[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6512294,"mediaKeyId","5114359-afcbf95fa2274fb1452dfbbefc86bd05","parentId",5114359,"title","Texas will design its own psychology licensing exam after legislature funds pilot","audioSeconds",291,"startMs",376000,"endMs",667000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5114359-afcbf95fa2274fb1452dfbbefc86bd05&start=376&end=667","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5114359-afcbf95fa2274fb1452dfbbefc86bd05/thumbnail_376000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6512294/Texas/Texas-will-design-its-own-psychology-licensing-exam-after-legislature-funds-pilot","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6512294-c79c0f0aa1fc76f93f879353808e3981/orig.mp4?Expires=1770981343&Signature=jIUZlNhEWv1b~pi4WZTOmPq4uwO5vBfN~etPBo1cu0OTlLloDoe25thTzQVlnt~kvAOOwmA~j0WXVhvr-RhzQTk8j7yMaSOIpb7dl~Z1MFLTVASGEF3yWZUyjTBqteTIw~Fjg-A6cXBRB7FLdt~KakW3EYD8-Oqhi94yBpZtP~Cf02oiF54NwMW2D94Zfh0NMr9bgnHqpXiZnR7dD5qCgSXlcOFvfo-coKMH8dW1~5Sb51OZRsASC3CefnZs3MFmFU08jdcbwtILJAC7Nd73L~a3FHazvr67DgKKXuDCz37DfmbfMssecJ50KZ3-H4Wt7OmDQ2p-Y-fdrTjzSEIEjQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council","date","2025-07-01T13:57:13Z","article","Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council Chair John Balamowitz announced on June 24 that the 2025 state budget signed by the governor included funding for the council to begin designing a Texas psychology licensing exam.

Balamowitz said the council will decide “what should it look like, how should it function, what are the things that it should test,” and that staff will seek input from stakeholders across the state and nation as the work proceeds.

Why it matters: The move responds to concerns about the national Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP) and rising costs linked to licensure testing. Designing a state exam could change how psychologists are licensed in Texas and affect requirements for applicants and graduates from Texas universities.

The council chair said the Legislature \"funded us to go ahead and begin designing our own exam,\" characterizing the appropriation as a legislative vote of confidence. He recalled earlier legal and policy steps the council had taken — including filing and later withdrawing an antitrust complaint and building a multi‑state coalition — before the Legislature directed funding for a state effort.

Balamowitz said the council will try to \"make sure that it is something that is not Texas only\" by seeking input from other states, while noting Texas is accountable to its legislators because the funds come from the Texas budget. He said cost and whether the test measures relevant skills are likely to be central concerns during design.

Will Francis, executive director of the National Association of Social Workers, Texas & Louisiana chapter, noted during public comment that the Legislature also provided money to the social work board to explore a Spanish‑language master's‑level exam; he described that step as a potential first for a state and praised the Legislature’s action on testing initiatives generally.

What was not decided: The council did not announce an implementation timeline, a contract partner, an estimated dollar amount for the exam design, or whether passage on a Texas test would be accepted outside Texas. Balamowitz said those specifics will be developed during the design process and that the council will be accountable to the Legislature for the use of funds.

Background and context: Council members described a multi‑year history of engagement with the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB) and the EPPP process, and said ASPPB paused its EPPP‑2 rollout in late 2024. The chair said Texas earlier filed an antitrust complaint but withdrew it after ASPPB reversed course; Texas and other states have since discussed exam design and standards.

Next steps: The council said staff will begin designing the exam with stakeholder input and report back to the council and Legislature as work progresses. The council urged interested stakeholders to watch for invitations to provide input.

