Residential adult mental health programs

    Residential adult mental health programs provide mental health treatment and services to adults while they live at the program. There are three types of residential mental health programs that provide different levels of services under different sets of requirements. The sections below describe each program type, the level of service, and the specific requirements.

    Intensive Residential Treatment Services/Residential Crisis Stabilization (IRTS/RCS) programs

    Intensive residential treatment services (IRTS) programs provide rehabilitative and other mental health services to adults in a community-based setting. These services assist in a person’s recovery and help them achieve psychiatric stability, personal and emotional adjustment, self-sufficiency, and other skills to transition to a more independent setting.

    Residential crisis stabilization (RCS) programs provide structure and support to adults in a community-based setting. These services are for people after they experience a mental health crisis and who need short-term services to ensure they can safely return home, or to another living environment, with additional services and supports according to a crisis assessment.

    Programs with this type of license typically provide both IRTS and RCS services, but programs may choose to only provide one of these services.

    Note: IRTS/RCS applicants who plan to enroll as a Minnesota Health Care Programs (MHCP) provider must also contact the Behavioral Health Administration at dhs.adultmhact_irts@state.mn.us. Receiving an IRTS/RCS license does not guarantee rate approval and does not expedite the MHCP rate setting process.

    Residential mental health programs (Rule 36)

    These programs provide services to people with mental illness in a residential setting according to the requirements of Minnesota Rules, sections 9520.0500 through 9520.0670 (Rule 36) as either a Category I or Category II program. Category I programs are residential settings that focus on providing services at the program while encouraging the use of community resources. Category II programs are transitional semi-independent or supervised group supportive living settings that offer a combination of services at the program and in the community and emphasize community resources for most daily programming and employment.

    Rule 36 revision

    Under the direction of the Minnesota Legislature, the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) is currently in the process of updating Rule 36. The goal of this revision is to modernize what is currently identified as Category I to reflect best practices, support person-centered care, and align with modern residential mental health treatment standards. The revision will also remove Category II, which is obsolete, and codify the forensic mental health program variance into Minnesota Rule. You can stay involved in the Rule 36 revision process by reviewing draft language as it becomes available and providing input during the public comment period by visiting the Rule 36 Revision webpage.

    Forensic mental health program

    This program provides residential mental health treatment in a secure or supervised residential setting to adults who have been committed to the care of the Department of Human Services as mentally ill and dangerous. This program is operated by the Minnesota Department of Human Services.
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