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Committee supports removing felony lookback barrier for certified peer recovery coaches
Summary
House Bill 1385 would eliminate a five-year felony lookback for certified peer recovery coaches convicted of substance-related offenses, sponsor Representative Goss Reeves told the committee, allowing certified coaches to work in hospital and other healthcare settings.
House Bill 1385 would allow certified peer recovery coaches to be employed in certain healthcare settings even if they have a prior felony conviction related to substance use, reversing a five‑year lookback that currently bars some hires.
Representative Goss Reeves (presenting HB1385) said the change recognizes that peer recovery coaches — people with lived experience who complete training and certification — are often effective at helping people in active addiction enter treatment.
Kurt Langhammer, board member of Mental Health America of Indiana and chair of the Indiana Coordinating Association for Behavioral Health Professionals (ICATA), testified the five-year lookback prevents qualified, certified recovery coaches from gaining employment even after completing required training and national examinations. "Many who suffer from active addictions make poor decisions during their active addictions, but their mistakes should not define them," Langhammer said. He said ICATA and Mental Health America of Indiana support excluding substance-related convictions from the five-year barrier for certified peer recovery coaches.
Grant representatives from the Indiana Health Care Association told senators the long-term care industry — already strained by staffing shortages and forthcoming federal staffing requirements — would benefit from removing barriers to hiring qualified workers.
The committee recorded a roll call as the bill passed 11–0.
