Updates to Rehabilitative Behavioral Health Services and Licensed Independent Practitioners Behavioral Health Services Provider Manuals

Effective for dates of service on or after July 1, 2026, the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services will update the Rehabilitative Behavioral Health Services (RBHS) and the Licensed Independent Practitioners (LIP) Behavioral Health Services provider manuals. These updates are made to improve alignment and streamline service definitions and other similar components of the RBHS and LIP manuals. Policy updates will include the following:

• Unified service definitions across manuals;
• Updated language that reflects current behavioral health trends and best practices;
• Clarification of provider attestation to clinical service notes and documentation requirements;
• Differentiation between both manuals on topics that were identified through provider and stakeholder feedback; and
• Certain evidence-based practices appendices that are currently included in the RBHS Provider Manual will be referenced via links to the appendices sections.

Drafts of the updated RBHS and LIP Behavioral Health Services p rovider manuals are available for review here:

Providers are encouraged to submit feedback about the draft manuals by emailing [email protected] by May 31, 2026.

The updated manuals will go into effect and be posted by July 1, 2026.

Thank you for your continued support of the South Carolina Healthy Connections Medicaid program.

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