SB3617 Summary

• Establishes a grant program for community mental health centers and behavioral health clinics to fund training and supervision of interns and providers-in-training pursuing licensure as clinical social workers, clinical professional counselors, and marriage and family therapists; grants awarded for 3-year periods with priority to underserved urban and rural areas.

• Creates the Recovery and Mental Health Tax Credit Act allowing qualified employers to claim up to $2,000 per eligible employee in state income tax credits for hiring individuals in recovery from substance use disorders or mental illness; aggregate annual cap of $2,000,000 and minimum 500 hours of employment required per eligible individual.

• Establishes an Advisory Council on Mental Illness and Substance Use Disorder Impacts on Employment Opportunities within Minority Communities composed of 15 members to advise the Department of Human Services on tax credits, outreach, and employment opportunities.

• Permits Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) certified in mental health or psychiatric nursing to conduct required psychiatric visits in specialized mental health rehabilitation facilities alongside physicians.

• Reduces the consecutive years of licensure required for endorsement from 10 to 5 years for clinical social workers, marriage and family therapists, and clinical professional counselors licensed in other U.S. jurisdictions.