Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Background Checks topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Kansas BSRB says background checks for new addiction‑counseling licensees will start this fall; cost likely $57
Summary
The Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board (BSRB) told its Addiction Counselor Advisory Committee that background checks will be required for new and reinstating addiction‑counseling licensees, that the process is being modeled on the Board of Nursing’s materials, and that the Kansas Bureau of Investigation fee is expected to be $57.
The Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board told its Addiction Counselor Advisory Committee on Sept. 11 that it will implement a background‑check requirement for new and reinstating addiction‑counseling licensees this fall.
Executive Director David Fye said the board “previously voted to go ahead and require background checks, and the board does have statutory authority to require background checks.” He added that the board plans to borrow application and waiver language from the Board of Nursing as it finalizes the process.
Why this matters: committee members said the requirement affects applicants’ cost and logistics. Fye said the Kansas Bureau of Investigation fee appears to be a flat $57 and that applicants will get fingerprinted at local law enforcement. He described two administrative models under consideration: the board could collect the fee as a pass‑through, or applicants could pay KBI directly. “If it is collected by us, it’ll be treated like a pass‑through fund,” Fye said.
The board intends the checks to apply to initial applicants and those reinstating licenses; Fye also said the board wants an opt‑in pathway so applicants could choose the check now if required by a multistate compact. He cited PSYPACT’s previous approach—allowing a transition period of up to 10 years in some cases—and said the social‑work compact is still being implemented by its commission and data vendor work.
Committee members asked who will pay and how records from other recent background checks might transfer. Fye said most employers’ recent checks cannot be reused and that applicants often must obtain a separate check for licensing purposes. The committee did not take a formal vote on regulation text; staff will return to the committee with implementation details.
Closing: Fye said more specifics will be provided as the board determines whether to adopt a regulation or proceed through administrative process. The board is also evaluating how the requirement will interact with multistate compacts and investigative uses of criminal‑history information.
