Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Behavioral Health topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board of Behavioral Sciences outlines steps to expand workforce, tighten telehealth privacy
Summary
The California Board of Behavioral Sciences told a joint Assembly–Senate sunset hearing it is pursuing exam alignment, streamlined licensure pathways and new telehealth safeguards while noting workforce shortages and supervision bottlenecks.
The California Board of Behavioral Sciences told a joint Assembly–Senate sunset review hearing that it is pursuing several changes to speed entry of mental‑health professionals into practice and to protect consumers who use telehealth.
Board President Chris Jones said the board’s licensed population grew about 25% over four years and the body is focused on workforce development and license‑pathway reforms to address shortages, particularly in rural areas. “As the demand for behavioral health services continues to grow, we’re committed to ensuring that our regulations and policies allow Californians to access the highest quality mental health services,” Jones said.
Why it matters: Committee members pressed the board on two linked priorities — clearing application backlogs that delay practitioners and tightening privacy and continuity‑of‑care rules for online therapy. The board described near‑term steps including adoption of the Association of Marital & Family Therapy Regulatory Boards (AMFTRB) national exam for LMFTs, expanded telehealth training and continued outreach to increase available supervisors.
Supporting details: The board reported it had conducted a licensure‑pathway survey and a 2021 online‑therapy survey. It said it now requires at least three hours of telehealth law and ethics coursework for applicants and licensees (effective July 2023), has published handbooks and instructional videos, and is implementing an online registration and application system. The board also noted pilot measures to expedite licensure for out‑of‑state applicants who have two or more years of recent practice and who pass an in‑state law and ethics exam and cultural‑competency coursework.
On supervision and portability: Members and the board debated interstate compacts. The board said compacts can improve portability but raised concerns about ceding some regulatory authority and about ensuring California‑specific law and cultural competency requirements. The board pointed to AB 1651 and its recent pathway changes as partial alternatives that have already brought about roughly 5,000 out‑of‑state applicants through an expedited pathway.
On telehealth and platforms: Committee members asked about platform failures and privacy risks after therapists reported being cut off by online platforms. The board said its 2021 online‑therapy survey found many licensees contract with platforms, that privacy and data‑sharing policies vary and that education materials and safety‑plan guidance are being expanded. “We have to evaluate those [privacy] to make sure they do ensure that confidentiality is maintained,” the board said.
What’s next: The board said workforce surveys and regulatory refinements will continue and that it will work with the legislature and stakeholders on possible statutory or regulatory changes.
Ending note: Stakeholders including the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists urged support for national exam alignment and additional funding to speed application review and reduce wait times.
