What is Needed to Open Rehab Facility in Ohio

When looking to enter the addiction treatment market, the first thing that one should think about is the things or processes they need to undergo to open a business. To open a rehab facility in Ohio, you will need to be licensed, financially viable, powered by qualified staff, and ready to adapt and grow. Similarly, several other things need to be done to open a rehab center in Ohio. This blog comprehensively covers that.

Are you worried about the requirements for opening a rehab center in Ohio? Strategique Partners can help you understand what you need to do.

1. Licensing and Certification

The most characteristic and unique thing that needs to be done in opening a rehab center in Ohio is getting licensed. Each state in America differs from the other in these aspects:

1. Licensing Requirements
2. Procedures of Licensing Application
3. Licensing and Application Fees
4. Regulatory Body
5. Inspection Procedures

The licensing procedures can become difficult in the behavioral health sector. You can navigate the licensing landscape with the help of licensing experts in the drug rehab market. 

OhioMHAS Licensure

Ohio’s Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services oversees the licensing process of addiction treatment centers. Since the Ohio government’s code for addiction treatment services was updated in 2019, it is now a requirement to be licensed to be able to provide services. The other important aspects that you need to know include the following:

1. OhioMHAS has an online portal for the application for licensure and certification.
2. The body identifies only three sets of treatment service providers:
   1. Inpatient Psychiatric Service Providers
   2. Residential Facilities
   3. Community Behavioral Health Agencies
3. All substance abuse treatment services fall under the Community Behavioral Health Agency

CARF or Joint Commission Accreditation

Although not a requirement, getting certification from a reputable accrediting body or becoming credentialed with insurance companies can help you a lot in the following ways:

1. Patients trust paneled rehab centers more.
2. It develops trust and builds credibility for your rehab center.

Getting accreditations, therefore, also plays out well for rehab startup businesses in Ohio. You can easily seek help from state accreditation experts. 

 

 

2. Financial Needs

Equally important is financial backing in addition to regulatory backing in this sector in Ohio. You will need enough capital to earn licensing, set up your facility, develop your programs, and hire professional staff to start running your facility. This can cost you approximately $250,000–$2 million, depending on your facility’s scale. Additionally, budgeting can be made easier for you through our financial consultancy.

Startup Costs

The startup costs that you are going to incur and then need financing for include:

1. Acquiring a building after the selection of a location
2. Hiring a drug rehab consultant
3. Setting up the facility and programs
4. Staff Salaries

Insurance and Billing

You will be required to be credentialed with insurance companies to be able to accept payments from them. However, you also need to insure your business against the following:

1. Liabilities 
2. Accidents
3. Malpractices from Staff
4. Property Insurance

Grants and Financing Opportunities

Last month, Ohio’s efforts to treat drug addiction were significantly bolstered by the award of a $ 100 million grant to fight opioid use disorder and prevent overdose deaths. This was part of the State Opioid and Stimulant Response (SOS) grant fund and was the fourth one in the line. This shows the bright chances for rehab facility startups to get the best funding options in Ohio.

3. Qualified Staff

The major chunk of your finances goes to your staff salaries because they make the most significant contribution to running your facility. This fact underscores the importance of hiring the best staff in Ohio. The following will be the key members of your staff:

Administrative and Support Staff

These members of your team will look after your billings, administration, and intake of clients. Therefore, this set of people is required from the outset to open a rehab facility in Ohio.

Qualified Professionals

Ohio is already facing a shortage of professionals who dispense care services in substance abuse treatment. This fact is also reported to have been acknowledged by the director of OhioMHAS in 2022. Therefore, you can certainly cash on this staff shortage in the state by financing your staffing more right from the outset. Knowing this fact can help you come up with other efficient strategies too. Otherwise, you can go for expert staffing services to get in touch with highly qualified staff.

4. Record-Keeping and Policies and Procedures 

As a startup, you also need to develop detailed documentation for:

1. Admissions and Discharges
2. Confidentiality (e.g., HIPAA Compliance)
3. Quality Assurance
4. Emergency Protocols

This should also extend to keeping the record of patients as per the standards and tracking their treatment journey efficiently. 

Records of Patient Care and Finances

Records of patient care, the success of treatment, and the amount of money they spend are very essential data in the drug rehab business. Therefore, you should be diligent in data tracking & outcome management as state authorities often check them. 

Confidentiality and HIPAA compliance

Adhering to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) standards is essential as it governs the confidentiality of patient data. As a rehab facility, you also need to comply with HIPAA standards. 

5. Avenues for Growth and Sustainability

A business startup in a highly competitive market like Ohio’s drug rehab market can not survive without ensuring that it targets avenues of growth and sustainability from the outset. It should be considered as one of the 7 basic steps in opening a rehab business because ignoring this can certainly lead to your failure. Based on the latest data, we have identified the following as avenues of growth:

School-Based Addiction Treatment Services

The partnership between behavioral health services providers and education institutes in Ohio has grown to exceed lengths in recent years. During the 2023-2024 academic year, Ohio’s community behavioral health centers continue to offer treatment services in 3,610 of the state’s public and private schools. This is only increasing as the interventions at the early stage can prove more effective. 

Comprehensive and Community-based Treatment Programs

Greater state encouragement is offered for community-based treatment programs. To stand out, you can target a more holistic approach compared to your competitors. This is mainly because community-based comprehensive behavioral healthcare models are preferred in Ohio.

Remote Monitoring & Telehealth Services

You can integrate technology and artificial intelligence for better patient access, engagement, and operational efficiency. The recent technological advancements have spurred an expansion of telehealth services. This consequently helps build the demand for such services and provides growth opportunities. 

How Can Strategique Partners Help You With Rehab Startup in Ohio?

Strategique Partners has been offering drug rehab startup consultancy in various states, including Ohio. Our experts minutely keep track of the local and federal level market trends in this specific field. By being niche-specific experts, we only focus on behavioral health businesses. This helps us understand the addiction treatment market better and be engaged with licensing bodies of various states. Therefore, there is no better option for you as a drug rehab startup aspirant than Strategique Partners’ which is specifically catering to all the needs of rehab businesses in Ohio.

Relevant FAQs for Drug Rehab Startup Needs in Ohio

We have identified the following set of frequently asked questions to further strengthen your knowledge about what needs to be done to open a rehab facility in Ohio:

How Many Drug Rehabs Are There in America?

The accurate number of drug rehab centers in America may be difficult to know. A report from 2022 available on Statistica suggests that there are 17,353 drug rehab facilities. The data from past years shows that the number of rehab facilities in America has risen since then. Therefore, you should expect good competition in the sector and enter the market well-prepared. 

Is Opening a Rehab Center in Ohio Profitable?

As seen above, there is a huge demand for treatment services in Ohio. The answer to the question of whether the rehab center business is profitable or not is relatively straightforward. It is certainly profitable to open a rehab business in Ohio. Existing rehab businesses are generating good wealth. However, you will need to plan with due diligence and need the help of rehab consultants like Strategique Partners.

What Are the Marketing Strategies for a Drug Rehab Center in Ohio?

Effective marketing strategies for a rehab facility startup in Ohio include:

• Building Links with Other Healthcare Providers
• Depending on Digital Marketing & SEO
• Seo-Optimized Website
• Paid Advertising
• Educational Content Formation