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Committee approves changes to behavioral health licensure rules, eases coursework requirement
Summary
A House public-health committee advanced an amended licensing bill that would remove statutory content-area coursework mandates for four behavioral-health professions and allow bachelor'level social workers to sit for licensing exams during their final semester.
The House Public Health Committee on Feb. 16 advanced an amended bill that would remove statutory, content-area coursework requirements for four behavioral-health professions and make a parity adjustment allowing some bachelor'level social work students to sit for licensure exams in their final semester.
The Professional Licensing Agency's deputy director, Nick Hart, told the committee the agency brought amendment 3 at the agency's request. He said the change would repeal explicit content-area statutory requirements that apply to marriage and family therapists, mental health counselors, addiction counselors and clinical addiction counselors while preserving degree and practicum requirements. Hart said boards have repeatedly had to review applicants' coursework down to syllabi to determine compliance, which the agency and stakeholders see as creating a bottleneck for the behavioral health workforce pipeline.
Committee members said the amendments were intended to preserve degree standards while adding flexibility. Representative Goss Reeves introduced amendment 2, which the committee accepted by consent; it permits bachelor'level social-work students to sit for their licensure exam during their final semester, mirroring earlier changes for master'level applicants.
Representative Garcia Wilburn asked whether the statutory changes would interfere with ongoing interstate licensure compact work; Hart replied the changes would not impede compact implementation. Committee chair Representative Barrett said amendment 1 was held because it better aligned with another bill, but he credited the sponsor and stakeholders for productive discussion.
After brief discussion the committee voted to move the bill as amended. A roll call recorded 11 yes votes, 0 no votes and several members excused; the clerk announced the bill passed 11-0.
Supporters said the measure targets a persistent licensing bottleneck and keeps practicum and degree standards intact. The agency highlighted past collaboration with national workforce groups to find pipeline improvements. Opponents raised no formal motion on the floor during the committee vote.
The bill will next be returned to the House floor or to subsequent committees for further consideration.
