BILL NUMBER: AB 253 CHAPTERED 09/16/99 CHAPTER 406 FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE SEPTEMBER 16, 1999 APPROVED BY GOVERNOR SEPTEMBER 16, 1999 PASSED THE ASSEMBLY SEPTEMBER 1, 1999 PASSED THE SENATE AUGUST 30, 1999 AMENDED IN SENATE AUGUST 25, 1999 AMENDED IN SENATE MAY 28, 1999 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 6, 1999 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Thomson FEBRUARY 1, 1999 An act to amend Section 4980.41 of the Business and Professions Code, relating to licensing. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 253, Thomson. Licensing. Under existing law, all applicants for licensure as a marriage and family therapist who are pursuing a master's or doctor's degree are required to complete certain coursework as part of their graduate studies, with specified exceptions. This bill would require an applicant, after January 1, 2001, to complete coursework in psychological testing and psychopharmacology, as specified. The bill would also provide that these provisions in no way expand or restrict the scope of licensure of a marriage and family therapist. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 4980.41 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read: 4980.41. All applicants for licensure shall complete the following coursework or training in order to be eligible to sit for the licensing examinations: (a) A two semester or three quarter unit course in California law and professional ethics for marriage, family, and child counselors, which shall include, but not be limited to, the following areas of study: (1) Contemporary professional ethics and statutory, regulatory, and decisional laws that delineate the profession's scope of practice. (2) The therapeutic, clinical, and practical considerations involved in the legal and ethical practice of marriage, family, and child counseling, including family law. (3) The current legal patterns and trends in the mental health profession. (4) The psychotherapist/patient privilege, confidentiality, the patient dangerous to self or others, and the treatment of minors with and without parental consent. (5) A recognition and exploration of the relationship between a practitioner's sense of self and human values and his or her professional behavior and ethics. This course may be considered as part of the 48 semester or 72 quarter unit requirements contained in Section 4980.40. (b) A minimum of seven contact hours of training or coursework in child abuse assessment and reporting as specified in Section 28 or any regulations promulgated thereunder. (c) A minimum of 10 contact hours of training or coursework in human sexuality as specified in Section 25, and any regulations promulgated thereunder. When coursework in a master's or doctor's degree program is acquired to satisfy this requirement, it shall be considered as part of the 48 semester or 72 quarter unit requirement contained in Section 4980.40. (d) Except for persons who began graduate study prior to January 1, 1986, a master's or doctor's degree qualifying for licensure shall include specific instruction in alcoholism and other chemical substance dependency as specified by regulation. When coursework in a master's or doctor's degree program is acquired to satisfy this requirement, it shall be considered as part of the 48 semester or 72 quarter unit requirement contained in Section 4980.40. (e) Except for persons who began graduate study prior to January 1, 1995, a master's or doctor's degree qualifying for licensure shall include coursework in spousal or partner abuse assessment, detection, and intervention. Coursework required under this subdivision may be satisfactory if taken either in fulfillment of other educational requirements for licensure or in a separate course. The requirement for coursework in spousal or partner abuse detection and treatment shall be satisfied by, and the board shall accept in satisfaction of the requirement, a certification from the chief academic officer of the educational institution from which the applicant graduated that the required coursework is included within the institution's required curriculum for graduation. (f) Except for persons who began graduate study prior to January 1, 2001, an applicant shall complete a minimum of a two semester or three quarter unit survey course in psychological testing. When coursework in a master's or doctor's degree program is acquired to satisfy this requirement, it may be considered as part of the 48 semester or 72 quarter unit requirement of Section 4980.40. (g) Except for persons who began graduate study prior to January 1, 2001, an applicant shall complete a minimum of a two semester or three quarter unit survey course in psychopharmacology. When coursework in a master's or doctor's degree program is acquired to satisfy this requirement, it may be considered as part of the 48 semester or 72 quarter unit requirement of Section 4980.40. (h) The requirements added by subdivisions (f) and (g) are intended to improve the educational qualifications for licensure in order to better prepare future licentiates for practice, and are not intended in any way to expand or restrict the scope of licensure for marriage and family therapists.