We’ve established new credentialing requirement for facilities that treat substance use disorders

Members with a diagnosis involving a substance use disorder must have their group counseling and didactic group sessions provided by one of the following:

• A professional who has a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor, or CADC, credential
• A registered nurse or someone with a higher credential

This change took effect July 1, 2021.

Additional information

This requirement applies to facilities that treat members who have coverage through these plans:

• Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan commercial
• Medicare Plus Blue℠
• Blue Care Network commercial
• BCN Advantage℠

This requirement applies to facilities that provide and bill for at least one of the following types of treatment for substance use disorders:

• Subacute detoxification
• Residential treatment
• Partial hospital program
• Intensive outpatient program
• Individual treatment

What to do when employees don’t have the CADC credential

Fully licensed mental health practitioners who are employed by these facilities and don’t meet our credentialing requirement can provide group counseling and didactic group sessions if they do the following:

• Within 30 days of hire, document the submission of an application to obtain the CADC credential. The application must be submitted to the Michigan Certification Board for Addiction Professionals.** MCBAP allows the submission of an application within 30 days of hire as part of the normal process of obtaining the CADC credential.
• Within the first 40 months of employment, obtain the CADC credential through MCBAP.

Notes:

• MCBAP indicates on its website that three years is generally provided or needed to obtain the credential, but we’re allowing an additional four months to accommodate any interruption of the process for sickness or for other issues that may temporarily interfere with completion of the educational program within the intended time frame.
• Group psychotherapy must be provided by a fully licensed mental health practitioner (for example, a Licensed Master Social Worker, or LMSW).

Provider manuals updated

We’ve updated the provider manuals to include this new information.

**Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network don’t own or control this website.