Best Practices: New York's Outpatient Mental Health Clinic Licensing Reform: Using Tracer Methodology to Improve Service Quality

This column describes how the New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH) redesigned licensing procedures for outpatient clinics by applying a person-centered focus and clinically relevant standards of care. OMH incorporated a tracer methodology to assess services; a licensing instrument that reflected OMH goals; and a systematic piloting, feedback, and implementation process. Clinic staff reported that the new procedures facilitated communication between OMH and clinics, accurately identified clinics' successes, and provided actionable and programmatic feedback. This initiative represents the first step by a state mental health authority to create a system of accountability that is clinically relevant and supported by stakeholders.