Renaming Interns and Supporting Telehealth for Private Practice Interns
SB 122, which would rename registered mental health counselor interns as "registered associate mental health counselors" as well as remove a line in the statute that requires registered interns in private practice settings to have licensed mental health professionals on the premises when while providing clinical services, was filed on 12/20/24. A companion bill will likely be filed in the House shortly.
LMHCs and Educational and Disability-Related Evaluations
A GRC subcommittee is exploring potential action related to adding counselors to a list of professionals who can offer ESE evaluations for the schools. That subcommittee is also exploring potential action related to recommending that Florida’s Division of Vocational Rehabilitation revise a policy that prohibits it’s employees from using a diagnosis provided by a LMHC, LCSW, or LMFT who is not supervised by a psychologist or physician.
Advocating for a Testing Rule
The GRC Chair addressed the 491 Board during it’s meeting on 12/4 in Tampa to read FMHCA’s recommendation to create a rule for 491 Board licensees that is similar to a rule for psychologists about the release of testing materials, answered questions from board members and legal counsel, and offered follow-up information about fair and equal access to tests. The Board's attorney committed to conducting some research related to this request, and an update may be available at the next 491 Board meeting on 2/6/25.
Advocating for MHCs who Provide Forensic Evaluation and Expert Witness Testimony
SMHCA's partner, the National Board of Forensic Evaluators (NBFE), is collecting data to support judicial circuits that are trying to reduce wait times for certain types of forensic evaluations by appointing qualified MHCs for those evaluations. FMHCA's GRC is searching for a criminal justice bill that might be amended to revise a statute that fails to list 491 licensees as professionals who the court can appoint to conduct certain types of evaluations. More info coming soon.