SB1089 - 551R

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1. Section 32-3253, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE32-3253. Powers and duties

A. The board shall:

1. Adopt rules consistent with and necessary or proper to carry out the purposes of this chapter.

2. Administer and enforce this chapter, rules adopted pursuant to this chapter and orders of the board.

3. Issue a license by examination, endorsement or temporary recognition to, and renew the license of, each person who is qualified to be licensed pursuant to this chapter. The board must issue or deny a license within one hundred eighty days after the applicant submits a completed application.

4. Establish fees by rule, except that the board is exempt from the rulemaking requirements of title 41, chapter 6 for the purposes of reducing or eliminating fees.

5. Collect fees and spend monies.

6. Keep a record of all persons who are licensed pursuant to this chapter, actions taken on all applications for licensure, actions involving renewal, suspension, revocation or denial of a license or probation of licensees and the receipt and disbursal of monies.

7. Adopt an official seal for attestation of licensure and other official papers and documents.

8. Conduct investigations and determine on its own motion whether a licensee or an applicant has engaged in unprofessional conduct, is incompetent or is mentally or physically unable to engage in the practice of behavioral health.

9. Conduct disciplinary actions pursuant to this chapter and board rules.

10. Establish and enforce standards or criteria of programs or other mechanisms to ensure the continuing competence of licensees.

11. Establish and enforce compliance with professional standards and rules of conduct for licensees.

12. Engage in a full exchange of information with the licensing and disciplinary boards and professional associations for behavioral health professionals in this state and other jurisdictions.

13. Subject to section 35-149, accept, expend and account for gifts, grants, devises and other contributions, money or property from any public or private source, including the federal government. Monies received under this paragraph shall be deposited, pursuant to sections 35-146 and 35-147, in special funds for the purpose specified, which are exempt from the provisions of section 35-190 relating to lapsing of appropriations.

14. Adopt rules regarding the application for and approval of educational curricula of regionally accredited colleges or universities with a program not otherwise accredited by an organization or entity recognized by the board that are consistent with the requirements of this chapter and maintain a list of those programs. Approvals are valid for a period of five years if no changes of curricula are made that are inconsistent with the requirements of this chapter or board rule.

15. Maintain a registry of licensees who have met the educational requirements to provide supervision as required pursuant to this chapter to applicants in the same profession.

16. Adopt rules to allow approval of persons who wish to provide supervision pursuant to this chapter and who are not licensed by the board and who are licensed in a profession other than the profession in which the applicant is seeking licensure.

17. Recognize not more than four hundred hours of psychoeducation for work experience required pursuant to sections 32-3293, 32-3301, 32-3311 and 32-3321.

18. Adopt rules regarding the use of telepractice.

19. If an applicant is required to pass an examination for licensure, allow the applicant to take the examination three times during a twelve-month period.

B. The board may join professional organizations and associations organized exclusively to promote the improvement of the standards of the practice of behavioral health, protect the health and welfare of the public or assist and facilitate the work of the board.

C. The board may enter into stipulated agreements with a licensee for the confidential treatment, rehabilitation and monitoring of chemical dependency or psychiatric, psychological or behavioral health disorders in a program provided pursuant to subsection D of this section. A licensee who materially fails to comply with a program shall be terminated from the confidential program. Any records of the licensee who is terminated from a confidential program are no longer confidential or exempt from the public records law, notwithstanding any law to the contrary. Stipulated agreements are not public records if the following conditions are met:

1. The licensee voluntarily agrees to participate in the confidential program.

2. The licensee complies with all treatment requirements or recommendations, including participation in approved programs.

3. The licensee refrains from professional practice until the return to practice has been approved by the treatment program and the board.

4. The licensee complies with all monitoring requirements of the stipulated agreement, including random bodily fluid testing.

5. The licensee's professional employer is notified of the licensee's chemical dependency or medical, psychiatric, psychological or behavioral health disorders and participation in the confidential program and is provided a copy of the stipulated agreement.

D. The board shall establish a confidential program for the monitoring of licensees who are chemically dependent or who have psychiatric, psychological or behavioral health disorders that may impact their ability to safely practice and who enroll in a rehabilitation program that meets the criteria prescribed by the board. The licensee is responsible for the costs associated with rehabilitative services and monitoring. The board may take further action if a licensee refuses to enter into a stipulated agreement or fails to comply with the terms of a stipulated agreement. In order to protect the public health and safety, the confidentiality requirements of this subsection do not apply if a licensee does not comply with the stipulated agreement.

