2026 Behavioral Health National Patient Safety Goals: The Simple QAPI Action Plan

You’re accredited (or pursuing accreditation) under the Behavioral Health Care and Human Services program, the 2026 National Patient Safety Goals (NPSGs) give you a clean roadmap for what surveyors expect to see operationalized—especially in policies, training, and performance improvement.

Important note: Starting January 1, 2026, hospitals move from NPSGs to National Performance Goals (NPGs), but behavioral health care & human services continues to use NPSGs.

The 5 NPSGs that matter for Behavioral Health in 2026

Goal 1 — Correctly identify individuals served (NPSG.01.01.01)

What this really means: Use at least two identifiers when providing care/treatment/services (especially for higher-risk activities like meds and specimen collection).

Survey-proof proof:

• Written procedure for identifiers (name + DOB, name + ID #, etc.)

• A staff training note / competency

• Examples in charts: medication administration, specimen labeling

Goal 3 — Use medicines safely (NPSG.03.06.01)

This is the behavioral-health version of “med rec.” The expectation is accurate medication info is obtained, maintained, and communicated, with flexibility depending on your setting.

Survey-proof proof:

• A standard process to obtain/update current meds

• A method to compare what the client is taking vs what’s ordered (for organizations that prescribe)

• Discharge/transition medication list (where applicable)

Goal 7 — Prevent infection (NPSG.07.01.01)

If you provide physical care, you must follow hand hygiene guidelines and set/monitor improvement goals (CDC/WHO).

Survey-proof proof:

• Hand hygiene policy referencing Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and/or World Health Organization guidelines

• A simple audit tool + monthly compliance rate

• A corrective action approach when compliance drops

Goal 15 — Reduce suicide risk (NPSG.15.01.01)

This is a big one and it’s spelled out clearly:

• environmental risk assessment (ligature hazards, etc.)

• screen all individuals served for suicidal ideation (validated tool; age 12+)

• assess positives with an evidence-based process

• document risk level + mitigation plan

• staff training/competency, reassessment guidance, monitoring expectations, and discharge follow-up

Survey-proof proof:

• Environmental risk assessment + mitigation actions

• Screening tool and workflow (with triggers)

• Written policy for high-risk monitoring + reassessment

• Discharge safety planning/follow-up workflow

Goal 16 — Improve health outcomes for all (NPSG.16.01.01)

This goal is basically: treat disparities as a quality/safety issue and run it through QAPI.

Core expectations include:

• designate a leader

• assess health-related social needs (HRSNs) and provide resource info

• identify disparities by stratifying quality/safety data (examples include language, race/ethnicity, age, gender)

• create a written action plan addressing at least one disparity

• act when you don’t meet goals + report progress at least annually

Survey-proof proof:

• A 1-page “Health Outcomes for All” plan (leader, data, disparity selected, goal, actions, timeline)

• Evidence you’re measuring and adjusting when you miss targets

• Annual communication to leaders/staff

The simple QAPI plan: what to track monthly (minimum viable)

If you want a lightweight dashboard, track these:

1. ID Accuracy: number of ID errors / near-misses (goal = zero)

2. Med Reconciliation/Med Accuracy: % of records with completed med list update + discrepancy resolution (where applicable)

3. Hand Hygiene: compliance % + corrective actions (physical care settings)

4. Suicide Prevention Reliability:

   • % screened (12+)

   • % positives with completed assessment

   • % with documented risk level + mitigation plan

5. Health Outcomes for All: 1 stratified measure + progress against action plan target