BILL ANALYSIS Ó SB 578 Page 1 Date of Hearing: July 2, 2014 ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS Mike Gatto, Chair SB 578 (Wyland) - As Amended: June 23, 2014 Policy Committee: Business and Professions Vote: 14-0 Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: Yes Reimbursable: No SUMMARY This bill requires a licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT), a licensed educational psychologist (LEP), a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW), and a licensed professional clinical counselor (LPCC) to retain a patient or client's health service record for seven years or in the case of a minor, seven years after the minor reaches 18 years of age. FISCAL EFFECT State departments that employ the specified types of mental health professionals, including Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Department of State Hospitals, and Department of Developmental Services, would ensure records are retained in compliance with this bill. Costs to do this are expected to be minor to negligible, particularly as many patient records are now stored electronically. COMMENTS 1)Purpose . The requirement to retain records aims to curb inconsistent recordkeeping amongst private practice behavioral healthcare specialists. The author believes it will help standardize record requirements across the health care spectrum. This bill is sponsored by the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists. 2)Background . There is no uniform standard for patient record retention in California. AB 2257 (Committee on Business and Professions) Chapter 89, Statutes of 2006, required psychologists to maintain a patient's records for seven years SB 578 Page 2 from the patient's discharge date, or in the case of a minor, seven years after the minor reaches 18 years of age. The provisions of this bill for other mental health professionals are modeled after current requirements for psychologists. Analysis Prepared by : Lisa Murawski / APPR. / (916) 319-2081