Information on the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (WHODAS)

Very recently I was reading an exchange of e-mails from the MPA’s Division of Doctoral Level Professional Practice.  The message stated, “As of October 1, 2014 the WHODAS is required when doing a diagnostic assessment for an adult with Medical Assistance.  This is in lieu of the GAF.  See resources at the very bottom of this message.”  Thanks to Trisha Stark, Ph.D. and all others who contributed to this e-mail exchange.

My first thought about the WHODAS was WHOWHAT?  My second thought was “required when doing a diagnostic assessment” very quickly followed up by “OCTOBER 1?”  I won’t share my next thoughts since I need to keep this clean, yet I suspect all of us are very busy people and have implemented a number of practice changes over the past couple of years.   WHOKNOWS, maybe this information came out a long time ago, but the first I became aware of this new mandate was in the e-mail exchange from members of MPA, and then by following up by reading the September 8 issue of the MHCP provider news.  Yes, that’s the September 8 issue and this new mandate goes into effect October 1!  Yikes!

Putting my motivational interviewing skills to good use, on the one hand I could hope that the November elections will make this new mandate go away, and on the other hand, I am aware that as of October 1, the Department of Human Services has the authority to deny payment for any diagnostic assessments that do not include the WHODAS, which is short for the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0.  If you are reading about this for the first time, I put the links to the MHCP provider news and to the WHODAS at the bottom of this article.  At this time, this mandate applies when a diagnostic assessment is completed on an adult with medical assistance.   As new screening tools become mandates in our practice, I anticipate you will see chatter in the MPA news and listservs.

Thanks to MPA and thanks to the membership for keeping us informed on current news!

Minnesota Department of Human Services MHCP Provider News

WHODAS 2.0 Classifications

WHODAS 2.0 12-item version

WHODAS 2.0 36-item version

Scott Palmer, Ph.D., is the Director of the Behavioral Health Clinic at St. Cloud Hospital, an assistant adjunct professor at the College of St. Benedict/St. John’s University, and is President-Elect of the Minnesota Psychological Association.  He is a volunteer member of the Red Cross, where he provides psychological first aid to survivors of local or national disasters.  He is a member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT) and uses MI in his practice to help people move toward positive change.

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