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Bill to certify family peer supporters wins broad testimony; technical licensing issues remain
Summary
House Bill 76 would add family peer support to Montana’s behavioral health practice scope and create certification and a candidate pathway; supporters said certification improves outcomes and saves Medicaid dollars while the Department of Labor flagged a technical licensure provision.
Representative S.J. Howell opened the hearing on House Bill 76 on March 17, describing the bill as an interim-committee measure to add family peer support specialists for caregivers of children with special health care needs and behavioral health challenges and to create a certification path.
Howell said the bill adds "family peer support" to the scope of behavioral health practices, defines the role and scope, and creates eligibility for certification. "This doesn't create a new program. It just creates the certification for the existing program," Howell said.
Proponents described lived…
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