NAATP

Joining Organizations for Industry Recognition

The National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers (NAATP) is a non-profit organization that speaks for hundreds of addiction treatment providers that provide essential services across the addiction treatment continuum, from intervention to transportation to private therapy to outpatient care to inpatient care to residential treatment to continuing/aftercare services.

The Association backs its members up by advocating for them in the legal and policy spheres and by providing them with practical tools for daily operations. As a hub for the field, NAATP facilitates networking and the sharing of knowledge among professionals.

Keep reading to learn more about the National Association for rehab facility owners, and whether signing up can make sense for your facility!

Services Provided by NAATP for Facility Owners

The direction provided by NAATP is crucial. Insurance coverage, enforcing equity, shifting treatment modalities, and breaches of ethics and professionalism are only some of the complicated problems facing the addiction treatment sector.

Addiction treatment providers in the field of drug addiction rehab cannot achieve their goals alone. Similarly, the drug addiction service provider industry cannot survive if its members are kept in silos. Professions thrive and advance when their members work together in a professional organization to share information, set standards, and advocate for the field of addiction treatment providers as a whole.

Forms of Accreditation for Addiction Treatment Providers

Those who use Find Addiction Rehabs may be certain that they will only interact with facilities that provide exceptional addiction therapy and customer service and are accredited as treatment providers by one of the following three bodies.

The Joint Commission for Treatment Providers

The Joint Commission is the oldest and biggest healthcare accrediting authority for treatment providers in the United States, and its requirements are among the strictest in the world. Through onsite surveys, education, and performance evaluations, The Joint Commission (previously JCAHO) reviews healthcare organizations.

It encourages them to excel in providing safe, effective care of the highest quality and value in conjunction with other stakeholders. Receiving the prestigious Gold Seal of Approval from The Joint Commission national association is a testament to the quality and demonstrates dedication to providing optimal treatment in the healthcare field.

CARF

Independent and non-profit, CARF (the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities) accredits health and human care organizations all over the world. If a health service provider has earned CARF certification, it signifies that its operations and the quality of the treatment it provides for substance use disorders are up to international standards and of the highest quality.

LegitScript

Following a decision by Google to pull nearly all paid advertising for addiction treatment centers in 2018, the practices of promotion for the industry were dramatically changed. LegitScript stepped into the regulatory void, and now offers recognized leadership in approving behavioral health facilities for advertising on Google, Meta properties (such as Facebook and Instagram) and other platforms that look to their guidance.

To allay concerns by Congress and on Capitol Hill, the introduction of LegitScript gives searchers an easy way to find out if the rehab they plan on attending has met standards of transparency and accuracy in reporting their information. This form of guidance has allowed for better oversight and access to reputable facilities, and helped dramatically curb the illegal practice of ‘patient brokering.’

What About the NAATP? An Overview

The National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers (NAATP) is a highly influential group within the addiction treatment industry.

In order to promote clinical and administrative excellence in the field of substance abuse disorders and their treatment, NAATP offers leadership, training, member support services, and advocacy.

NAATP Membership Does NOT Provide Accreditation or Certification

The main distinction between NAATP and other accrediting bodies like CARF and the Joint Commission is that “associated” institutions are required to adhere to a strict code of ethics in order to maintain their status as accredited organizations for treating substance use disorders. The processes and standards are more of a seal of approval than a true certification, but nonetheless valuable due to widespread recognition.

Concerns Regarding the Benefit of Membership

In order to earn CARF accreditation, a facility must pass a rigorous inspection conducted by a CARF employee. However, in order for a facility to be linked with NAATP or vouched for by NAATP, it simply needs to operate in accordance with its set of standards.

Again, meeting the standards and paying the dues required makes you eligible to receive their support, education, resources, and help from leadership to help you achieve success as an organization. The following are the guidelines organizations must follow to maintain their association with the group:

 

A. EXPECTATIONS FOR TREATMENT AND RESOURCES

Each level of service requires its own set of admission, treatment, ongoing care, and referral criteria.

1. These criteria must be established and adhered to consistently.

2. Professional therapy should be offered that cater to the client’s and their family’s psychological, social, and spiritual requirements.

3. Care should improve clients’ quality of life and respect their human and legal rights.

4. Through the whole continuum of care, members are expected to involve the client in the planning and decision-making processes.

The facility must also be accredited by the Joint Commission or CARF and maintain up-to-date accreditation and compliance standards.

 

B1. ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE

1. Organizational structure, guiding principles, mission, and options should all be readily available and clearly described.

2. Where credentials are required, members must make sure their employees are well-versed in and adhere to the highest standards of professionalism and ethics in their respective fields.

3. Members should make an effort to network with other medical professionals in the area so that they can serve as a vital element of the community’s healthcare network.

4. Disclosable, fair, and easily understood pricing structures are required.

5. Members must prohibit discrimination and harassment of any employee, applicants for employment, or client on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, age, religion, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal or state law.

6. As part of their dedication to continuous improvement, members are required to perform regular internal reviews of their own operations.

 

B2. FACILITIES

1. B2    All relevant life safety, occupational safety, health, and fire codes at the local, state, and federal levels must be satisfied.

2. B2    It is policy that all members comply with the ADA and all other state and local laws, rules, ordinances, and regulations that pertain to the accessibility of real property for people with disabilities.

3. B2     Clients’ rights and dignity must be respected in all aspects of the care facility’s design, particularly in regard to the physical space they occupy.

4. B2    The upkeep and operation of the facilities must enrich and unite the neighborhood.

5. B2     When providing sober living and other non-clinical or supplementary services in tandem with outpatient therapy, members are required to charge appropriate fees and rent to the clients.

