R523-2-3. Priorities for Treatment Services

  (1) Programs providing substance use disorder and mental health treatment services with public funds (federal, state, and local match) shall comply with the priorities listed below. The Division shall regularly seek and receive input from the Utah Behavioral Health Planning and Advisory Council on priorities for services.

  (2) Mental Health services provided with public funds (federal, state, and local match) shall provide services based on immediacy of need and severity of the mental illness. Priority may also be given to under-served age groups as appropriately demonstrated through needs studies.

  (a) Effective and responsive crisis intervention, suicide prevention, assessment, direct care, and referral program available to all citizens.

  (b) Provision of the least restrictive and most appropriate treatment and settings for:

  (i) Children, youth, and adults with severe mental illness;

  (ii) Children, youth, and adults with acute mental illness; and

  (iii) Children, youth and adults who are receiving services from other divisions within the Department of Human Services.

  (c) Provisions of services to children with emotional disabilities, youth and aged citizens who are neither acutely nor severely mentally ill, but whose adjustment is critical for their future as well as for society in general.

  (d) Provision of services to emotionally disabled adults who are neither acutely nor severely mentally ill, but whose adjustment is critical to their personal quality of life as well as for society in general.

  (e) Provision of consultation, education and preventive mental health services targeted at high risk groups in particular.

  (3) Substance use disorder treatment services provided with public funds (federal, state, and local match) shall provide priority admission to the following populations (in order of priority):

  (a) Pregnant females who use drugs by injection;

  (b) Pregnant females who use substances;

  (c) Other persons who use drugs by injection;

  (d) Substance using females with dependent children and their families, including women who are attempting to regain custody of their children; and

  (e) All other clients with a substance use disorder, regardless of gender or route of use.