Thanks Aaron.

• Hello, everyone.

  The 491 Board met on 6/11 for a rulemaking meeting.

  I pasted an email from Ashleigh Irving of the 491 Board summarizing the meeting activities:

  The rules the board voted on included changes to all applications and the graduate level practicum form due to House Bill 713 and 115. House Bill 115 restricts government agencies from suspending or refusing someone a license due to default on student loans. All applications were updated to include the following question(s):
  

  1. Are you currently listed on the United States Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of the Inspector General’s List of Excluded Individuals and Entities (LEIE)?  Yes       No        
  1. If you responded “Yes” to the question above, are you listed because you defaulted or are delinquent on a student loan?                     Yes            No  
• 1. If you responded “Yes” to question 5.a., is the student loan default or delinquency the only reason you are listed on the LEIE? Yes            No

  Health History Questions on the application were also updated to the following:

• If you fail to disclose the information requested in this section, your application may be denied.
• Physical and Mental Health Disorders Impacting Ability to Practice
• 1. During the last two years, have you been treated for or had a recurrence of a diagnosed physical or mental disorder that impaired or would impair your ability to practice?         Yes            No
•       
• 1. In the last two years, have you been admitted or referred to a hospital, facility or impaired practitioner program for treatment of a diagnosed mental or physical disorder that impaired your ability to practice?        Yes       No       

              Substance-Related Disorders Impacting Ability to Practice

  1. During the last five years, have you been treated for or had a recurrence of a diagnosed substance-related (alcohol or drug) disorder that impaired or would impair your ability to practice?         Yes          No             
• 1. During the last five years, were you admitted or directed into a program for the treatment of a diagnosed substance-related (alcohol or drug) disorder or, if you were previously in such a program, did you suffer a relapse?          Yes          No         
• 1. During the last five years, have you been enrolled in, required to enter, or participated in any substance-related (alcohol or drug) recovery program or impaired practitioner program for treatment of drug or alcohol abuse?            Yes           No          
• If you responded “Yes” to any of the questions in this section, you are required to send the following

• items directly to the board office:

  A letter from a Licensed Health Care Practitioner, who is qualified by skill and training to address your condition, which explains the impact your condition may have on your ability to practice your profession with reasonable skill and safety and states either that you are safe to practice your profession without restriction or indicating what restrictions are necessary. Documentation must be current within the last year.

  A written self-explanation, explaining the medical condition(s) or occurrence(s) and current status.

• Have you submitted all required Health History documentation to the board office?

      Yes      No        N/A

Applicants who have submitted their Health History documentation with their full licensure application are not required to resubmit it.

House Bill 713 allows the board to define a hardship or emergency in case a registered intern cannot complete supervision within 60 months.  After discussion, the board asked counsel to provide different language for discussion at the August board meeting. HB 713 also changes the education requirements for MHC and MFT.  Non-CACREP Mental Health Counseling applicants will no longer be required to complete a graduate level course in Counseling in Community Settings.  The practicum requirement has also been reduced to 700 hours with 280 of those being direct hours.  By July 1, 2025 all MHC applicants must have graduated from a CACREP accredited program. HB 713 removes all education requirements for endorsement applicants. Although HB 713 has passed it has not been signed by the governor.  These changes are contingent on him signing the legislation. If he signs it will take effect July 1, 2020.  If he does not sign the legislation it will die.

The board also address ways to make the emergency rule more permanent through the pandemic since they can not declare another emergency for the same rule.  There was also discussion or the 12 hour live qualified supervisor course.  They reviewed public comments asking to make this an online requirement.  They voted to table both discussions until August.

Hopefully this information is helpful. 

Sincerely, 

Ashleigh K. Irving, Program Operations Administrator

Department of Health | Division of Medical Quality Assurance | Bureau of Healthcare Practitioner Regulations| Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling

4052 Bald Cypress Way Bin C-08

Tallahassee, FL 32399-3258

Phone: 850/245-4462

Fax: 850/413-6982 

Office Email: MQA.491@FLHealth.gov

Mission: To protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts.

NOTE: Florida has a very broad public records law. Most written communications to or from state officials regarding state business are public records available to the public and media upon request. Your email communication may therefore be subject to public disclosure.