Committee backs drafts to add candidacy rules and remove obsolete BPPE references, with 2015 grandfather clause

The Board of Behavioral Sciences Policy & Advocacy Committee on June 16 voted to direct staff to draft legislative amendments addressing degree programs in accreditation candidacy and to remove obsolete references to Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education (BPPE) approval from the practice acts.

Staff explained that LCSW statute already contains a provision allowing graduates of programs in accreditation candidacy to register as associates and accrue supervised experience but not take the clinical exam until the school achieves accreditation. LMFT and LPCC statutes lack that specific provision; staff recommended adding comparable language and adding a clause clarifying that failure to obtain accreditation would bar renewal of an associate registration.

Staff also described a secondary but related problem: BPPE rules changed under SB 1247 (2014/2015), requiring degree programs in California to be accredited by a US Department of Education‑recognized agency and effectively ending BPPE approval of unaccredited degree programs. To avoid confusion and unintended consequences, staff recommended removing statutory references to BPPE 'approval' throughout the board's statutes and adding a grandfather clause to accept degrees awarded on or before Jan. 1, 2015 if the school had unconditional BPPE approval at that time.

Committee members asked staff to make the student‑notice requirement more prescriptive so that schools must place the notice prominently (for example, on a separate signed paper in a specific font) rather than burying it in marketing materials. Staff agreed to draft clearer notice language modeled on existing education‑code requirements where possible but noted enforcement is limited because the board does not directly regulate schools; staff expects that schools seeking graduates licensed by the board would comply.

Public commenters from CAMFT and a practicing MFT asked about the number of conditional BPPE approvals still outstanding and how long a school can remain in candidacy; staff said BPPE requires candidacy evidence within two years and accreditation evidence within five years (with possible extensions), and that the grandfather clause is intended to avoid penalizing applicants who graduated before BPPE's change.

The committee carried the motion directing staff to draft the discussed amendments (attachments A and B), to specify clearer student‑notice requirements, and to recommend pursuing the language as a legislative proposal. Roll call recorded Christopher Jones — Yes; Jon Sovec — Yes; Rebecca Theis — Yes. The vote passed. Staff will prepare draft bill language and return it to the committee and board for further consideration.