 

C. ADVERTISING/MARKETING VOICE AND VALUES

In Section 3, NAATP details the marketing principles, values, and guidelines that must be followed to ensure client satisfaction.

1. No financial incentives for client referrals  

2. No brokering of patients is allowed. There is a strict prohibition on any form of monetary or non-monetary compensation for referring patients. It is against policy to offer members financial incentives for referring patients. A member is not allowed to ask for or accept payment for a referral.

3. Members are able to send patients and their families to interventionists, continuing care providers, monitoring organizations, and other referral sources that can help them get the help they need. Members are not allowed to provide any sort of money to the referred party, including but not limited to direct payment, consultancy contracts, fee sharing, or other forms of compensation.

4. No purchasing leads of any kind.

5. The purchasing and selling of patient leads, including phone calls, is strictly forbidden for members. No matter where the leads originated (broadcast commercial, internet directory, etc.), collecting or aggregating them for financial gain is strictly banned.

6. No deceptive wording in marketing or advertising.

7. In advertising, members are not permitted to utilize deceptive wording. Ads on search engines can’t have any references to competing rehabs in their headlines or body copy. You can’t say you offer treatment in a certain city if you don’t, or that you have a certain license if you don’t, or that you don’t offer certain services in your advertisement. You must have a clearly stated public policy.

 

Amenities:

1. It is illegal to provide amenities and non-clinical luxuries to patients-to-be without charging appropriate prices.

2. No unwarranted waiving of fees

3. Deductibles and co-payments cannot be routinely waived for individual patients. Waivers should only be granted in the event of an objectively verifiable financial hardship.

4. No false advertising

5. The NAATP logo must be prominently displayed on all promotional materials. The treatment facility’s name and logo must be clearly displayed in all marketing and promotional materials. There has to be a clear distinction made for advertisements that are put on third-party sites, such as those that deal with addiction.

6. Members are prohibited from making any representations about their services, license, or accreditation that are untrue, dishonest, or misleading. 

7. Advertising must be in alignment with available services.

8. Care levels supplied by members must be consistent with the facility’s authorization. To differentiate themselves from licensed residential institutions, establishments that provide both housing and outpatient clinical care must explicitly mark their program as “outpatient housing and clinical services.” It is forbidden to give out information that might mislead clients into thinking the facility provides services that it does not.

9. Members of the NAATP are expected to be open about who they are and what they provide. All NAATP members are required to prominently display information about their services, corporate structure, treatment program name, licensure, accreditation, physical address, and personnel credentials in all advertising, websites, and other marketing collateral. 

10. Only advertise services you actually have available at the time of advertising.

11. Members of NAATP are not permitted to promote or market services or facilities that are not already available to the public. In-progress facilities, services, or activities must be clearly labeled as such. 

12. No predatory advertising.

13. Members of the National Association of Accredited Treatment Professionals (NAATP) are prohibited from engaging in any sort of deceptive or misleading advertising, exploiting patients or their families, or engaging in any form of predatory or harmful competition.

14. Overall employee behavior must operate with standard ethics and morals.

15. Professionals are not allowed to own, administer, or control any kind of directory website.

16. False or misleading claims, particularly those that cannot be backed up by evidence, are prohibited in all forms of advertising.

17. Marketing to potential customers by disclosing customers’ identities

18. Members of the NAATP are required to respect the rights of patients and to act in accordance with applicable legislation and regulations at all times, including throughout the marketing, admissions, and treatment phases.

19. The confidentiality of their patients is something that NAATP members must uphold. At no point throughout the course of service should a treatment provider ever use a client’s identifiable information (name, address, phone number, email address, etc.) in promotional materials or media. After a patient’s treatment is complete and with their express written authorization, their identification may be used in various contexts.

Pros and Cons of Addiction Treatment Accreditation

When you’re choosing a facility to attend, it’s important to pay attention to its accreditation. Remember, the Joint Commission and CARF are the two official governing bodies that certify substance abuse facilities, along with LegitScript for approval regarding Google and related promotional agencies. These would fall more to the side of being regulatory compliance organizations.

However, on the other hand, NAATP is more of a supplemental service that accepts monthly payments from rehab facilities, so they vouch for their standing and ability to uphold a certain set of ethics and practices.

Looking for the Right Accreditation Support

As accredited facilities, any organization must maintain the expectations outlined in the NAATP rules to become accredited in the first place. CARF, LegitScript, and the Joint Commission ensure an organization does its job by conducting inspections, while the NAATP is a high-priced means for an organization to receive recognition of its CARF or Joint Commission certification.

The bottom line is to look for CARF and Joint Commission as these are your mandatory and gold standards in the substance abuse treatment industry. NAATP, while nice to have, shouldn’t be your make-or-break criteria when selecting the appropriate treatment center.

An Opportunity for Promotion and National Recognition

In the end, it comes down to what makes sense for your facility. If you have undergone the approval process for the Joint Commission or CARF and want to add an additional level of recognition and support, NAATP membership can be very helpful.

If you are not yet ready to seek accreditation with rigorous measures, a complete set of rehab listings online and membership in NAATP can still help your facility gain recognition. The ultimate goal of their organization is to improve visibility for the industry and give access to support for facility owners. This can be an important part of your branding and business identity and is worth considering.

With all the options for national and local rehab promotion, it can be difficult to determine the right mix. If you have lingering questions and would like a free consultation and assessment of your rehab marketing efforts, please don’t hesitate to reach out now!

 

* Disclaimer: Find Addiction Rehabs is not affiliated with or endorsed by the NAATP. Details about NAATP are intended for informational purposes only and are not an endorsement on the behalf of either NAATP or Find Addiction Rehabs.

Medically Reviewed By