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Provider Screening, Enrollment & Credentialing

Individuals who provide direct treatment/care to clients are required to complete the credentialing process! All other individuals are required to complete the screening process!

Communications & Memos

  1. March 2025-Providers Must Complete Credentialing Before Providing Care: This memo reminds providers about the obligation to complete the screening/credentialing process though our office before providing services to BHS clients. As an additional reminder, providers cannot obtain reimbursement for services if they have not successfully completed screening/credentialing Compliance-Memo-Credentialing-and-Service-Disallowances
  2. May 2025-Taxonomy Updates from DHCS - Action Required Before June 16, 2025: This memo communicates DHCS' updated list of reimbursable Taxonomy Codes for SMHS and DMC-ODS. All providers should compare their current Taxonomy Code to this list and, if needed, update their Taxonomy Code on the NPPES website. Every agency will document any changes on the Excel file included here -- and then submit that Excel file to credentialing@sfdph.org. BHS' QA/QI Unit and the BHS Compliance Unit will be hosting an Information Meeting for providers on 5/16/2025, from 9am to 10:30am (Teams Meeting ID# 294-897-939-052-2 ) Memo for Taxonomy Update Project (with Slides, Tools, and Source Materials), BHS-Staff-Roster (for Taxonomy Update Project, May 2025), BHS' Short-List of Taxonomies for 2025

New Staff & Supervisor Screening-Credentialing (Individuals Providing Direct Treatment or Support to Clients)

Any individual who provides direct treatment, care and/or support to clients must complete this process - regardless if you bill for services - regardless if you chart in an electronic medical record like Avatar or Epic. Clinical supervisors must also complete this process, even if they are not providing direct care.

  1. Mental Health Providers: Send an email to credentialing@sfdph.org from your agency email account. 
    1. For the subject line, use “requesting Credentialing-Mental Health/Epic” 
    2. For the body of the email, include the following:
      1. Your name as it appears on your license, certification, etc. 
      2. Your NPI number and the taxonomy code and label
      3. Your license/registration number issued by the Board (e.g., BBS)
      4. Your program/clinic/agency name (e.g., South of Market Mental Health Clinic)
      5. The type of application you need:
        1. Application for Physician (MD/DO)
        2. Application for SUD Medical Director
        3. Application for Alcohol or Other Drug (AOD) Counselor (both Registered and/or fully Certified)
        4. Application for Social Work, Marriage Family Therapist, Professional Clinical Counselor (both BBS-Registered and/or fully Licensed) 
        5. Application for Psychologist (including Registered, Waivered and/or fully Licensed) 
        6. Application for Nurse Practitioner
        7. Application for Registered Nurse, Vocational Nurse, Psychiatric Technician, and/or Pharmacist
        8. Application for Certified Peer Support Specialist
        9. Application for Unlicensed Staff Who Are MHW
        10. Application for Unlicensed Staff Who Are MHRS
        11. Application for Unlicensed Staff Who Are Clinical Trainees (specify Social Work, MFT, Professional Clinical Counselor, Psychologist, OT, LVN, RN, Psychiatric Tech, CNS, NP, Physician Assistant, Medical Student-Clerkship, Psychiatry Resident)
    3. Send the email and then monitor your email inbox (and spam folder) for an email from noreply@sfdph.org.
    4. Open the email and follow the instructions - - you will be taken to the online credentialing system and you will complete the application process.
    5. Approximately 5-7 business days after you submit the application, you will receive an email from BHS Compliance with the outcome of the credentialing process. 
    6. As soon as you send the email to request credentialing - - you can move to the next phase and visit DPH Onboarding Webpage” to request a POI number and submit an onboarding request
  2. Substance Use Providers:
    1. Fully complete the BHS IT Department’s Avatar Account Request Form; the form must be typewritten and include required signatures. If you need assistance completing the form, contact the Avatar Help Desk at 628-217-5196.
    2. Draft an email to avataraccounts@sfdph.org
      1. For the subject line, use “Requesting SUD Credentialing and Avatar Account”
    3. Send the email, with the completed form attached, and then monitor your email inbox (and spam folder) for an email from noreply@sfdph.org
    4. Open the email and follow the instructions - - you will be taken to the online credentialing system and you will complete the application process.
    5. Approximately 5-7 business days after you submit the application, you will receive an email from BHS Compliance with the outcome of the credentialing process. 
    6. In a separate email, the BHS team will communicate with you about the Avatar ID Account number assigned to you.

