CS for CS for SB 1368 - Clinical, Counseling, and Psychotherapy Services

• Requires registered interns to remain under supervision while practicing under intern status and prohibits registered interns from engaging in independent private practice without a licensed mental health professional on premises.

• Establishes 5-year expiration periods for intern registrations issued after June 30, 2011, with registrations issued on or before June 30, 2011 expiring July 1, 2016; prohibits holders of provisional licenses from applying for intern registration in the same profession.

• Increases marriage and family therapy educational requirements from 36 to 60 semester hours (or 48 to 80 quarter hours) and increases direct client contact hours from 180 to 400 hours; increases mental health counselor practicum requirements from 1,000 to 700 hours with minimum 280 hours of direct client services.

• Revises licensure requirements by endorsement to allow applicants to demonstrate substantially equivalent education and examination rather than requiring 3 of last 5 years of active practice in another state.

• Schedules dual licensure as a marriage and family therapist to expire July 1, 2020, and implements new diagnostic training standards for mental health counselors effective July 1, 2020.