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Onboarding Requirement: Credentialing
September 2026
This document should be provided to new clinical staff, who require credentialing, during their on-
boarding period.
Per DHCS requirements 1, the following clinical staff must be credentialed by ACBHD prior to being
granted access to ACBHD clinical and claiming systems and prior to service provision:
• Licensed, waivered, registered, and/or certified providers billing Medi-Cal for behavioral
health services who have a provider type required for credentialing by ACBHD (see below).
• Those who have a provider type required for credentialing by ACBHD who do not bill Medi-
Cal for behavioral health services, but who oversee (supervise) or review the
documentation of clinical team members, or both.
For a list of provider types not requiring 2 ACBHD credentialing, see Guidance Regarding Provider
Types Required for Credentialing by ACBHD.
ACBHD has partnered with the Council for Affordable Quality Healthcare (CAQH), to perform
primary source verification (PSV) services as part of the credentialing process. Completion of a
provider profile within the CAQH portal will start the credentialing process.
Action Required
To minimize delays in your credentialing process, and to ensure that you have access to the
required ACBHD systems when starting your new position, please complete your provider profile
in the CAQH portal as soon as possible and no later than within one (1) week of receipt of this
notification.
Completing Your CAQH Profile
Use the table below to select the correct provider type in CAQH when completing your profile. If
unsure of which provider type to select, please reach out to the CAQH Help Desk (see below)
and/or consider selecting a provider type that is “most like” the current provider type.
1 DHCS MHSUDS 18-019 and BHIN 24-001.
2 Providers with provider types APN, ABA and MT may elect to be credentialed using the appropriate CAQH
provider type when they hold a Medi-Cal recognized/billable provider type in ACBHD’s systems (i.e., MHRS or
Other Adjunct).
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Provider Type Required for
3
Advanced Practice Pharmacist (APH) Pharmacist (PHA)
Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (AMFT) Marriage/Family Therapist (MFT)
Associate Professional Clinical Counselor (APCC) Professional Counselor (PC)
Associate Clinical Social Worker (ASW) Clinical Social Worker (CSW)
Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) Provider Type Not Listed (PTNL)
Certified Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist (CMPSS)
NUCC Grouping > Other Service Providers Provider Type > Provider Type Not Listed Primary Specialty > Peer Specialist (175T00000X)
Certified Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist (Family) (CMPSS-F)
NUCC Grouping > Other Service Providers Provider Type > Provider Type Not Listed Primary Specialty > Peer Specialist (175T00000X)
Certified SUD Counselor (SUD-C) Alcohol/Drug Counselor (ADC)
Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS)
Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) Clinical Social Worker (CSW)
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) Marriage/Family Therapist (MFT)
Licensed Neuropsychologist (NEU) Clinical Psychologist (CP)
Licensed Pharmacy Technician Pharmacist (PHA)
Licensed Physical Therapist Physical Therapist (PT)
Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) Professional Counselor (PC)
Licensed Psychiatric Technician (LPT)
Pers. Info. section > Psychiatric Technician NUCC Grouping > Nursing Service Providers Provider Type > Provider Type Not Listed Prim. Specialty > Licensed Psychiatric Technician (167G00000X)
Licensed Psychiatrist/Physician (DO) Osteopath Doctor (DO)
Licensed Psychiatrist/Physician (MD) Medical Doctor (MD)
3 CAQH may include provider types not currently required for credentialing by ACBHD (e.g., ND, MW, LN, OD,
etc.).
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Licensed Psychologist (PhD) Clinical Psychologist (CP)
Licensed Psychologist (PsyD) Clinical Psychologist (CP)
Licensed SUD Counselor (SUD-L) Alcohol/Drug Counselor (ADC)
Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)
Nurse Practitioner (NP) Nurse Practitioner (NP)
Nurse Practitioner Furnishing (NPF) Nurse Practitioner (NP)
Occupational Therapist (OT) Occupational Therapist (OT)
Physician Assistant (PA) Physician Assistant (PA)
Post-Graduate Physician Resident/Postgraduate Training License (PTL) Medical Doctor (MD) or Osteopath Doctor (DO)
Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) Nurse Practitioner (NP)
Registered Nurse (RN) Registered Nurse (RN)
Registered Pharmacist (RPH) Pharmacist (PHA)
Registered Psychologist (PsyD-REG) Clinical Psychologist (CP)
Registered SUD Counselor (SUD-R) Alcohol/Drug Counselor (ADC)
Waivered Psychologist (PhD-W and PsyD-W)4 Clinical Psychologist (CP)5
Resources to Reference When Completing Your CAQH Profile
• CAQH Quick Reference Guide and CAQH Provider User Guide (Go to the CAQH Portal then
look under “To Learn More” in the bottom left section before logging in)
• CAQH Provider and Group Notification Plan (Go to the CAQH Portal, log in, then go to the
bottom right section and click on “Resources”)
• ACBHD Credentialing Process Flow (Section 3 of QA Manual)
• ACBHD Credentialing Process Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) (Section of QA Manual)
CAQH Help Desk
• Use the Chat feature in the CAQH portal
• Live chat support is available through the portal Monday – Friday, 8:30 AM – 6:30 PM (EST)
• Automated chat support is available 24/7
• Please have your CAQH Provider ID available
• Call toll-free at 888-599-1771
4 Please refer to Section 3 of ACBHD’s QA Manual for the DHCS Professional Licensing Waiver Form and
ACBHD’s Professional Licensing Waiver Instructions and Resources.
5 ACBHD recommends that unlicensed waivered psychologists, when completing their profile in CAQH and
are prompted for a license number, insert “unlicensed” in the license number field.
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• Phone support is available Monday – Friday 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM (EST)