House Bill 6835 - Summary

• Establishes qualifications and employment requirements for surgical technologists in Connecticut health care facilities, effective October 1, 2023, requiring national certification, accredited program completion, or equivalent military training.

• Requires prescribing practitioners to establish treatment agreements with patients receiving opioid pain treatment for longer than 12 weeks, including treatment goals, risks, urine drug screens, and nonopioid alternatives.

• Enacts the Counseling Compact, effective July 1, 2023, creating reciprocal licensing and interstate practice privileges for licensed professional counselors meeting uniform standards across member states.

• Makes various technical corrections and updates to public health statutes, including changes to collaborative care model definitions, social work exam accommodations, maternal mental health observances, and mental health service funding procedures.

• Establishes new provisions for stillborn child disposition notification, criminal background checks for professional counselors, temporary permits for doctoral psychology providers, and clarifications to marital and family therapist licensing requirements.