BBS committee advances phased plan to streamline licensure pathway, delays earlier clinical exam change

The Board of Behavioral Sciences Workforce Development Committee on an item about restructuring the pathway to licensure discussed a three‑phase plan that would make several near‑term changes now and postpone the more complex change of allowing clinical exams to be taken earlier until after other reforms and an exam transition are in place.

Roseanne Helms, legislative manager for the Board of Behavioral Sciences, said the discussion continued prior committee work and listed the possible reforms under consideration: allowing the California Law and Ethics (L&E) exam to be taken at the candidate’s discretion (while still requiring passage before clinical eligibility), setting a seven‑year age limit on qualifying L&E and clinical exam scores, extending registration/experience timeframes from six to seven years, and creating a one‑time two‑year hardship extension that could permit work in a private practice or professional corporation…