SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 6884

This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

Background: In 2008 legislation was enacted which required registered counselors to obtain another health profession credential by July 1, 2010, in order to continue to practice counseling. The new law created several new categories of credentialed counselors. One of the new categories of counselor is the agency affiliated counselor. Agency affiliated counselors are registered health professionals who engage in counseling and are employed by an agency. Agency means an agency or facility operated, licensed, or certified by the state of Washington. Applicants for registration as an agency-affiliated counselor must provide documentation of their employment with an agency or an offer of employment.

Certain counseling practices are exempt from this counseling credential requirement: other credentialed professions practicing within their scope of practice, attorneys admitted to practice in Washington, counseling employees of federal agencies, trainees or students under supervision, counselors under the auspices of a religious denomination, and peer counselors and those who train them.

It is unclear which one of the counseling categories, created in the law enacted in 2008, employees of the juvenile courts who counsel families and juveniles are required to be credentialed under. However, they are not specifically exempt from the requirements established in 18.19 RCW.

Summary of Bill: Juvenile probation counselors or other employees of the juvenile court who practice functional family therapy, aggression replacement training, or other evidence- based and approved programs by the Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration, are exempt from the credentialing requirements under 18.19 RCW during the 2009-2011 biennium.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony: PRO: Juvenile courts deliver successful programs in aggression replacement therapy and functional family therapy but probation officers aren't credentialed. If they are prohibited from practicing we'll be in a "catch-22" where the juvenile courts will not be able to deliver on the Legislature's expectations of kids in treatment. The juvenile courts participate in ongoing quality assurance for their probation officers counseling activities. This bill is a temporary fix to determine how the juvenile court counselors should be covered by Chapter 18.19 RCW.