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State Legislation
- We are still waiting for Governor DeSantis to either sign SB 230/HB 713, the bill providing licensure portability in Florida. If the governor doesn't sign it into law by 7/1, it will automatically become law (unless the governor vetoes it). This bill moves Florida closer to AMHCA's National Counselor Licensure Endorsement Process (NCLEP 2.0). If enough states pass NCLEP 2.0-compatible legislation, the path can be made for an interstate compact, which would make it very easy for counselors to be licensed in multiple states, much like nurses can. (This issue is all the more important now that counselors are increasingly shifting to telehealth due to social distancing, as counselors have to be licensed both by the sate that they practice in AND in the state the client is physically located in unless the state the client is in permits otherwise.) This bill enables counselors who have been licensed in other states "in good standing" for at least 3 of the past 5 years to become licensed in Florida provided that they have passed an appropriate examination and are not currently under investigation. The bill also requires new licensees to have a CACREP-accredited degree starting 7/1/25 (while grandfathering in all those who are already licensed), and includes some verbiage that stresses that LMHCs have training in diagnosing and treating mental disorders. Read FMHCA's press release on this historic victory by clicking here.
Federal Legislation
- AMHCA released a call to action for counselors to contact their representatives to support adding a provision to the upcoming COVID-19 stimulus package that allows licensed counselors to bill Medicare. Similarly, ACA released a call to action asking counselors to contact the House Ways and Means Committee to support HR 945, the Mental Health Access Improvement Act, which would achieve the same outcome.
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