Pennsylvania Drug and Alcohol Treatment Facility Licensing Readiness

Last updated: November 2026

Pennsylvania’s Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) licenses drug and alcohol treatment facilities by owner, location and activity. Integral Healthcare Solutions (IHS) helps new and expanding operators prepare through gap assessment, application planning, policy drafts for clinical approval and a mock site visit. The owner files with DDAP.

Sources (page opened 2026-11-05): DDAP licensing; Request for Licensing Application Packet, Rev. 02-2025; and 28 Pa. Code Chapter 709, Standards for Licensure of Freestanding Treatment Facilities, Chapter 704, Staffing Requirements for Drug and Alcohol Treatment Activities, Chapter 705, Physical Plant Standards, and Chapter 715, Standards for Approval of Narcotic Treatment Program. Code text effective through September 5, 2026 (56 Pa.B. 6006).

What is a Pennsylvania drug and alcohol facility license?

DDAP states that any facility that provides drug and alcohol treatment services must obtain a license through DDAP to open and operate. Section 709.2 says an entity intending to provide treatment services must first be licensed, and that a freestanding treatment facility may not receive Department funds without a license.

The license runs by activity and by location. Section 709.1 defines the facility as the physical location from which services are provided; a facility may provide more than one service. DDAP says the certificate goes to the owner for a specific location and specific activities. Under section 709.12 the license names the facility, address, issue date and authorized activities, and must be displayed in a public and conspicuous place. DDAP lists inpatient, outpatient, partial-hospitalization, residential (halfway house), narcotic treatment programs and telehealth-only settings as requiring a license, and says the list includes but is not limited to these.

Which activity does the facility apply for?

The request form groups activities as freestanding nonhospital, hospital-affiliated and hospital-based, with a separate telehealth section. For the freestanding activities, Chapter 709 sets the standards:

Chapters 704 and 705 refer to a Chapter 711 certificate for treatment activities in a health care facility. Hospital certification requirements are outside this page’s scope. Recovery houses are licensed under a separate chapter, Chapter 717, which this page does not cover.

How does the application start?

1. The owner fills out the Request for Licensing Application Packet form to apply for an initial license, add a site, or add an activity, and selects every proposed activity.
2. The owner emails the completed form to DDAP.
3. DDAP contacts the applicant with next steps, including any applicable administrative forms, an application form and an application checklist.

The later application packet and checklist are outside this summary. Section 709.11 says applications use the forms and procedures the Department prescribes.

What happens at inspection?

• Under section 709.12 a full license issues when an on-site inspection shows the requirements are met. It expires 1 year after issuance, and the Department notifies the facility of the annual renewal inspection date (709.11).
• Under section 709.16 the completed deficiency forms go to the Division of Licensing within 15 working days after the site visit, and a license may not be issued until the Department approves a plan of action. DDAP takes plans of correction through its SAIS portal (DDAP page).
• Under section 709.13, the Department issues a provisional license for no more than 6 months upon findings of substantial but incomplete compliance, compliance with an approved correction course, and deficiencies that will not adversely affect clients’ health, welfare or safety. Staff must submit a correction plan within 15 working days of receiving the deficiency report. Renewal is limited to three times.

What do the standards require?

Chapter 709, Subchapter C, covers governance, policies, finances, confidentiality, records, medications, termination notices and unusual incidents. Section 709.21(b) deems facilities with the specified valid full licenses under 55 Pa. Code Chapters 5300 and 5310 compliant with sections 709.22-709.26, 709.29 and 709.32 while the Department finds those standards consistent. Under 709.34(c), reports to DDAP are due within 3 business days for the incidents listed there, to the extent State and Federal confidentiality laws permit.

Chapter 704 covers staffing for facilities licensed or approved under Chapters 709, 710 and 711, except intake, evaluation and referral facilities (704.1). Its qualification rules apply to directors, clinical supervisors, counselors and counselor assistants hired or promoted on or after March 4, 1996 (704.4).

• Compliance plan: the governing body approves a written plan on staff qualifications and training, presented at the site visit (704.2).
• Supervision: one full-time clinical supervisor for every eight full-time counselors or counselor assistants, or both (704.6).
• Training: staff and volunteers receive at least 6 hours on HIV/AIDS and at least 4 hours on tuberculosis, sexually transmitted diseases and other health topics using a Department-approved curriculum. Counselors and counselor assistants complete this within their first employment year; other staff within their first 2 employment years (704.11(c)(1)).
• Ratios during primary care hours count all clients, including other diagnoses; family units may count as one client. Adult inpatient nonhospital rehabilitation requires one full-time-equivalent (FTE) counselor per eight clients; outpatient caseloads may not exceed 35 active clients per FTE counselor. Eligible counselor assistants count toward FTE ratios. Transitional living facilities are exempt from specific ratios; Department-approved exceptions are possible (704.12).

