Addiction Treatment Certification

Standards

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

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Registration & Compliance Facility Internal Practices External Practices

Registration & Compliance

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

1. Licensure & Business Registration

2. Legal Compliance

The applicant must comply with all applicable laws. This includes, but is not limited to, local, state, and national laws and regulations, and all relevant licensing requirements for addiction treatment facilities and providers or other activities it is engaged in.

The applicant must be in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations related to the prescribing or dispensing of medications. This includes any necessary licensing, registration, or authorizations required to prescribe or dispense controlled substances/drugs, as defined by the relevant jurisdiction(s).

3. Domain Name Registration

The domain name registration information of the website must be accurate, and the domain name registrant must have a logical nexus to the applicant’s business. This Standard may be met by making the domain name registration information public, acquiring and maintaining a valid EVSSL certificate, or providing LegitScript with adequate documentation showing non-privacy protected domain name registration information for your website. Documentation that satisfies this requirement may be a screenshot directly from the registrar displaying Whois registrant information. The applicant must also provide all domain names and websites under its control.

4. Policies and Procedures

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

Facility

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

5. Facility Location

6. Facility Disclosure

Internal Practices

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

7. Qualifications

8. Prior Discipline and History

The applicant must disclose any prior criminal, regulatory, or civil violations related to the applicant’s businesses, facility(ies), or key staff. The applicant must also disclose any litigation commenced, resolved or otherwise addressed that involves the 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.

9. Insurance

External Practices

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

10. Website Content

11. Privacy

The applicant must comply with all provisions of applicable laws and regulations pertaining to protected information or protected health information, including privacy provisions. When required by law, the applicant must post its privacy policy on its website.

For example, US-based applicants who collect, store, or transmit Protected Health Information (PHI) must be in compliance with all applicable HIPAA requirements.

12. Medication Assisted Treatment

13. 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.

14. 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. Merchants must ensure advertisements accurately reflect the services available at a given location, and may not claim to operate in locations where they do not provide services.

Applicants seen advertising on Google, Bing, or Facebook without LegitScript certification or in apparent violation of the platform’s terms of service may be considered 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.

15. Incentives

16. Business Practices

17. Affiliates and Partners

The applicant 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.

A merchant's partners, defined as organizations essential to supporting the applicant’s continuum of care, such as partner pharmacies responsible for the fulfillment of prescription medication to patients, are generally required to be LegitScript-certified or accredited by another recognized body, with limited exceptions permitted only at LegitScript's sole discretion.

18. Transparency