DMH recently revised its policy on the Level of Care Utilization System (LOCUS/CALOCUS) Evaluations (DMH Policy 300.1C) mandating that all providers use the web-based LOCUS/CALOCUS application to assess consumer functioning beginning April 1, 2011.

Policy 300.1C TL-147 [PDF] is available on the DMH website at dmh.dc.gov and can be accessed by clicking on the link to Policies, Procedures and Rules.

Please note that the policy requires completion of a LOCUS/CALOCUS at least every 6 months for consumers in continuing treatment. In addition, a LOCUS/CALOCUS is required for authorization of changes in level of care and certain specialty services. Providers are strongly encouraged to print or attach the web-based LOCUS/CALOCUS assessment report to the consumer’s chart for use in treatment planning.

As of November 29, 2010, 595 individual provider staff had been trained either by DMH or their in-house trainer to use the web-based LOCUS/CALOCUS application and have individual user accounts with DMH.

Information about ongoing LOCUS/CALOCUS training offered by the Training Institute is available on the DMH website at dmh.dc.gov. Click on the “Sign up for Training Classes” link to access the Training Institute page. There is a link to “LOCUS/CALOCUS Training and Web-Based Application Initiative” on the Training Institute page.

The DMH Office of Accountability will continue to monitor the LOCUS/CALOCUS evaluation process to ensure the evaluations are accurately completed on a timely basis in compliance with the policy.

If you have questions regarding this bulletin, please contact your agency’s assigned Provider Relations Specialist.