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Mental Health Screener Credentialing


Overview

The Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health credentials mental health screeners subject to 16 Del. Admin. C. § 6003. Under 16 Del. C. § 5004, only a credentialed mental health screener (CMHS) may initiate the emergency detention of an individual for psychiatric observation and evaluation.

This guide is designed to help you obtain or renew your credential as a CMHS.

Credentialing Prerequisites

To qualify for enrollment in the Division’s CMHS training, applicants must meet the following educational, licensure, clinical experience, and supervision prerequisites:

Category Certification, Education, and Licensure Clinical Experience Supervision Required?
Physician Delaware Medical License 0 No
Physician Non-Delaware Medical License Currently working in a VA center in DE No
LMHP PHM-APRN 2+ No
LMHP LCSW 2+ No
LMHP LMFT 2+ No
LMHP LPCMH 2+ No
LMHP PA-CAQ-PSY 2+ No
LMHP Psychologist 2+ No
LMHP Delaware Physician’s Training License 2+ Enrolled in an accredited residency training program in psychiatry
UMHP Master’s Degree 2+ Practicing under the supervision of psychiatrist
UMHP Bachelor’s Degree 4+ Practicing under the supervision of psychiatrist

*Note: Licenses and certifications must be valid to qualify for enrollment.

For more detailed definitions, see the Delaware Administrative Code.

Application Process

To begin the credentialing process, please submit the following documents:

Submit all documents to: DHSS_DSAMH_MHSCREENER@delaware.gov

Training Requirements and Process

Once your application is approved, you must complete the Division’s CMHS training through the Delaware Learning Center and achieve a passing score on the exam.

  • Format: Self-paced, pre-recorded online modules
  • Start Dates: Courses begin on the 2nd Monday of January, March, May, July, September, and November
  • Completion Deadline: The training must be completed within 90 days
  • Incomplete training will be removed from your DLC transcript
  • You will need to reapply to re-enter the program

Recredentialing Process

You must renew your credential every two years.

To Renew:

Verifying a CMHS Credential

To confirm whether an individual holds an active CMHS designation in the State of Delaware, please use the following resource:

Delaware Mental Health Screeners – Google Sheets

Questions?

For additional information, please contact: DHSS_DSAMH_MHSCREENER@delaware.gov