E. The board shall audio record all meetings and maintain all audio and video recordings or stenographic records of interviews and meetings for a period of three years from when the record was created.

Sec. 2. Section 32-3286, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE32-3286. Unlawful practice; unlawful use of title; violations; classification; civil penalty; exception

A. Except as prescribed in section 32-3271, a person who is not licensed pursuant to this chapter shall not engage in the practice of behavioral health.

B. A person who is not licensed pursuant to this chapter shall not use any of the following designations or any other designation that indicates licensure status, including abbreviations, or claim to be licensed pursuant to this chapter:

1. Licensed professional counselor.

2. Licensed associate counselor.

3. Licensed marriage and family therapist.

4. Licensed associate marriage and family therapist.

5. Licensed clinical social worker.

6. Licensed master social worker.

7. Licensed baccalaureate social worker.

8. Licensed independent substance abuse counselor.

9. Licensed associate substance abuse counselor.

10. Licensed substance abuse technician.

C. A person who violates this chapter or board rules by engaging in the unlicensed practice of behavioral health or claiming to be licensed pursuant to this chapter is not licensed pursuant to this chapter and who practices or attempts to practice or who holds himself out as being trained and authorized to practice behavioral health, including diagnosing or treating any mental ailment, disease, disorder or other mental condition of any person, without being authorized by law to perform the act is engaging in the unauthorized practice of behavioral health, is in violation of this chapter, is guilty of a class 2 misdemeanor and is subject to a civil penalty of not more than five hundred dollars $500 for each offense.

D. A person who conspires with or aids and abets another to commit any act described in subsection C of this section is guilty of a class 6 felony and is subject to a civil penalty of not more than $500 for each offense.

E. The board shall notify the department of health services if a licensed health care institution employs or contracts with a person who is investigated pursuant to this section.

D. F. Each day that a violation is committed constitutes a separate offense.

E. G. All fees received for services described in this section shall be refunded by the person found guilty pursuant to this section.

F. H. Notwithstanding subsection A of this section and based on circumstances presented to the board, the board may sanction a person's failure to timely renew a license while continuing to engage in the practice of behavioral health as an administrative violation rather than as a violation of this section or grounds for unprofessional conduct and may impose a civil penalty of not more than five hundred dollars $500. The board shall deposit, pursuant to sections 35-146 and 35-147, monies collected pursuant to this subsection in the state general fund. END_STATUTE

Sec. 3. Section 32-3293, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE32-3293. Licensed clinical social worker; licensure; qualifications

A person who wishes to be licensed by the board to engage in the practice of social work as a licensed clinical social worker shall:

1. Furnish documentation as prescribed by the board by rule that the person has:

(a) Earned a master's or higher degree in social work from a regionally accredited college or university in a program accredited by the council on social work education or a degree from a foreign school based on a program of study that the board determines is substantially equivalent.

(b) Received at least three thousand two hundred hours of post-master's degree experience in not less than twenty-four months under supervision that meets the requirements prescribed by the board by rule. The three thousand two hundred hours must include at least one thousand six hundred hours of direct client contact, not more than one thousand six hundred hours of indirect client service and at least one hundred hours of clinical supervision as prescribed by the board by rule. For the direct client contact hours, not more than four hundred hours may be in psychoeducation. The board by rule may prescribe the number of hours required for functions related to direct client contact and indirect client service.

(b) Received at least twenty-four months of post-master's degree experience in the practice of clinical social work under supervision that includes at least one thousand six hundred hours of direct client contact that meets the requirements prescribed by the board by rule. For clinical supervision, at least one hundred hours of experience must be as prescribed by the board by rule. For direct client contact hours, not more than four hundred hours may be in psychoeducation.

2. Provide documentation on a board-approved form completed by the person's supervisor attesting to the person's competency in clinical documentation and a rating of at least satisfactory in overall performance.

2. 3. Pass an examination approved by the board. END_STATUTE

Sec. 4. Section 32-3301, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE32-3301. Licensed professional counselor; licensure; requirements

A. A person who wishes to be licensed by the board to engage in the practice of professional counseling as a licensed professional counselor shall:

1. Meet the education requirements of subsection B of this section and the work experience requirements of subsection F of this section.

