HF970 Summary

• Requires insurance policies to cover mental health services provided by clinical trainees at equal rates to services by licensed mental health professionals, effective January 1, 2022.

• Expands health professional education loan forgiveness program to include alcohol and drug counselors alongside mental health professionals and medical residents in designated rural areas or underserved urban communities.

• Establishes the Culturally Informed and Culturally Responsive Mental Health Task Force with 16 members to make recommendations on recruiting diverse providers, training on cultural competency, and increasing mental health organizations led by people of color.

• Requires mental health licensing boards to have at least three members from communities of color or underrepresented communities at time of appointment and establishes continuing education requirements on cultural competency for psychologists, marriage and family therapists, and professional counselors.

• Appropriates $3,000,000 annually for health professional education loan forgiveness program, $500,000 annually for continuing education grants for providers of color, and funds for the task force; directs commissioners to convene work groups on alternative licensing pathways and supervision certification by February 1, 2023.