Sources and evidence: Chair John Balamowitz introduced the budget update and described legislative action during the council meeting on June 24; Will Francis made public comment about parallel funding for a social‑work exam during public comment at the same meeting.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","2025/06/24 Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council Chair John Balamowitz announced the Legislature included funding in the signed 2025 state budget for the council to design a Texas psychology licensing exam.","taxTitle","Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council, Boards & Commissions, Executive, Texas","taxId",36438,"location","Texas","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6512284,"Votes at a glance: BHEC adopts rules, requests AG opinion, revokes license and approves executive director raise",1749,5998000,7747000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5114359-afcbf95fa2274fb1452dfbbefc86bd05&start=5998&end=7747","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5114359-afcbf95fa2274fb1452dfbbefc86bd05/thumbnail_5998000.jpg","/articles/6512284/Texas/Votes-at-a-glance-BHEC-adopts-rules-requests-AG-opinion-revokes-license-and-approves-executive-director-raise","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6512284-f3722e8afbd3960a1c8e332a3a1393e4/orig.mp4?Expires=1770981343&Signature=QlF-EtlPt0Go7KDykK1A5aeYWFzMU-vZXCXCKl33-P6WSvn6s~W1Pxj4U4fcabY~pAwk3FzkDJeynDwmu~4WMOhIX9ZIDLOzrRQHJT9WKX5339WT~L26ESKcV-2E3QUrudf4Bg5sCLoDt0B5U3JK~Sednx~9fXJdIu2A0~O55qkm7ItRc7s2f3-d2B1NDxqvVhZvf82cIa8KLybTbP7CgjUGtVlMTAliHTn22vq~56m1gTXAjRGAaUXDeWKpQp8liIZ24-iJc-ickFvLKxp0y-C4bPNStB2QTxUX8aPU9-PWpkdU4JewHMnn3WIbSLWNhsazTAdgEOrvUSLad3oICQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At its June 24, 2025 meeting the Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council recorded several formal actions. Below is a concise summary of motions, votes and outcomes taken on the record during the public meeting.

Resolution of appreciation for former chair (adopted)
- Motion: Adopt the \"resolution of appreciation honoring Chair Gloria Canseco.\"
- Outcome: Adopted by voice vote; chair read the resolution into the record and members voted \"ayes have it.\" (on record)
- Notes: Ceremonial resolution recorded during the chair’s report; no implementation actions required.

License revocation (psychology) — revocation ratified
- Motion: Ratify revocation of a license following a default hearing (licensee identified in packet as Mr. Walker; subject did not appear). The psychology board previously voted to revoke after a default hearing.
- Outcome: Motion to revoke was moved and seconded and carried; Chair announced the motion carries. Doctor Cartwright recused from the vote (recusal recorded on the public record).
- Notes: The file shows the underlying convictions and incarceration referenced in staff summary; the council ratified the board action as presented.

Request for Attorney General opinion (approved)
- Motion: Request an Attorney General opinion at Representative Toth’s request to clarify whether council licensees fall under a statutory definition referenced in the letter (health‑care‑provider definition cited by Representative Toth).
- Outcome: Motion moved and seconded; carried by voice vote. Staff will submit the draft request letter to the Attorney General’s office.
- Timing: AG responses commonly take up to 120 days; staff noted the office may request more time.

Rulemaking: proposed rules (approved for proposal)
- Motion: The council voted to publish and propose a coordinated set of rule amendments submitted by the member boards. Major topics proposed included: standardizing application shelf life; updates to supervised experience calculations; supervisory remediation plans and complaint‑sharing requirements; board‑specific reorganizations of supervision language; and collaboration notifications among treating providers.
- Outcome: Council voted to propose the sets of rules presented for marriage and family therapy, psychology, LPC and social work (voice votes recorded as \"ayes\").
- Notes: Proposals will proceed through public‑notice and comment periods before final adoption.

Rulemaking: adopted rules (adopted)
- Motion: Adopted a package of final rules the council had previously noticed, including continuing education audit provisions (CE Broker authority), revisions clarifying when coaching is presumed to be professional practice, and multiple board CE and supervisor‑related amendments.
- Outcome: Adopted by roll call/voice (on the public record the chair announced the ayes have it and rules were adopted).
- Notes: Several of these adopted rules had generated public comment during the meeting; comments were entered into the record and considered before adoption.

Executive director compensation (personnel action approved)
- Motion: Increase compensation for Executive Director Daryl Spinks by 15% effective July 1.
- Outcome: Motion moved, seconded and approved by voice vote; the chair recognized the motion and the council approved the increase on the record.
- Notes: The approval followed an executive session discussion of the director’s performance.

How the council handled public comment relevant to rule changes
- Multiple public commenters addressed proposed continuing‑education language that would replace earlier cultural‑competence phrasing. Faith Northern (Texas Therapists for Social Justice) and other commenters urged the council not to adopt changes they described as politically motivated; others, including public‑member speakers, supported the proposed rewording. The council moved forward with proposed and adopted CE language while also directing FAQs and explanatory guidance to help licensees interpret the changes.