2. Pass an examination approved by the board.

B. An applicant for licensure shall furnish documentation as prescribed by the board by rule that the person has received a master's or higher degree with a major emphasis in counseling from a regionally accredited college or university in a program of study that includes at least sixty semester credit hours or ninety quarter credit hours at one of the following:

1. A program accredited by the council for the accreditation of counseling and related educational programs or the national council on rehabilitation education.

2. A program with a curriculum that has been approved by the board pursuant to section 32-3253.

3. A program with a curriculum meeting requirements as prescribed by the board by rule.

C. A program that is not accredited by the council for the accreditation of counseling and related educations programs or the national council on rehabilitation education must require seven hundred hours of supervised clinical hours and twenty-four semester hours or thirty-two quarter hours in courses in the following eight core content areas as prescribed by the board by rule:

1. Professional orientation and ethical practice.

2. Social and cultural diversity.

3. Human growth and development.

4. Career development.

5. Helping relationships.

6. Group work.

7. Assessment.

8. Research and program evaluation.

D. Credit hours offered above those prescribed pursuant to subsection C of this section must be in studies that provide a broad understanding in counseling related subjects as prescribed by the board by rule.

E. The board may accept equivalent coursework in which core content area subject matter is embedded or contained within another course, including another subject matter.

F. An applicant for licensure shall furnish documentation as prescribed by the board by rule that the applicant has received at least three thousand two hundred hours in at least twenty-four months in post-master's degree work experience in the practice of professional counseling under supervision that includes at least one thousand six hundred hours of direct client contact and that meets the requirements prescribed by the board by rule. An applicant may use a doctoral-clinical internship to satisfy the requirement for one year of work experience under supervision.

G. The three thousand two hundred hours required pursuant to subsection F of this section must include at least one thousand six hundred hours of direct client contact, not more than one thousand six hundred hours of indirect client service and In addition to the requirements of subsection F of this section, the applicant must have at least one hundred hours of clinical supervision as prescribed by the board by rule. For the direct client contact hours, not more than four hundred hours may be in psychoeducation. The board by rule may prescribe the number of hours required for functions related to direct client contact and indirect client service.

H. The applicant's supervisor shall attest on a board-approved form to the applicant's competency in clinical documentation and a rating of at least satisfactory in overall performance.

H. I. An applicant who is deficient in hours required pursuant to subsection B of this section may satisfy those requirements by successfully completing post-master's degree coursework.

I. J. An applicant who completed a degree before July 1, 1989 and whose course of study did not include a practicum may substitute a one-year doctoral-clinical internship or an additional year of documented post-master's degree work experience in order to satisfy the requirements of subsection B of this section. END_STATUTE

Sec. 5. Section 32-3311, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE32-3311. Licensed marriage and family therapist; licensure; qualifications

A. A person who wishes to be licensed by the board to engage in the practice of marriage and family therapy as a licensed marriage and family therapist shall furnish documentation as prescribed by the board by rule that the person has:

1. Earned a master's or doctorate doctoral degree in behavioral science, including, but not limited to, marriage and family therapy, psychology, sociology, counseling and social work, granted by a regionally accredited college or university in a program accredited by the commission on accreditation for marriage and family therapy education or a degree based on a program of study that the board determines is substantially equivalent.

2. Completed three thousand two one thousand six hundred hours of post-master's degree experience in not less than at least twenty-four months in the practice of marriage and family therapy under supervision that meets the requirements prescribed by the board by rule. , including at least one thousand hours of clinical experience with couples and families, at least one thousand six hundred hours of direct client contact and not more than one thousand six hundred hours of indirect client service. For the direct client contact hours, not more than four hundred hours may be in psychoeducation. The board by rule may prescribe the number of hours required for functions related to direct client contact and indirect client service. The one thousand six hundred hours must consist of direct client contact and include at least one thousand hours of clinical experience with couples and families and at least one hundred hours of clinical supervision as prescribed by the board by rule.

3. Passed an examination approved by the board.

4. Demonstrated the person's competency in clinical documentation to the person's supervisor and received a rating from the supervisor on a board-approved form of at least satisfactory in overall performance.

