Brief (1)
HB 2227 amends statutes that relate to substantive changes and additions to the laws governing the licensure, practice, and regulation of masters level psychologists, marriage and family therapists, professional counselors, and social workers made by the 1999 Legislature when a clinical level of credentialing was added to the acts governing such persons. Many of the amendments are technical and pertain to changes made in 1999. Several are substantive in nature.
The bill adds the clinical level of practitioner authorized by the 1999 legislation as well as several of the nonclinical level groups and registered drug abuse and alcohol counselors to those persons who are mandated to report child abuse and neglect; abuse of residents of adult care homes, hospitals, and state institutions; and the abuse, neglect, or exploitation of adults.
HB 2227 adds licensed clinical psychotherapists (masters level psychologist), licensed clinical level marriage and family therapists, and licensed clinical professional counselors to the definition of "qualified mental health professional" as that term is used in the Act for Obtaining Treatment for a Mentally Ill Person. The bill also deletes the authority for the Board to issue a second two-year temporary permit or license for professional counselors and for marriage and family therapists and restores a previously existing alternative in supervised practice required of applicants for licensure as masters level psychologists.
The bill reconciles the provisions of two versions of a statute and repeals one of the two. Another statute in which the provisions are outdated is also repealed. The other amendments are primarily technical.
Background
HB 2227 was introduced at the request of the Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board whose representative supported the bill during the Committee hearing as did a representative of the Mental Health Credentialing Coalition.
1. *Supplemental notes are prepared by the Legislative Research Department and do not express legislative intent. The supplemental note and fiscal note for this bill may be accessed on the Internet at http://www.ink.org/public/legislative/fulltext.cgi