BILL ANALYSIS
AB 2552
Page 1
Date of Hearing: April 13, 2004
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONS
Lou Correa, Chair
AB 2552 (Leno) - As Introduced: February 20, 2004
SUBJECT : Marriage and family therapy.
SUMMARY : Makes various clarifying changes to the Board of
Behavioral Sciences (Board) licensing law for marriage and
family counselors. Specifically, this bill :
1)Includes the use, application, and integration of specified
coursework and training among those principles and methods
required for licensure by the Board.
2)Requires an applicant who has not taken and passed an oral
examination to take and pass a written clinical vignette
examination.
3)Authorizes an intern to be supervised by a licensee who is an
owner or shareholder of the private practice. Also authorizes
a supervisor to arrange for alternative supervision during the
supervisor's vacation or sick leave, if certain requirements
are met.
4)Deletes a licensed physician and surgeon who has completed a
residency in psychiatry from the list of authorized
supervising licenses.
5)Authorizes the use of the word "therapy" in a marriage and
family therapy corporation's name.
EXISTING LAW establishes the Board of Behavioral Sciences that
is responsible for licensing and regulating the practice of
marriage and family therapy. Existing law also:
1)Requires that the practice of marriage and family therapy
include the application of certain therapy principles and
methods.
2)Requires an applicant for a license to practice marriage and
family therapy to pass a Board administered written
examination or oral examination, and specifies that an
applicant who passed a previously administered written
AB 2552
Page 2
examination may be required to take and pass another written
examination.
3)Requires an intern who is employed or volunteering in a
private practice to be under the direct supervision of a
licensee who is employed and practices at the same site as the
intern's employer.
4)Requires an unlicensed marriage and family therapist intern
who performs professional services to inform each client or
patient that he or she is unlicensed and under the supervision
of specified licensees, including a licensed physician and
surgeon who has completed a residency in psychiatry and meets
additional requirements.
5)Requires the name of a marriage and family therapy corporation
to contain one or more of certain words, including
"counseling," "counselor," or "therapist."
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown
COMMENTS : According to the author, this bill makes clarifying
changes within the scope of practice for marriage and family
therapists (MFTs) by referencing the existing duties and
training responsibilities of MFTs. It clarifies that marriage
and family therapists use, apply, and integrate their coursework
and training in the scope of the services that they provide.
This bill clarifies the circumstances under which an applicant
for a MFT license is obligated to take and pass a clinical
vignette written examination. This change provides
clarification for a change in law that occurred last session
(SB2026 (Committee on Business and Professions), Chapter 1013,
Statutes of 2002).
This bill also provides specificity as to how a MFT registered
intern working in a private practice can get supervision and
count hours when the private practice supervisor is unavailable
due to vacation or illness. Existing law makes no provision for
this situation, leaving it subject to interpretation.
Other proposed changes are technical. One change removes an
out-of-date reference to a type of supervisor for interns and
trainees no longer permitted by law. Another technical change
removes superfluous language, making the section more
understandable, with regard to prohibiting employment in private
AB 2552
Page 3
practice during intern registration periods subsequent to the
initial six-year registration.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists
Opposition
None of file.
Analysis Prepared by : David Pacheco / B. & P. / (916)
319-3301