Addiction Treatment Certification

Standards

Our drug and alcohol addiction treatment certification process is rigorous and thorough. This page details what we look for.

Registration & Compliance

Our first step is making sure you are who you say you are and that you have the necessary documentation.

1. Business Registration

2. Legal Compliance

The applicant's domain name must be accurate and transparently registered (it may not be privacy protected). The applicant must also provide all domain name(s) and websites under its control. Websites utilizing anonymous domain name registration services will not be eligible for approval. This Standard may be met by making the domain name registration information public, acquiring, and maintaining a valid EVSSL certificate, or providing to LegitScript adequate documentation showing the domain name registration information for your website.

Upon request, the applicant must provide written policies and procedures demonstrating a commitment to best practices, effective recovery, and continuous improvement, and must list the actual treatment or intervention services offered or recommended by the program (e.g., types of psychosocial therapies offered, whether FDA-approved medications are included in the treatment protocol if applicable, whether there are specialized services for specific population group such as adolescents).

5. Transparency

Facility

We need to see that your facility is located in a professional setting and that you have documentation of ownership.

6. Facility Location

7. Facility Disclosure

8. Website Content

Internal Practices

We check to see that your staff has the required training and qualifications and that your business is fully insured.

9. Qualifications

Applicant, including key staff, must disclose any prior criminal, regulatory, or civil violations. Applicant must also disclose any litigation commenced, resolved or otherwise addressed that involves applicant at any time over the past ten years. Prior offenses or other bad acts, including any prior regulatory discipline may be a disqualifying factor, in LegitScript's sole discretion. Additionally, neither the applicant, any other business under applicant's current or former control, or any of applicant's current employees may have been listed on HHS's List of Excluded Individuals/Entities within the last five years.

11. Insurance

External Practices

We make sure your patient treatment practices and digital advertising are in compliance with applicable laws.

12. Privacy

14. Co-ownership

Co-ownership of, or any formal or informal business affiliation with, lead generators (as defined in the certification application) is prohibited. This includes ownership of a lead generator by any persons in the applicant's organization with significant decision-making authority for the applicant. Informal business affiliation with a lead generator includes but is not limited to sponsoring or answering the hotline for a lead generator. Upon submission of your application, any affiliation with a lead generator may be grounds for immediate denial.

15. Advertising

Applicants and certified clients must advertise transparently. This includes clearly identifying themselves in their advertisements, and not using third-party business names in advertisements.
Applicants seen advertising on Google, Bing, or Facebook without LegitScript certification are presumed to be attempting to circumvent the goals of the LegitScript certification program and its partners' goals. If such advertising is seen on either platform, it may be grounds for certification denial.

16. Incentives

The applicant must disclose all incentives offered or provided to patients or clients to use the applicant's services. In general, applicants that offer incentives such as offering to pay for travel will not be eligible for approval. Other problematic incentives include, but are not limited to, or paying for patients’ rent or health insurance premiums while they are in treatment.

17. Business Practices

18. Affiliates

The applicant, treatment provider, website, staff, any associated treatment personnel, domain name registrant, and any person or entity that exercises control over, or participates in, the business must not be affiliated with or control any other entity that violates these standards. Affiliates are any individual, business, or entity who previously, currently, or is expected to have a commercial and/or professional relationship with the applicant organization or its principals. For example, this includes but is not limited to co-owned companies and laboratory testing partners.