Mississippi Administrative Code
Title 24 - Mental Health
Part 2 - Operational Standards for Mental Health, Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Use Community Service Providers
Chapter 22 - Outpatient Therapy Services
Rule 24-2-22.1 - Psychotherapeutic Services

A. Outpatient Psychotherapeutic Services include initial assessment and individual, family, group, and multi-family group therapies. Outpatient Psychotherapeutic Services are defined as intentional, face-to-face interactions (conversations or non-verbal encounters, such as play therapy) between a Mental Health Therapist, IDD Therapist or Addictions Therapist (as appropriate to the population being served) and a person, family or group where a therapeutic relationship is established to help resolve symptoms of a mental and/or emotional disturbance.

B. Individual Therapy is defined as one-on-one (1:1) psychotherapy that takes place between a Mental Health Therapist and the person receiving services.

C. Family Therapy shall consist of psychotherapy that takes place between a Mental Health Therapist and a person's family member(s) with or without the presence of the person. Family Therapy may also include others (MS Department of Child Protection Services personnel, foster family members, etc.) with whom the person lives or has a family-like relationship. This service includes family psychotherapy and psychoeducation provided by a Mental Health Therapist.

D. Group Therapy shall consist of psychotherapy that takes place between a Mental Health Therapist and at least two (2) but no more than ten (10) children or at least two (2) but not more than twelve (12) adults at the same time. Possibilities include, but are not limited to, groups that focus on relaxation training, anger management and/or conflict resolution, social skills training, and self-esteem enhancement.

E. Multi-Family Group Therapy shall consist of psychotherapy that takes place between a Mental Health Therapist and family members of at least two (2) different people receiving services, with or without the presence of the person, directed toward the reduction/resolution of identified mental health problems so that the person and/or their families may function more independently and competently in daily life. This service includes psychoeducational and family-to-family training.

F. Outpatient Psychotherapeutic Services must be available and accessible at appropriate times and places to meet the needs of the population to be served. The provider must establish a regular schedule, with a minimum of three (3) hours weekly for the provision of Outpatient Psychotherapeutic Services during evenings and/or weekends.

G. Providers utilizing Evidence-Based Practices (EBP) or best practices in the provision of Outpatient Psychotherapeutic Services must show verification that employees utilizing those practices have completed appropriate training or independent study as recommended by the developers of the model/practice for the practices being utilized.

H. For DMH/C and DMH/P agency providers of Outpatient Psychotherapeutic Services for Children/Youth: Outpatient therapy services must be offered to each school district in the region served by the agency provider. If the school district does not accept the agency provider's offer to provide Outpatient Psychotherapeutic Services, written documentation of the denial (for the current school year) by the school district superintendent must be on file at the agency provider for review by DMH personnel.

I. There must be written policies and procedures for: