# What a licence field does and does not prove

Lesson 1 of [Check an eating disorder program's claims and credentials](https://eatingdisorder.fyi/academy/check-program-claims-and-credentials.md), 15 minutes.

The licence and accreditation field shows what the program's SAMHSA record states. In the data retrieved on 2026-10-20, the values are a licensed mental health clinic or center and a Federally Qualified Health Center. The field can also show The Joint Commission, CARF or the Council on Accreditation. Empty means not stated.

## What the field does not prove

- It does not prove a current licence. The record is a copy from a set date.
- It does not say which site, service or level of care a licence covers.
- It says nothing about the quality of care.
- Empty does not mean unlicensed. It means that the record does not state it.

## Check with the official body

The directory's guides say to check with the licensing board in the state where the program is. This site does not yet list state licensing registers. Use these steps:

1. Find the licensing board or official register for the state where the program is. Use the state government's own website. Do not use a link that a program sends you.
2. Search by the legal name and the address of the program. The name on the listing and the name on the register can differ. Ask the program for its legal name and the licence it holds.
3. Write down what the register says: the name, the type of licence, the site and the status. Write down the date you checked.
4. If you cannot find the program, ask the program. Ask the licensing board how to check. Do not assume.

## Rules differ by place

Rules differ by state. This course does not describe them. Ask the board what a licence covers in that state.

## A claim on a website

A program can state a licence on its website. Treat it as a claim until you check it with the official register.

## Sources

- Eating Disorder Directory guide: What each listing shows (updated 2026-10-20)
- Eating Disorder Directory guide: Eating disorder treatment in the United States: what the data shows (updated 2026-10-20)
- SAMHSA FindTreatment.gov, Behavioral Health Treatment Services Locator

This course is general information, not medical, legal or financial advice.

Also on the [web page](https://eatingdisorder.fyi/academy/check-program-claims-and-credentials/what-a-licence-field-proves).

> Talk to a doctor or other qualified clinician before you start, stop or change treatment. In a medical or mental health emergency call 911 in the US, or call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.