Updated Rehabilitative Behavioral Health Services and Licensed Independent Practitioners Provider Manuals

The South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (SCDHHS) published updated Rehabilitative Behavioral Health Services (RBHS) and Licensed Independent Practitioners (LIP) Behavioral Health Services provider manuals effective July 1, 2026. SCDHHS appreciates the feedback received from the provider network for both draft manuals previously released in the Medicaid bulletin (MB# 26-012) issued May 4, 2026.

SCDHHS will conduct three live webinars to provide guidance on the manual updates, focusing separately on each impacted provider type (i.e., RBHS, Office of Substance Use Services [OSUS]-affiliated and LIP). Each webinar will be recorded for future viewing and available after the live webinars on the Provider Training Resources page of the SCDHHS website. Dates, times and registration links for the live webinars are as follows:

The webinars will cover requirements from each section of the updated manual and highlight relevant policy changes in the manuals as follows:

• New manual template with addition of two new sections - Billing Guidance and Benefit Criteria and Limitations;
• Unified service definitions across manuals with supportive documentation guidance;
• Updated policy language that reflects current behavioral health trends and best practices;
• Addition of ordering, referring and prescribing (ORP) requirements for psychiatrists and other physicians practicing within RBHS organizations;
• Improved alignment between RBHS and LIP manuals with both reflecting policy alignment with applicable federal and state regulations;
• Inclusion of relevant definitions (such as telehealth services and Early, Periodic Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment benefit)
• Updated business requirements for individual LIP providers and group practices to align with other high-risk provider types;
• Enhanced training resources for RBHS organizations;
• Increased service-specific information for OSUS-affiliated providers;

In addition, the RBHS Provider Manual appendices for evidence-based practices (i.e., Assertive Community Treatment, Multisystemic Therapy and Homebuilders) will be removed from the provider manual document and instead linked in the RBHS appendices section on this provider manual's home page.

Anti-kickback Policy
SCDHHS is reminding providers of its anti-kickback policy published in the Provider Administrative and Billing Manual to ensure compliance with state and federal laws.

The South Carolina Medicaid program strictly prohibits all forms of provider kickbacks and self-referrals as outlined in S.C. Code § 44-113-60 and 42 USC § 1320a-7b(b). Violations of either statute may result in administrative, civil and/or criminal penalties, up to and including program termination and referral to law enforcement authorities.

South Carolina's Medicaid managed care organizations (MCOs) are responsible for the authorizations, coverage and reimbursement related to the services described in this bulletin for members enrolled in an MCO.

Providers may direct questions about this bulletin to the Provider Service Center (PSC). PSC representatives can be reached at (888) 289-0709 from 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday. Providers may also submit an online inquiry at www.scdhhs.gov/providers/contact-provider-representative.

Thank you for your continued support of the South Carolina Healthy Connections Medicaid program.

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