Records and transparency
- All motions and outcomes described above were captured on the public meeting audio and in the meeting packet. For items requiring formal rule adoption, staff will publish the statutorily required notices and maintain the official rulemaking and AG‑opinion records.

","The Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council approved a package of proposed and adopted rule changes across member boards, ratified a resolution of appreciation, authorized a request for an Attorney General opinion, revoked one license by default, and increased the executive director's pay effective July 1.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6512289,"State health official asks Texas mental‑health licensees to join Medical Reserve Corps for disaster response",1495,788000,2283000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5114359-afcbf95fa2274fb1452dfbbefc86bd05&start=788&end=2283","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5114359-afcbf95fa2274fb1452dfbbefc86bd05/thumbnail_788000.jpg","/articles/6512289/Texas/State-health-official-asks-Texas-mentalhealth-licensees-to-join-Medical-Reserve-Corps-for-disaster-response","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6512289-caf9418ab4e4bfb9e90bee9661ef7a6b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770981343&Signature=m13SXBbC5bq2D3mWCSbJWX8ZjtGgZFGsR3pC7lG6TwxjsCyVSnNooTrLXP3ffY01M6mNudScma-b10v2cNtEd9g8gCZdwUWrwVjrS3XXigTepm08p7M8yWUR76N4XtiFU4lRfx1-~A-lNQtJwIUZEaI5ODcROAw-kxDzENNzaYwPbF9kc53wz0WAPsgNfkGJzv7LrJVjUsJvYMpz~suHCcaBvuy4iRzcsCdh763S56meq6pOJrnru2NUH8Kb~LqVPRrxDOyvjeGAMeJMZI3NJAQpkouQTq5qc8~wxFXGFNBSIKkraukPDoh~Vf3vf-ZwwbkEwI8fbgGcoHLxfN6FqA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Brian Damas, community outreach and volunteer coordinator at the Texas Department of State Health Services, told the Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council on June 24 that Medical Reserve Corps units around the state need more mental‑health volunteers.

Damas said the MRC network supports disaster response and ongoing community health outreach; in Texas there are about 26 units that train volunteers for shelter operations, points of dispensing, family assistance centers and psychological first aid.

Why it matters: Mental‑health providers can augment disaster behavioral‑health capacity during hurricanes, floods and other mass‑casualty events by registering with local MRC units or the Texas disaster volunteer registry. Council members asked how rural clinicians can participate and whether volunteers’ onboarding counts toward practicum or supervised hours.

Damas described the onboarding and training process: volunteers create a registry profile, list licensure and training, undergo a background check and licensure verification by the unit coordinator, and complete orientation and online FEMA incident command system training where appropriate. He said many units also provide psychological first aid training and that MRC volunteers may support shelters, vaccination campaigns, family assistance centers and call centers during major incidents.

During Q&A, council members and attendees asked whether rural clinicians should join nearby city‑based units and whether local education agencies have been involved. Damas said some rural volunteers join larger nearby units and commit to travel; starting a rural unit is possible but requires a sponsoring organization such as a local health department or emergency management office, which can be a barrier in counties with minimal infrastructure.

On coordination with Red Cross, Damas said local MRC units often collaborate with Red Cross chapters for shelter work and trainings, while the MRCs also perform broader or longer‑running public‑health tasks such as mass vaccination, mass dispensing and family assistance center behavioral‑health support.

The council encouraged licensees to review the DSHS MRC web pages and the Texas disaster volunteer registry and said the agency will circulate the speaker’s slides and after‑action reports from 2024 and the COVID response. Chair John Balamowitz and several board members described personal disaster response experiences and urged clinicians who can volunteer to register.

Sources and evidence: Brian Damas (DSHS) presented and answered questions; Chair John Balamowitz and members asked clarifying questions during the invited testimony segment of the June 24 meeting.

","A Department of State Health Services official outlined the Medical Reserve Corps network and urged Texas mental‑health professionals to join local units. The presentation described typical MRC missions, onboarding steps and training; the council held a Q&A about rural access and coordination with Red Cross.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Texas will design its own psychology licensing exam after legislature funds pilot

Votes at a glance: BHEC adopts rules, requests AG opinion, revokes license and approves executive director raise

State health official asks Texas mental‑health licensees to join Medical Reserve Corps for disaster response