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Committee hears bill to add counselor and psychologist associates to HEALWA library access
Summary
House Bill 1190 would expand access to the Health Evidence Resource Library for Washington State (HEALWA) to include psychological associates and mental health counselor associates; University of Washington HEALWA staff and mental‑health professional groups testified in support, saying the system can absorb the addition without new resources.
House Bill 1190 would add psychological associates and mental health counselor associates to the list of professions eligible to access the Health Evidence Resource Library for Washington State (HEALWA), committee staff and witnesses told the House Health Care & Wellness Committee on Jan. 22, 2025.
Jim Morishima, committee staff, said HEALWA is an online evidence library maintained by the University of Washington that provides clinical information to specified professions; statute allows authorized professions to be charged up to $25 for access. "House Bill 1190 expands access to the HEALWA Library to include psychological associates and mental health counselor associates," Morishima said.
Patricia Devine, director of community outreach for HEALWA, testified that HEALWA was created in response to Senate Bill 5930 (2007) and currently serves 26 health professions. She told the committee the program "is committed to providing equitable access to health information for clinicians and other health care providers" and that adding the two associate credentials "would not require significant new resources or staff time."
Shannon Thompson, executive director of the Washington Mental Health Counselors Association, testified in strong support. "Currently, licensed mental health counselor associates, known as LMHCA, are excluded from this resource," Thompson said. She noted that marriage and family therapist associates and social work associates already have access and argued LMHCAs should have the same opportunity.
Committee members asked no substantive questions of witnesses, and staff signaled the change would be accommodated within HEALWA's existing capacity.
No vote was taken at the hearing; the committee later announced it will consider the bill in an upcoming executive session.
