Behavioral Healthcare Compliance for Accreditation and Regulatory Requirements: Updates and Resources
See behavioral healthcare compliance posts below from our recent newsletters and access our newsletter archive and behavioral healthcare industry links.

Joint Commission Licensed Practitioner Evaluation: Change in Timeframe
Heads up! The Joint Commission licensed practitioner evaluation timeframe has changed. The previous timeframe was every two years. Effective February 19, 2023, it will be every three years. This change applies to organizations TJC accredits under the Hospital...

Joint Commission Sentinel Event Definition Revised
Effective January 1, 2023, there will be a revised Joint Commission Sentinel Event definition. Specifically, TJC is revising the definition of sexual abuse/assault within the Sentinel Event Policy. Current Joint Commission Sentinel Event Definition The current...

Joint Commission Safety Briefing: New in 2023
Get ready for the new Joint Commission Safety Briefing that becomes a part of the survey agenda in January 2023. This briefing will be a requirement for all accreditation programs, including Hospital and Behavioral Health Care & Human Services. Joint Commission...

Joint Commission Health Care Equity Requirements
The new Joint Commission health care equity requirements go into effect January 1, 2023. This promises to be a major Joint Commission focus area. Rightfully so, since research shows disparities in access to health care and disparities in quality of care persist in our...

Behavioral Healthcare Accreditation Update
Leaders of TJC’s Behavioral Healthcare Accreditation Program recently conducted a webinar for the Consultants Forum. They provided an informative update on survey scheduling and other Behavioral Healthcare Accreditation activities. We’re sharing the highlights with...

Joint Commission Sentinel Event Data on Suicides
Behavioral healthcare organizations nationwide continue to work diligently on implementing TJC’s National Patient Safety Goal on Suicide Prevention. The latest Joint Commission sentinel event data (including suicides) recently became available. So, now is an opportune...

Joint Commission Orientation Requirements
Meeting the Joint Commissionâs orientation requirements is critical for a successful survey. Surveyors review your orientation process and related documentation during the Human Resources/Competence Assessment session. Thus, itâs...

Environmental Risk Assessment: Non-inpatient Behavioral Health Settings
The Joint Commission recently updated its FAQ on environmental risk assessments in non-inpatient Behavioral Health settings. Their guidance is essentially the same as back in 2018. However, it’s worth reviewing closely since surveyors frequently cite this issue in non-inpatient BH settings …

Joint Commission Discharge Summary Review: Be Prepared
Joint Commission discharge summary reviews are a standard part of the survey agenda for both psychiatric hospitals and behavioral health organizations. Frequently, surveyors cite deficiencies in this area on the survey report. So, let’s review the key requirements to...

Joint Commission PI Standards: Data Collection Requirements
Recently, we covered the new Joint Commission PI requirements effective January 2022. We’re now seeing a clear uptick in the amount of attention surveyors are paying to this topic. Moreover, they’re issuing Requirements for Improvement in their survey reports. While...