New Administrative Staff "Screening Only" (No Direct Client Treatment or Support Activities)

Screening is required for individuals who provide administrative functions within Medi-Cal programs (e.g., clerks, quality assurance, billing staff, etc.). "Screening" means checking required databases and lists (e.g., OIG Exclusion List, DHCS Suspended & Ineligible List, Death Master File, etc.).

  1. Mental Health Medi-Cal Programs: Send an email to credentialing@sfdph.org from your agency email account. 
    1. For the subject line, use “requesting Admin Staff Screening” 
      1. For the body of the email, include the following (as appropriate):
        1. Your legal name 
        2. Your NPI number and the taxonomy code and label
        3. Your program/clinic/agency name (e.g., South of Market Mental Health Clinic)
        4. If you have a license/registration/certificate, then provide that information as well.
        5. Note - if you need to access Epic, then you need to complete their DPH Onboarding process as well.
  2. Substance Use Medi-Cal Programs:
    1. Fully complete the BHS IT Department’s Avatar Account Request Form; the form must be typewritten and include required signatures. If you need assistance completing the form, contact the Avatar Help Desk at 628-217-5196.
    2. Draft an email to avataraccounts@sfdph.org
      1. For the subject line, use “Requesting SUD Avatar-Admin Staff Screening”
      2. For the body of the email, include the following (as appropriate):
        1. Your legal name 
        2. Your NPI number and the taxonomy code and label
        3. Your program/clinic/agency name (e.g., South of Market Mental Health Clinic)
        4. If you have a license/registration/certificate, then provide that information as well.
    3. Send the email, with the completed form attached

Existing Clinical, Supervisor, and Admin Staff: Updates & Changes to Credentialing Record

All individuals are responsible for ensuring their Credentialing Record is current and correct. This includes any changes to your personal identity, professional identity and/or your organizational identity.

  1. Mental Health Providers/Programs:
    1. Fully complete the SMHS Credentialing Update Request Form/Change of Information.
    2. Send an email to credentialing@sfdph.org from your agency email account. 
    3. For the subject line, use “requesting update to Credentialing Record” 
      1. For the body of the email, describe the changes you are requesting on the form.
    4. Attach the Update Request form along with any relevant documents (e.g., new license/registration/certificate, screenshot of NPI record, etc.).
  2. Substance Use Providers/Programs:
    1. Fully complete the BHS IT Department’s Avatar Account Request Form.
    2. Draft an email to avataraccounts@sfdph.org
      1. For the subject line, use “Requesting Update/Change to Avatar/Credentialing Record”
      2. For the body of the email, describe the changes you are requesting on the form.

Existing Staff Provider Separation Form for Existing Clinical/Supervisor/Admin Staff

When a staff member leaves an agency, they and the agency must communicate this information within 5 business days to BHS Credentialing. 

  1. Fully complete the BHS Credentialing Separation Form
  2. Email the completed form to  credentialing@sfdph.org
    1. If the staff/agency uses Avatar, then you must include them on the email (avataraccounts@sfdph.org)

Private Provider Network Credentialing

  1. Enter your name, NPI number and your email address into our Webform
  2. Monitor your email inbox (and spam folder) for an email from noreply@sfdph.org
  3. Open the email and follow the instructions - - you will be taken to the online credentialing system and you will complete the application process.
    1. Within 60 calendar days of submitting the application, you will receive an email from a staff member in the PPN with the outcome of the credentialing process. In addition, the PPN office will also send this information via postal mail.

New Initiatives: DHCS Certified Peer Support Specialists

BHS will be implementing the Certified Peer Support Specialist benefit within SMHS and DMC-ODS.

We have created a presentation that can help Peer Support Specialists to complete the credentialing process (and also, help QM/Compliance staff who provide assistance): BHS Compliance Training - Credentialing for DHCS Certified Peer Support Specialists