H-0223.1

HOUSE BILL 1063

ByRepresentatives Harris, Cody, Bateman, Kloba, Ortiz-Self, Leavitt, Slatter, Tharinger, Callan, Riccelli, Macri, Rule, Davis, and Pollet

AN ACT Relating to allowing additional renewals for behavioral health professional trainee and associate credentials; amending RCW 18.205.095 and 18.225.145; and declaring an emergency.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1. RCW 18.205.095 and 2019 c 444 s 6 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The secretary shall issue a trainee certificate to any applicant who demonstrates to the satisfaction of the secretary that he or she is working toward the education and experience requirements in RCW 18.205.090.

(2) A trainee certified under this section shall submit to the secretary for approval a declaration, in accordance with rules adopted by the department, that he or she is enrolled in an approved education program and actively pursuing the experience requirements in RCW 18.205.090. This declaration must be updated with the trainee's annual renewal.

(3) A trainee certified under this section may practice only under the supervision of a certified substance use disorder professional. The first ((fifty))50 hours of any face-to-face client contact must be under direct observation. All remaining experience must be under supervision in accordance with rules adopted by the department.

(4) A certified substance use disorder professional trainee provides substance use disorder assessments, counseling, and case management with a state regulated agency and can provide clinical services to patients consistent with his or her education, training, and experience as approved by his or her supervisor.

(5) A trainee certification may only be renewed four times, unless the secretary finds that a waiver to allow additional renewals is justified due to barriers to testing or training resulting from a governor-declared emergency.

(6) Applicants are subject to denial of a certificate or issuance of a conditional certificate for the reasons set forth in chapter 18.130 RCW.

(7) ((As of July 28, 2019, a))A person certified under this chapter holding the title of chemical dependency professional trainee is considered to hold the title of substance use disorder professional trainee until such time as the person's present certification expires or is renewed.

Sec. 2. RCW 18.225.145 and 2013 c 73 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The secretary shall issue an associate license to any applicant who demonstrates to the satisfaction of the secretary that the applicant meets the following requirements for the applicant's practice area and submits a declaration that the applicant is working toward full licensure in that category:

(a) Licensed social worker associate—advanced or licensed social worker associate—independent clinical: Graduation from a master's degree or doctoral degree educational program in social work accredited by the council on social work education and approved by the secretary based upon nationally recognized standards.

(b) Licensed mental health counselor associate: Graduation from a master's degree or doctoral degree educational program in mental health counseling or a related discipline from a college or university approved by the secretary based upon nationally recognized standards.

(c) Licensed marriage and family therapist associate: Graduation from a master's degree or doctoral degree educational program in marriage and family therapy or graduation from an educational program in an allied field equivalent to a master's degree or doctoral degree in marriage and family therapy approved by the secretary based upon nationally recognized standards.

(2) Associates may not provide independent social work, mental health counseling, or marriage and family therapy for a fee, monetary or otherwise. Associates must work under the supervision of an approved supervisor.

(3) Associates shall provide each client or patient, during the first professional contact, with a disclosure form according to RCW 18.225.100, disclosing that he or she is an associate under the supervision of an approved supervisor.

(4) The department shall adopt by rule what constitutes adequate proof of compliance with the requirements of this section.

(5) Applicants are subject to the denial of a license or issuance of a conditional license for the reasons set forth in chapter 18.130 RCW.

(6) ((An))(a) Except as provided in (b) of this subsection, an associate license may be renewed no more than six times, provided that the applicant for renewal has successfully completed eighteen hours of continuing education in the preceding year. Beginning with the second renewal, at least six of the continuing education hours in the preceding two years must be in professional ethics.

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