The Certificate of Need Improvement Amendment Act of 2025 revises the Health Services Planning Program Re-establishment Act of 1996 by exempting certain healthcare providers, such as digital-only telehealth platforms, federally qualified health centers, and outpatient behavioral health services, from the certificate of need process. The bill introduces new definitions for "group practice" and "nonpatient care project," removes the three-year maximum on certificate of need applications for active projects, and increases capital expenditure thresholds from $6 million to $15 million and from $3.5 million to $5 million. It also mandates that the State Health Planning and Development Agency (SHPDA) update these thresholds every two years and adjusts the criteria for triggering a certificate of need based on the number of beds added or removed at healthcare facilities.

Further provisions include a streamlined registration process for federally qualified health centers, requiring the Department of Health to review applications within a median of 10 business days and limiting the registration fee to $100 per year. The bill also allows for a two-year grace period for existing entities to complete their registration and mandates that those with multiple locations register each site separately. Additionally, it amends various sections of the D.C. Official Code to update references to "Integrative Healthcare" and modifies the licensing process for social workers to include alternative pathways to licensure renewal. The bill's provisions will take effect once their fiscal impact is included in an approved budget and financial plan, with the Chief Financial Officer responsible for certifying this inclusion.