BHS Practice Guidelines

The purpose of BHS Practice Guidelines is to aid in the development and support of a standard of care that is guided by research and evidenced based practices. It is the policy of BHS to maintain a process to develop, adopt and implement Practice Guidelines in order to continuously improve care processes and thereby improve outcomes of care for beneficiaries.

Practice Guidelines shall meet the following requirements:

1. Be based on valid and reliable clinical evidence or a consensus of behavioral health care professionals in the applicable field.
2. Consider the needs of beneficiaries.
3. Are adopted in consultation with health care professionals.
4. Are reviewed and updated periodically as appropriate.

BHS will provide and/or coordinate the necessary training when implementing new and/or updating Practice Guidelines.

BHS County and County Contracted providers involved in the delivery of services in the Mental Health Plan (hereby referred to as Orange MHP) and Drug Medi-Cal Organized Delivery System (DMC-ODS) are to attend or complete the required training provided on Practice Guidelines and to utilize the most current Practice Guidelines as a model to guide service provision and professional practice.

Please click the links below for Practice Guidelines adopted and/or created by BHS.

In addition, please see our Policy & Procedure surrounding the development and implementation of Practice Guidelines.

BHS Policy & Procedure: Practice Guidelines Development and Implementation

List of Practice Guidelines:

• BHS Clinical Supervision
• BHS Danger to Others
• BHS Physicians Manual and Practice Guidelines
• BHS Practice Guidelines for People with Physical and Cognitive Disabilities
• BHS Substance Use Disorder Practice Guidelines
• BHS Suicide Assessment & Treatment Practice
• BHS Supervision of Peers Practice Guideline
• BHS Trauma-Informed Care Workplace and Practice

BHS Clinical Supervision	Adopted
Practice Guideline	04/01/19
Quick Guides:
Quick Guide
Common Elements of Clinical Supervision
Policy & Procedures (P&P)
Clinical Supervision Reporting Form
Clinical Supervision Agreement Form
Sample Supervisor Competency Assessment
Regulatory Board and Association Websites
American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT)
American Psychological Association (APA)
Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB)
Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards
Board of Behavioral Health Sciences (BBS)
California Association of DUI Treatment Programs (CADTP)
California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT)
California Board of Psychology (BOP)
California Consortium of Addiction Programs and Professionals (CCAPP)
Canadian Psychological Association (APA)
National Association of Social Workers (NASW)
New Zealand Psychologists Boards
Psychology Board of Australia

BHS Danger to Others	Adopted
Practice Guideline	12/10/2024
Quick Guide

BHS Physicians Manual and Practice Guidelines	Adopted
Practice Guideline	4/24/2023
Quick Guides:
Quick Guide Parameters for General Health-Related Monitoring, Consultation & Interventions
Quick Guide Parameters for the Use of Antidepressant Medications
Quick Guide Parameters for the Use of Antipsychotic Medications
Quick Guide Parameters for the Use of Anxiolytic Medications
Quick Guide Parameters for the Use of Mood Stabilizing Medications
Quick Guide Parameters for the Use of Psychoactive Meds in Individual with Co-Occurring Substance Use & Mental Health Conditions
Quick Guide Parameters for the Use of Psychotropic Medication in Older Adults
Quick Guide Parameters for the Use of Medications for Addiction Treatment (MAT)
Quick Guide MAT- Guidelines for the Use of Naltrexone Long Acting Injection (NLAI)
Quick Guide Prescribing Practices for Psychotropic Medication in Children and Youth

BHS Practice Guidelines for People with Physical and Cognitive Disabilities	Adopted
Mental and Substance Use Disorder Treatment for People with Physical and Cognitive Disabilities (SAMHSA Advisory)	07/2024

BHS Substance Use Disorder Practice Guidelines	Adopted
SUD Perinatal Practice Guidelines (DHCS PG)	10/2024
Adolescent Substance Use Disorder Best Practices Guide (DHCS PG)	07/2024

BHS Suicide Assessment & Treatment Practice	Adopted
Practice Guideline	11/06/2019
Quick Guide	11/06/2019

BHS Supervision of Peers Practice Guideline	Adopted
Practice Guideline	10/30/2024
Quick Guide - Common Elements of Peer Supervision	10/30/2024
Quick Guide - Supervision of Peers Resources	10/30/2024

BHS Trauma-Informed Care Workplace and Practice	Adopted
Practice Guideline	12/10/2019
Quick Guide	12/10/2019
Introduction Video	2/19/2020