HB2577 Summary

• Moved the Marriage and Family Therapy Licensing Act from January 1, 2018 repeal date to January 1, 2027, extending the regulatory authority for marriage and family therapists by 9 years.

• Added new Section 10.5 requiring applicants and licensees to provide valid address and email address to the Department and notify within 14 days of any changes.

• Expanded grounds for disciplinary action including substance abuse evaluation requirements, examination authority by multidisciplinary teams, and new violations related to record-keeping failures and cheating on licensing exams.

• Modified Board appointment procedures to require annual election of officers and limited service to no more than 2 consecutive 4-year terms.

• Updated the Youth Mental Health Protection Act definition of "mental health provider" to include associate licensed marriage and family therapists in addition to other licensed professionals.