Clinical Practice Guidelines

MHN began the process of developing Clinical Practice Guidelines in 1997. MHN considers a number of resources in this process, including our own research on the effectiveness of elements of the guidelines, reviewing the literature about treatment of disorders and reviewing guidelines from professional organizations. The guideline is drafted and then reviewed by the MHN Quality Improvement-Utilization Management Committee (QI-UMC). The QI-UMC then submits the guideline to the Health Net Medical Affairs Committee (MAC) with a recommendation that it approve the guideline. Health Net makes the final decision to approve and adopt the guideline.

We currently have the following Clinical Practice Guidelines:

• Attention-Deficit  Hyperactivity Disorder in Children (PDF)*
• Autism Spectrum Disorders, Diagnosis and Treatment Clinical Practice Guidelines (PDF)*
• Guidelines for Outpatient Care of Children and Adolescents (PDF)*
• Guidelines for When a Therapist is Seeing a Member More Than Once Weekly in Outpatient Treatment (PDF)*
• Guidelines for When a Therapist is Seeing More Than One Family Member at a Time in Outpatient Treatment (PDF)*
• Guidelines Regarding Dual (PDF)*
• Medical Necessity (PDF)*

We currently have the following Clinical Position Papers:

• Ketamine Use for Treatment Resistant Depression or PostTraumatic Stress Disorder (PDF)*
• Position Statement - Medication Assisted Treatment Guidelines for Substance Use Disorders (PDF)*
• Position Statement on Criteria and Guidelines for Authorization of Psychological and Neuropsychological Testing (PDF)*
• Position Statement on Harm Reduction in Substance Use Disorder Treatment (PDF)*
• Position Statement on Rapid Opioid Detoxification (PDF)*
• Position Statement on the Utilization of Intranasal Spray of Spravato (esketamine) for Treatment of Treatment-Resistant Depression (PDF)*
• Position Statement on Use of Multiple Levels of Substance Detoxification (PDF)*
• Position Statement on Wilderness Programs (PDF)*
• Position Statement on Criteria Standards for Single Case Agreements (PDF)*
• Position Statement on Special Considerations for the Child and Adolescent Population (PDF)*
• Position Statement on Highly Specialized Populations (PDF)*

* Clicking this link will open a new window.

These documents are available online via the links above.  It is important to remember that the guidelines are suggestions for treatment, and elements of the guidelines may not be applicable in all cases.  You must use your clinical judgment in making final decisions about application of the guidelines.

In response to accrediting requirements, MHN evaluates compliance with our Practice Guidelines in the following ways:

For Substance Use Disorder we monitor:

• whether the patient was referred to a self-help/peer support group
• the HEDIS AOD Initiation Measure
• the HEDIS AOD Engagement Measure

Information gleaned from the evaluation of compliance with the Clinical Practice Guidelines will be used both to improve practitioner performance and also in MHN's process to update and improve our Clinical Practice Guidelines.