(1) The department shall do all of the following:

    (a) Establish, maintain, and revise, as necessary, a uniform community mental health services credentialing program for state department or agency use as required in this section. The state department’s or agency’s credentialing and recredentialing process must be compliant with national standards. The department may consult with other state departments and agencies that are required to comply with the program established under this section.

    (b) Ensure that the uniform credentialing program does all of the following:

    (i) Creates uniformity in this state to streamline providing community mental health services by state departments and agencies and to enhance workforce development, training education, and service delivery.

    (ii) Eliminates hardship surrounding the functioning and operating of community mental health services provided by state departments and agencies to residents of this state.

    (iii) Establishes a uniform credentialing requirement for individuals who provide community mental health services through a state department or agency, by requiring providers of community mental health services to establish, maintain, revise, and make available, as necessary, a profile as maintained by the department that contains information necessary for the community mental health services credentialing process, which must adhere to national standards from accrediting bodies such as the Joint Commission, Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, Council on Accreditation, National Committee for Quality Assurance, or other credible body as approved by the department.

    (iv) Promotes policies that support adequate staffing and evidence-based skills or training to meet the needs of the residents of this state and the state departments and agencies that provide community mental health services.

    (v) Complies with the national certification standards for community mental health counselors and professionals.

    (vi) Meets the needs of the populations served by each state department or agency that provides, either directly or through a contract, community mental health services to residents of this state.

    (c) By 6 months after the effective date of the amendatory act that added this section and annually after that date, submit a report to the legislature that describes its activities under this section, including the establishment of and any revisions to the uniform credentialing program.

    (2) A state department or agency that provides, either directly or through a contract, community mental health services to residents of this state must comply with the uniform credentialing program and utilize the provider information profile maintained by the department as provided in subsection (1). On and after the date the uniform credentialing program is certified by the director of the department as in full force and effect, the state department or agency subject to this subsection must ensure that all of the forms, processes, and contracts it uses that relate to providing community mental health services comply with the uniform credentialing program. This section does not apply to health plans under contract with this state to provide services under the Medicaid program or health plans or insurers regulated by the insurance code of 1956, 1956 PA 218, MCL 500.100 to 500.8302. Health plans under contract with this state to provide services under the Medicaid program or health plans regulated by the insurance code of 1956, 1956 PA 218, MCL 500.100 to 500.8302, may use plan-specific processes and are not required to use the uniform community mental health services credentialing process established by the department.

    (3) The credentialing and recredentialing process must be conducted and documented for at least the following health care professionals:

    (a) Physicians.

    (b) Physician’s assistants.

    (c) Psychologists.

    (d) Licensed master’s social workers, licensed bachelor’s social workers, and social service technicians as those terms are defined in section 18501 of the public health code, 1978 PA 368, MCL 333.18501.

    (e) A social worker granted a limited license under section 18509 of the public health code, 1978 PA 368, MCL 333.18509.

    (f) Licensed professional counselors.

    (g) Nurse practitioners, registered nurses, and licensed practical nurses.

    (h) Occupational therapists and occupational therapist assistants as those terms are defined in section 18301 of the public health code, 1978 PA 368, MCL 333.18301.

    (i) Physical therapists and physical therapist assistants as those terms are defined in section 17801 of the public health code, 1978 PA 368, MCL 333.17801.

    (j) Speech language pathologists as that term is defined in section 17601 of the public health code, 1978 PA 368, MCL 333.17601.

    (4) The department may establish policy and promulgate rules to implement this section according to the administrative procedures act of 1969, 1969 PA 306, MCL 24.201 to 24.328.

    (5) As used in this section:

    (a) “Community mental health services” means services provided under a community mental health services program, including mental health treatment and substance use disorder treatment.

    (b) “Uniform credentialing program” or “program” means the uniform community mental health services credentialing program established, maintained, and revised as required in subsection (1)(a) and includes recredentialing.