OK SB1471

Deletes reference to United States Department of Education accreditation requirement and replaces it with authorization for the Oklahoma Board of Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselors to recognize accrediting agencies.

Licensed alcohol and drug counselor applicants must hold a master's degree from an accredited college or university with specified graduate-level coursework including foundational knowledge, assessment and treatment, human development, psychopathology, multicultural competency, family systems theory, addiction counseling, ethics, research methods, and a 300-hour practicum/internship.

Establishes scope of practice distinctions: counselors meeting the educational requirements in paragraph 1 of subsection D may assess, diagnose, and treat mental health disorders and receive "LADC/MH" designation; those licensed before the effective date cannot diagnose mental health disorders unless they hold a related master's degree or valid Co-Occurring Disorders Certification.

Certified alcohol and drug counselor applicants must have at least a bachelor's degree in a behavioral science field, two years of full-time supervised work experience (4,000 hours with 2,000 in direct counseling), 270 clock hours of alcohol and drug counseling education, 45 hours of co-occurring disorders training, and 300 hours of supervised practicum.

Requires the Oklahoma Board of Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselors to promulgate rules implementing the act; effective November 1, 2016.