(a) Eligibility. Private nonprofit organizations or State governmental entities, or political subdivisions thereof, capable of meeting the requirements of this part may apply for approval as an accreditation body.

(b) Application for initial approval. Electronic copies of an accreditation body application form [SMA-167] shall be submitted to: http://buprenorphine.samhsa.gov/pls/bwns/waiver. Accreditation body applications shall include the following information and supporting documentation:

(1) Name, address, and telephone number of the applicant and a responsible official for the accreditation body. The application shall be signed by the responsible official;

(2) Evidence of the nonprofit status of the applicant (i.e., of fulfilling Internal Revenue Service requirements as a nonprofit organization) if the applicant is not a State governmental entity or political subdivision;

(3) A set of the accreditation elements or standards and a detailed discussion showing how the proposed accreditation elements or standards will ensure that each OTP surveyed by the applicant is qualified to meet or is meeting each of the Federal opioid treatment standards set forth in §8.12;

(4) A detailed description of the applicant's decisionmaking process, including:

(i) Procedures for initiating and performing onsite accreditation surveys of OTPs;

(ii) Procedures for assessing OTP personnel qualifications;

(iii) Copies of an application for accreditation, guidelines, instructions, and other materials the applicant will send to OTPs during the accreditation process, including a request for a complete history of prior accreditation activities and a statement that all information and data submitted in the application for accreditation is true and accurate, and that no material fact has been omitted;

(iv) Policies and procedures for notifying OTPs and SAMHSA of deficiencies and for monitoring corrections of deficiencies by OTPs;

(v) Policies and procedures for suspending or revoking an OTP's accreditation;

(vi) Policies and procedures that will ensure processing of applications for accreditation and applications for renewal of accreditation within a timeframe approved by SAMHSA; and

(vii) A description of the applicant's appeals process to allow OTPs to contest adverse accreditation decisions.

(5) Policies and procedures established by the accreditation body to avoid conflicts of interest, or the appearance of conflicts of interest, by the applicant's board members, commissioners, professional personnel, consultants, administrative personnel, and other representatives;

(6) A description of the education, experience, and training requirements for the applicant's professional staff, accreditation survey team membership, and the identification of at least one licensed physician on the applicant's staff;

(7) A description of the applicant's training policies;

(8) Fee schedules, with supporting cost data;

(9) Satisfactory assurances that the body will comply with the requirements of §8.4, including a contingency plan for investigating complaints under §8.4(e);

(10) Policies and procedures established to protect confidential information the applicant will collect or receive in its role as an accreditation body; and

(11) Any other information SAMHSA may require.

(c) Application for renewal of approval. An accreditation body that intends to continue to serve as an accreditation body beyond its current term shall apply to SAMHSA for renewal, or notify SAMHSA of its intention not to apply for renewal, in accordance with the following procedures and schedule:

(1) At least 9 months before the date of expiration of an accreditation body's term of approval, the body shall inform SAMHSA in writing of its intent to seek renewal.

(2) SAMHSA will notify the applicant of the relevant information, materials, and supporting documentation required under paragraph (b) of this section that the applicant shall submit as part of the renewal procedure.

(3) At least 3 months before the date of expiration of the accreditation body's term of approval, the applicant shall furnish to SAMHSA three copies of a renewal application containing the information, materials, and supporting documentation requested by SAMHSA under paragraph (c)(2) of this section.

(4) An accreditation body that does not intend to renew its approval shall so notify SAMHSA at least 9 months before the expiration of the body's term of approval.

(d) Rulings on applications for initial approval or renewal of approval.

(1) SAMHSA will grant an application for initial approval or an application for renewal of approval if it determines the applicant substantially meets the accreditation body requirements of this subpart.

(2) If SAMHSA determines that the applicant does not substantially meet the requirements set forth in this subpart. SAMHSA will notify the applicant of the deficiencies in the application and request that the applicant resolve such deficiencies within 90 days of receipt of the notice. If the deficiencies are resolved to the satisfaction of SAMHSA within the 90-day time period, the body will be approved as an accreditation body. If the deficiencies have not been resolved to the satisfaction of SAMHSA within the 90-day time period, the application for approval as an accreditation body will be denied.

(3) If SAMHSA does not reach a final decision on a renewal application before the expiration of an accreditation body's term of approval, the approval will be deemed extended until SAMHSA reaches a final decision, unless an accreditation body does not rectify deficiencies in the application within the specified time period, as required in paragraph (d)(2) of this section.

(e) Relinquishment of approval. An accreditation body that intends to relinquish its accreditation approval before expiration of the body's term of approval shall submit a letter of such intent to SAMHSA, at the address in paragraph (b) of this section, at least 9 months before relinquishing such approval.

(f) Notification. An accreditation body that does not apply for renewal of approval, or is denied such approval by SAMHSA, relinquishes its accreditation approval before expiration of its term of approval, or has its approval withdrawn, shall:

(1) Transfer copies of records and other related information as required by SAMHSA to a location, including another accreditation body, and according to a schedule approved by SAMHSA; and

(2) Notify, in a manner and time period approved by SAMHSA, all OTPs accredited or seeking accreditation by the body that the body will no longer have approval to provide accreditation services.

(g) Term of approval. An accreditation body's term of approval is for a period not to exceed 5 years.

(h) State accreditation bodies. State governmental entities, including political subdivisions thereof, may establish organizational units that may act as accreditation bodies, provided such units meet the requirements of this section, are approved by SAMHSA under this section, and have taken appropriate measures to prevent actual or apparent conflicts of interest, including cases in which State or Federal funds are used to support opioid treatment services.

[66 FR 4090, Jan. 17, 2001, as amended at 81 FR 44737, July 8, 2016]