Residential and nonresidential facilities also need a certificate of occupancy from the Department of Labor and Industry or its local equivalent, and must comply with applicable federal, state and local laws (705.1, 705.21). Before offering services in Pennsylvania, a narcotic treatment program must obtain the approvals required by section 715.3 from DDAP, DEA and CSAT or a SAMHSA designee, with simultaneous applications. DDAP cannot recommend approval before licensure under Chapters 704, 705, 709, 710 or 711.

Who needs it and what triggers it?

• Opening a new facility (709.2), or adding a site or an activity through the same request form.
• Changes in ownership, facility name, location, activity (including discontinuance), authorized maximum capacity, or closure require the licensee’s notice on Department forms within 90 days of occurrence. Failure causes automatic license expiration (709.14; DDAP change page, page opened 2026-11-05).
• The annual renewal inspection and any deficiencies it cites (709.11, 709.16).

How IHS helps

IHS helps organize the preparation work:

• A gap assessment against Chapters 709, 704 and 705, and Chapter 715 for a narcotic treatment program.
• An application plan by location and activity, with an evidence map of which document answers which section.
• Drafts of the policies and procedures manual, the section 704.2 compliance plan, the staff development program and the incident, confidentiality and medication policies, for the facility’s clinicians to approve.
• A mock site visit with findings and drafted plan-of-correction language.

The client supplies ownership and governing body documents, applicable director and clinical-lead assignments, the activity list, staff credentials and training records, the certificate of occupancy, and clinical sign-off. DDAP decides whether to license. IHS does not file with, contact or act as liaison to DDAP; the owner files and handles any contact.

What to have ready

Use the September 5, 2026 Code text identified above; the checklist is subject to section 709.21(b)’s deemed-compliance provision and Chapter 704’s scope and qualification exceptions.

• Proposed sites and activities; telehealth-only applicants use the separate section, without selecting the physical-site activities. DDAP request form, Rev. 02-2025.
• Owner and governing-body documentation. 28 Pa. Code § 709.22.
• Director and clinical-supervision arrangements, including the single-facility and pre-March 4, 1996 director exceptions. 28 Pa. Code §§ 704.4-704.6.
• A governing-body-approved staff compliance plan and staff development program, where Chapter 704 applies. 28 Pa. Code §§ 704.1-704.2, 704.11.
• The project director’s signed, annually updated policies manual. 28 Pa. Code § 709.23.
• Confidentiality, record retention and reasoned written termination notices with an opportunity for reconsideration. 28 Pa. Code §§ 709.28-709.29, 709.33.
• Medication policies requiring storage-area inspections at least quarterly. 28 Pa. Code § 709.32(c)(3).
• Incident procedures distinguishing response policies from the listed written reports due within 3 business days, subject to confidentiality laws. 28 Pa. Code § 709.34.
• The certificate of occupancy. 28 Pa. Code §§ 705.1, 705.21.

A free introductory call can help scope the preparation work.

How it compares

This comparison does not cover accreditation or Medicaid enrollment.

What it costs

The DDAP licensing page, the request form and the Chapter 709 sections IHS opened state no license fee, so this page states none. Verify current fees with DDAP. IHS scopes each engagement after a free introductory call.

What this is not

• IHS is a consulting firm, not a law firm; this page is not legal advice.
• IHS guarantees no license and does not submit to or contact DDAP; the owner files.
• IHS does not provide clinical services; the facility’s clinicians approve clinical policies.

Frequently asked questions

Does a Pennsylvania drug and alcohol program need a license?

Yes. The DDAP licensing page says any facility that provides drug and alcohol treatment services must obtain a DDAP license to open and operate. Section 709.2 adds that a freestanding treatment facility may not receive Department funds without one.

Which treatment settings need one?

DDAP lists inpatient, outpatient, partial-hospitalization, residential (halfway house), narcotic treatment programs and telehealth-only settings, and says the list includes but is not limited to these. The request form carries the full list of activities.

How do I request an application?

The owner fills out DDAP's Request for Licensing Application Packet form, selects every proposed activity and emails it to DDAP. DDAP then contacts the applicant with next steps, including any applicable administrative forms, an application form and an application checklist. The later application packet and checklist are outside this summary.

Is the license by location or by activity?

Both. DDAP says the certificate is issued to the owner for a specific location and for specific drug and alcohol activities, and that a facility may be licensed for more than one activity.

What staffing rules apply?

Chapter 704 sets qualifications, training hours and client-to-staff ratios, except for intake, evaluation and referral facilities. Section 704.2 requires the governing body to approve a written compliance plan on staff qualifications and training, to be presented at the site visit.

What changes must be reported, and by when?

Section 709.14 requires the licensee to use Department forms to report ownership, facility-name, location, activity or activity-discontinuance, authorized-capacity changes, or closure within 90 days of occurrence. Failure causes automatic license expiration; the license is not transferable.

How long does licensure take?

The DDAP pages and Chapter 709 sections IHS opened state no processing time, so IHS states none. Confirm current timing with DDAP. IHS can scope the preparation work after a free introductory call.

What does it cost?

The DDAP pages and request form IHS opened state no license fee, so IHS states none. Verify current fees with DDAP. IHS scopes each engagement after a free introductory call.