Dear Substance Abuse Professional,
As our summer comes to a close and we begin to look ahead to a change in season, it seems like an appropriate time to share news about changes that continue to develop here in Raleigh that impact the Board office and your credential.
Please read on to learn more about these legislative changes and their impact on YOU!
Anna Misenheimer
Executive Director
NCSAPPB
What are the implications?
As was reported in the May 2012 edition of the Board Buzz, The Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Health and Human Services met and approved the statutory change to our Practice Act that amends all references to a “provisional licensed clinical addictions specialist” to a “Licensed Clinical Addictions Specialist Associate”. Both the Senate and the House voted to pass this legislation (House Bill 1081) and it was ratified by signature of the Governor on June 26, 2012.
The full text of the ratified bill can be found here.
The Board office is now working to assign credentialing numbers to all of our professionals who have obtained this status. If you were a LCAS-P (and are now a LCAS-A), you will be receiving a paper certificate in the mail with an assigned LCAS-A credentialing number. The number will be followed by an “A”, indicating Associate status. Upon meeting all requirements for full licensure, the “A” will be dropped from the credentialing number and one will be mailed a new certificate, indicating that one has obtained the full LCAS licensure.
The issuance of a credentialing number that is associated with the LCAS-A status is a new procedure and will be important in the near future as the Division of Medical Assistance submits State Plan Amendment changes to the Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) to enable direct billing for licensed clinical addictions specialist associates as well as licensed clinical social worker associates, licensed professional counselor associates, licensed marriage and family therapist associates and licensed psychological associates. Per Implementation Update #98 (page 6), “DMA will publish guidance for enrollment, billing and transition steps in an upcoming Medicaid bulletin”. At this time, LCAS-A status does not allow one to directly bill Medicaid.
