title: Best practices: New York's outpatient mental health clinic licensing reform: using tracer methodology to improve service quality.
abstract: This column describes how the New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH) redesigned licensing procedures for outpatient clinics by applying a person-centered focus and clinically relevant standards of care. OMH incorporated a tracer methodology to assess services; a licensing instrument that reflected OMH goals; and a systematic piloting, feedback, and implementation process. Clinic staff reported that the new procedures facilitated communication between OMH and clinics, accurately identified clinics' successes, and provided actionable and programmatic feedback. This initiative represents the first step by a state mental health authority to create a system of accountability that is clinically relevant and supported by stakeholders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, and New York State Psychiatric Institute, 1051 Riverside Dr, Box 100, New York, NY 10032, USA. jpw2129@columbia.edu
authors.forename: Jennifer P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Wisdom
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Knapik
authors.forename: Michael W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Holley
authors.forename: Jayne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Van Bramer
authors.forename: Lloyd I
authors.initials: LI
authors.lastname: Sederer
authors.forename: Susan M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Essock
mesh_terms: D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards; D003156:Community Mental Health Services / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards; D003625:Data Collection; D006801:Humans; D007878:Legislation as Topic; D008004:Licensure; D009518:New York; D009937:Organizational Objectives; D018802:Patient-Centered Care / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D058996:Quality Improvement / Q000458:organization & administration; D012941:Social Responsibility