Resources for Licensed Providers

Licensing Procedures

New Provider Policy Review Process

Prior to receiving a visit from a Human Rights Advocate, your Complaint Resolution Policy must be approved. Additionally, the Human Rights Compliance Verification Checklist (HRCVC) must be completed and submitted. Please submit the required documentation via email to OHRPolicy@dbhds.virginia.gov. Within 30 working days of receipt of the required information, you will be notified of the status of your complaint resolution policy. If approved, you will receive the OHR Welcome Letter, the current statewide provider training schedule, and a copy of the HRCVC. If not approved, guidance for compliance will be provided to assist you in becoming compliant. Compliance with the Human Rights Regulations is required and begins with approval of your Complaint Resolution Policy.

Providers of group home, sponsored residential, supported living, group day and group supported employment services available in a Developmental Disabilities (DD) waiver are required to demonstrate full compliance with Home and community-based services (HCBS) settings requirement in all settings (42 CFR Part 430, 431).  Approval by the Office of Human Rights of your Complaint Resolution Policy is separate and different from the review and determination by DMAS to approve your HCBS-specific policies. For more information, go to the HCBS Toolkit on the DMAS website linked here: 

Existing Provider Information
Please submit the Human Rights Compliance Verification Checklist (HRCVC) for Existing Providers to OHRPolicy@dbhds.virginia.gov and notify the Human Rights Advocate when the service modification request has been submitted to the Office of Licensing. If you will be providing services in a different region, the Advocate will connect you with the appropriate Regional Advocate in the new region. You will be advised about the LHRC’s in your new region and other relevant or pertinent information.

If you are a provider that currently holds a license with DBHDS and are seeking information regarding the changes to Crisis Services and Crisis Licenses effective 7-17-2024 including the new crisis regulations, how to transfer from the 07-006 license to the Crisis Receiving Center (23 hour service) license, or how to be approved for seclusion in your services, please access the Office of Licensing webpage and review the Power Point training presentation and materials that were reviewed during the provider training held on 7-10-2024. Requirements for the Office of Human Rights related to the use of seclusion in CRCs and CSUs along with the approval process are included and this information can be accessed directly from the Office of Licensing or Human Rights website. The Office of Licensing website can be found here:

Please visit the Office of Licensing webpage as referenced above to view the recording of the full Crisis Regulatory Training facilitated by the Office of Licensing on 7-10-24, where FAQs may also be found. The Office of Human Rights specific slides presented during the training, as well as the Office of Human Rights specific FAQs are found in the “Training” section below.

For questions related to the implementation of the new regulations, please submit your questions to the Office of Licensing using the link listed below, who will be reviewing questions daily and will be posting/updating our Q/A document two times per week.  

Memorandums, Technical Assistance, & Other Important Information

Other helpful information

For additional helpful information for complaints related to agencies outside of DBHDS, please see below contact sheet listing additional entities complaint contact information:

Referral Sheet for Non-DBHDS complaints

Training

The Office of Human Rights (OHR) is excited to announce the use of the TRAIN learning management system!

Clicking the TRAIN icon above will take you to the log in screen for TRAIN

TRAIN will house and streamline access to recorded, live virtual, and live in-person trainings facilitated by the Office of Human Rights. Upon creation of an account, training participants are able to self-manage registration, attendance, and completion of post training assessments. Additionally, TRAIN will maintain a list of the account holders’ courses completed or in progress, as well as any certificates associated with completed courses.

Please refer to the TRAIN Account Creation – Form Guide before creating a new TRAIN account. Clicking the TRAIN icon above will take you to the log in screen for TRAIN. Clicking the “HELP” tab in your account will give you access to video tutorials about the different features and capabilities in TRAIN, and information about the status of courses completed.

Each person who intends to complete one or more courses will need to have an account and must complete their profile. Each person must register for each course independently. Accounts cannot be made as an agency. It is recommended that you create and account using an active personal email that you have access to, which ensures ongoing access to course work despite employment location. Certificates of completion are connected to individual accounts.

When seeking to register for attendance, please be sure to begin your search for the course title in the search bar – beginning each course search with: DBHDS: Office of Human Rights (ex: DBHDS: Office of Human Rights – Reporting in CHRIS). *Investigating Abuse and Neglect is NOT searchable on the COURSES tab, but can be found by searching on the Training Plan tab.

Current searchable OHR training courses available in TRAIN are listed below:

  • DBHDS: Office of Human Rights – Dignity of Risk
  • DBHDS: Office of Human Rights – Overview of the Human Rights Regulations
  • DBHDS: Office of Human Rights – Provider Orientation 
  • DBHDS: Office of Human Rights – Reporting in CHRIS
  • DBHDS: Office of Human Rights – Restrictions, Behavioral Treatment Plans, and Restraints

*Please visit the Training Plan tab to access:

  • DBHDS: Office of Human Rights – Investigating Abuse and Neglect Course Series
    • Certificates are to be maintained in the trained investigators personnel file and emailed to the Office of Human Rights Regional Manager (contact information here).

