments with business goals.
In the ever-evolving field of behavioral healthcare, ensuring effective treatment and positive outcomes is paramount. One of the most reliable ways to achieve this is through evidence-based practice (EBP). EBP is a method that integrates the best available…
Acquiring another organization is a significant milestone, bringing opportunities for growth, expansion, and enhanced service delivery. But, it also introduces complex challenges, particularly in compliance and regulatory oversight. Ensuring a seamless transition…
Effective the end of March, TJC has announced a new APR and two new decision rules that apply to behavioral health providers accredited under the CAMBHC standards. A new immediate threat APR.09.04.01, EP2 will be added that states “As determined by the sole discretion of The Joint Commission, the organization provides care, treatment or services and/or a safe environment that meets minimal accreditation requirements of quality and or safety of individuals served and or staff.”
Two additional decision rules, DA13, denial of accreditation for initial accreditation and DA08, denial of accreditation for reaccreditation. It is important to note that these decisions depart from the preliminary denial of accreditation process and the opportunity for hearings or appeals.
DNV
DNV posted their HealthHub newsletter to LinkedIn on February 27th, How to Leverage New Tools for Compliance Automation. Take some time today to review this insightful article.
ACHC
On February 11th, ACHC posted a blog discussion, Bridging the Gap: Understanding the Interconnection Between the Physical Environment and Life Safety Code Standards for Hospitals. This blog covers plans combining requirements from the Physical Environment Chapter for fire safety and requirements from their life safety code chapter for means of egress, fire alarm systems, fire suppression systems, and fire safety systems.
COA
COA is hosting a free 30-minute webinar, Introduction to COA Accreditation – Social Current. This webinar is scheduled for April 9, 2025 and provides an introduction to Social Current and COA Accreditation. It is for anyone seeking accreditation for the first time, interested in what is required to become accredited, or mandated to become accredited by state or federal legislation. Participants will gain an understanding of the philosophy and process for becoming COA Accredited.
We were founded by Anne Barrins, former Joint Commission surveyor, and are succeeded by Julia Finken, former Joint Commission surveyor, Associate Director of Business Development for the Home Care Program, and Executive Director of Business Development for the Behavioral Health Care and Psychiatric Hospital Programs.
In this Issue
- Do This Before Approving Your Building Plans to Prevent this Common Budget Overage
- The Importance of Evidence-Based Practice in Behavioral Healthcare
- You Just Acquired Another Organization – The Role of Compliance Services
- Accreditor Insights & Updates: TJC, DNV, CIHQ, ACHC, COA
- Tip of the Month: Multi-Factor Authentication
Hear What Our Clients Say
“We are heading into day 2 of our mock survey and I want you to know how pleased we are with Marianne. She’s a pleasure to work with and incredibly knowledgeable. We are already feeling more prepared for our upcoming survey.”
Deborah Lawrence
Chief Executive Officer
Western Connecticut Mental Health Network
Are You Survey Ready?
At Barrins & Associates we can assist you to achieve and sustain accreditation and regulatory compliance in adherence to the TJC, DNV, CHIQ, ACHC, CARF, COA, and CMS, standards for psychiatric hospitals and community behavioral health and human services providers. Inquire today about our consulting services. We continue to support your journey toward accreditation and regulatory compliance.
Inquire today about our consulting services.
We continue to support your journey toward accreditation and regulatory compliance.