B. The curriculum for the master's or doctorate doctoral degree in behavioral science accepted by the board pursuant to subsection A, paragraph 1 of this section shall include a specified number of graduate courses as prescribed by the board by rule and shall be consistent with national standards of marriage and family therapy. Part of this course of study may be taken in a post-master's degree program as approved by the board.

C. The one thousand hours of clinical experience required by subsection A, paragraph 2 of this section shall include a combination of one hundred hours of group or individual supervision in the practice of marriage and family therapy. The one thousand hours may include one year in an approved marriage and family doctoral internship program.END_STATUTE

Sec. 6. Section 32-3321, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE32-3321. Licensed substance abuse technician; licensed associate substance abuse counselor; licensed independent substance abuse counselor; qualifications; supervision

A. A person who wishes to be licensed by the board to engage in the practice of substance abuse counseling as a licensed substance abuse technician shall present documentation as prescribed by the board by rule that the person has:

1. Received one of the following:

(a) An associate degree in chemical dependency or substance abuse with an emphasis on counseling that meets the requirements as prescribed by the board by rule from a regionally accredited college or university.

(b) Beginning January 1, 2009, A bachelor's degree in a behavioral science with an emphasis on counseling that meets the requirements as prescribed by the board by rule from a regionally accredited college or university.

2. Passed an examination approved by the board.

B. A licensed substance abuse technician shall only practice under direct supervision as prescribed by the board.

C. The board may waive the education requirement for an applicant requesting licensure as a substance abuse technician if the applicant provides services pursuant to contracts or grants with the federal government under the authority of Public Law 93-638 (25 United States Code sections 450 through 450(n) section 5301) or Public Law 94-437 (25 United States Code sections 1601 through 1683). A person who becomes licensed as a substance abuse technician pursuant to this subsection shall only provide substance abuse services to those persons who are eligible for services pursuant to Public Law 93-638 (25 United States Code sections 450 through 450(n) section 5301) or Public Law 94-437 (25 United States Code section sections 1601 through 1683).

D. A person who wishes to be licensed by the board to engage in the practice of substance abuse counseling as a licensed associate substance abuse counselor shall present evidence as prescribed by the board by rule that the person has:

1. Received one of the following:

(a) A bachelor's degree in a behavioral science with an emphasis on counseling that meets the requirements as prescribed by the board by rule from a regionally accredited college or university and present documentation as prescribed by the board by rule that the applicant has received at least three thousand two one thousand six hundred hours of direct client contact work experience in not less than at least twenty-four months in substance abuse counseling under supervision that meets the requirements prescribed by the board by rule. The three thousand two hundred hours must include a minimum of one thousand six hundred hours of direct client contact and not more than one thousand six hundred hours of indirect client service. For the direct client contact hours, not more than four hundred hours may be in psychoeducation. The board by rule may prescribe the number of hours required for functions related to direct client contact and indirect client service.

(b) A master's or higher degree in a behavioral science with an emphasis on counseling as prescribed by the board by rule from a regionally accredited college or university.

2. Passed an examination approved by the board.

3. Demonstrated the person's competency in clinical documentation to the person's supervisor and received a rating from the supervisor on a board-approved form of at least satisfactory in overall performance.

E. A licensed associate substance abuse counselor shall only practice under direct supervision as prescribed by the board.

F. A person who wishes to be licensed by the board to engage in the practice of substance abuse counseling as a licensed independent substance abuse counselor shall:

1. Have received a master's or higher degree in a behavioral science with an emphasis on counseling, in a program that is approved by the board pursuant to section 32-3253 or that meets the requirements as prescribed by the board by rule, from a regionally accredited college or university.

2. Present documentation as prescribed by the board by rule that the applicant has received at least three thousand two one thousand six hundred hours of work experience in not less than at least twenty-four months in substance abuse counseling with direct client contact under supervision that meets the requirements as prescribed by the board by rule. The three thousand two hundred hours must include at least one thousand six hundred hours of direct client contact and not more than one thousand six hundred hours of indirect client service. For the direct client contact hours, not more than four hundred hours may be in psychoeducation. The board by rule may prescribe the number of hours required for functions related to direct client contact and indirect client service.

3. Pass an examination approved by the board.

4. Demonstrate the person's competency in clinical documentation to the person's supervisor and receive a rating from the supervisor on a board-approved form of at least satisfactory in overall performance.