2012-2013 Legislative Updates
The Latest...
Our efforts, FMHCA, Lobbyist representatives and fellow members, helped get Bill 1161 through the House Health Quality Committee.
The 491 update bill has passed through its first bill of reference in the House. The members of House Health Quality voted unanimously to support the bill. In addition to Mixon and Associates visiting with each member of the committee, several FMHCA/SMHCA members helped us get the bill passed by calling the legislators offices. We hear that we will be back on the Senate Health Policy agenda next week since they ran out of time, but we cannot confirm that yet. Next up is the Senate Bill 1368. We are hopeful that the Senate Committee will hear the bill in Senate Health Policy committee next week. Keep watching. We will keep you updated.
Click Here for the Latest "Mental Health Counselor Session Report"
Please SUPPORT Senate Bill 1368 By Ring
Relating to Clinical, Counseling and Psychotherapy Services
In Health Policy on 3/20/2013
This Bill….
Closes a loophole that allows mental health counseling, marriage and family therapy and clinical social work interns to put the public at risk by practicing as interns for ten or more years with no intention or ability to achieve full licensure. “Lifelong interns” are responsible for up to 33% of the discipline cases that come before Florida’s regulatory board.
Modifies Florida’s out-of-date accreditation standards for Master’s and PhD-level-mental-health-counseling-programs. Alternative accreditations prohibit some graduates from working with the VA. Often these new licensees are not informed that their education does not permit them to practice in these settings.
