Board counsel and staff provided a detailed briefing on the interstate counseling compact and operational steps the state must take to implement the privilege‑to‑practice system.

Counsel reported that the counseling compact has been enacted in multiple states and that Florida is preparing application templates and a home‑state declaration flow so Florida‑licensed practitioners can declare Florida as their compact home state. The board reviewed draft forms for (1) initial applications with a compact checkbox, (2) a home‑state declaration application for current licensees who wish to participate, and (3) a conversion application for compact privilege holders who later move to Florida and seek a converted Florida license.

Key operational issues discussed included background‑screening requirements (compact participants must be level‑2 screened), data security and the vendor database (the compact’s data system has been developed jointly by several compacts), and fees (the compact administrative fee is expected to be $30 plus a $5 state unlicensed‑activity charge for initial and renewal applications). Counsel and staff noted lingering items such as secure transmission of personally identifiable information and how other states’ different retention and screening policies may affect reciprocity.

The board authorized counsel to file notices of rule development and to make ministerial updates to application text; members also asked staff to continue coordinating with the compact commission and the department’s technical teams to ensure data‑security and background‑screening alignment ahead of the compact’s operational rollout.