SAMHSA quality guidance supports asking about licensing, accreditation, evidence-supported care, medications when clinically appropriate, family involvement, and continuing-care planning. Asking does not establish that a facility has any particular credential, practice, medication, or service. Request current, specific answers and determine which points can be checked with the relevant public or accrediting source. Also ask what happens when a person's needs fall outside the program's scope.
Use a second comparison table with rows for licensing, accreditation, care approach, medication policy when clinically appropriate, family involvement, continuing-care planning, and outcome evidence. Give each facility three columns: confirmed, needs review, and not established. Record the document, agency, date, or staff role supporting each confirmed entry. A confident verbal statement can still remain needs review until you can verify it.
- Which license or approval applies to the specific location and service?
- Is accreditation claimed, and can its current status be independently checked?
- How does the program explain evidence-supported care without promising results? How are family involvement and continuing-care planning handled when appropriate and authorized? by?