Please see the course descriptions below. The training descriptions and scheduled dates of the courses are found in the TRAIN learning management system.

Trainings Frequently Asked Questions

OHR Training Series FAQs_9.6.24

Training descriptions, slide decks, and supplemental materials.

*Please see the TRAIN learning management system for training dates and course registration

Dignity of Risk

This training is designed to educate the learner on the regulatory principles and practices pertaining to an Individuals’ Dignity of Risk in service participation. This is an on-site in-person live sessions with limited capacity, facilitated regionally throughout 2026. Please see the TRAIN learning management system for available dates!

Overview of the Human Rights Regulations

This training is designed to provide the learner an in-depth review of the Human Rights Regulations. Providers will increase their understanding of the Office of Human Rights regulations and processes; and the responsibilities as mandated by the Human Rights Regulations. Information from this training may be utilized as bases for a Providers internal training and competency based assessments per 12VAC260-115-260(A)(7).

Provider Orientation

The recorded orientation is designed for provider applicants, newly licensed providers, or newly funded providers (and open to current Providers to review), as an introduction or refresher to Office of Human Rights processes and expectations for compliance, including: Human Rights policies and procedures; Human Rights training curriculum and competency assessments; investigation certification; and additional Human Rights trainings and resources.

Reporting in CHRIS: Abuse, Neglect, Exploitation, & Human Rights Complaints

The learner will increase their understanding of the Computerized Human Rights Information System (CHRIS) and the Human Rights Regulations regarding human rights complaints and reporting.

Restrictions, Behavioral Treatment Plans, & Restraints

This training is designed to educate providers on regulatory requirements related to the use of Restrictions, Behavioral Treatment Plans (BTP’s), and Restraints.

Investigating Abuse & Neglect: An Overview for Community Providers

This training is designed as an overview of the regulatory and investigative process, specific to the investigation of abuse and neglect. Successful completion and certification of this course satisfies the regulatory requirement of being a trained investigator per 12VAC35-115-175(F)(4). *The certificate MUST be placed in the trained investigators personnel file.

  • Module 1 – Slide Deck
  • Module 2 – Slide Deck
  • Module 3 – Slide Deck
  • Investigations Supplemental Information
  • Optional Investigation Forms
  • Investigation Summary Reference Guide
  • Abuse and Neglect – Investigative Review Process (Supplemental Training Video):
    • Please note that reviewing this training video does not constitute meeting the regulatory or policy requirement of being a trained investigator in totality; nor replaces the need to attend the live web-based Investigating Abuse and Neglect training to obtain the certificate to be considered a trained investigator. This training video is a supplemental resource only, and is an informational review of the process regarding investigation of abuse and neglect. Providers may use the video as a supplemental resource after an employee has received the full training, or as an interim solution when the provider staff has registered for the next available live web-based training AND the training session is more than 30 days away.

Overview for Professionals

There are no live sessions of this training, and is web-based resource only. Please see the slide deck below for further content pertaining to this information.

This training is designed as an overview for consultive professionals working with individuals and providers who are within the DBHDS service delivery system on regulatory requirements and processes. The information will inform the way non-licensed providers support the rights of individuals including how to report potential violations, approval procedures for restrictive treatment plans and the local human rights process.

Crisis Regulatory Training

There are no live sessions of this training, and is web-based resource only. Please see the slide deck below for further content pertaining to this information.

(*Office of Human Rights Portion only)

Slides of the full training are available for review on the Office of Licensing webpage: Office of Licensing Webpage)

Rights Posters

Please see a list of Braille Providers supplied by the Library and Resource Center of the Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired (DBVI). All listed transcribers are registered eVA suppliers and have been vetted for quality and reliability.

Local Human Rights Committee (LHRC) & State Human Rights Committee (SHRC)

LHRC Review Forms and Procedural Expectations for Providers

All LHRC reviews are specific to the provider who is submitting the LHRC Review Form. LHRC approvals and recommendations do not transfer from one provider to another. Should an Individual justifiably require the same or similar supports across multiple different providers, each provider is required to submit their own LHRC Review Form and obtain their own approval, where applicable. Please see 12VAC35-115-270(A)(1)-(5) regarding SHRC and LHRC responsibilities.

Attending a Fact-Finding Review? Please see below for helpful information in attendance!

Fact-Finding Review FAQs

For information regarding the LHRC or SHRC, including how to obtain meeting dates, please click below to be taken to the LHRC & SHRC page:

LHRC & SHRC Information

FOIA

PURSUIANT TO FOIA, if you would like to make a request for LHRC or SHRC documents, see the FOIA request portal below:

Variance Requests

The State Human Rights Committee considers requests for variances to The Regulations to Assure the Rights of Individuals Receiving Services from Providers Licensed, Funded, or Operated by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services at its meetings. Please contact your Regional Advocate for assistance with this process.