BILL ANALYSIS
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|Hearing Date:June 14, 2004 |Bill No: AB |
| |2552 |
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SENATE COMMITTEE ON BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONS
Senator Liz Figueroa, Chair
Bill No: AB 2552 Author: Leno
As Amended: April 26, 2004Fiscal: Yes
SUBJECT: Marriage and family therapy.
SUMMARY: Makes various clarifying changes to the licensing
law for marriage and family counselors (MFTs).
Existing law:
1)Provides for the licensing and regulation of licensed
clinical social workers and MFTs by the Board of
Behavioral Sciences (BBS) within the Department of
Consumer Affairs.
2)Requires that the practice of marriage and family therapy
include the application of certain therapy principles and
methods.
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 practice at the same site as
the intern's employer.
4)Requires an unlicensed MFT 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."
AB 2552
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This bill:
1)Includes within MFT principles and methods the use,
application, and integration of specified coursework and
training.
2)Permits the supervision of an MFT intern by an owner or
shareholder of the private practice.
3)Permits alternative supervision of an MFT intern to be
arranged during a supervisor's vacation or sick leave if
the supervision meets the requirement in existing law.
4)Authorizes the use of the word "therapy" in the name of a
MFT corporation, in addition to the words "counseling,"
"counselor," or "therapist", which are required to be
used in the name of an MFT corporation.
5)Makes other technical and clarifying changes.
FISCAL EFFECT: According to the Assembly Appropriations
Committee analysis, minor and absorbable costs to the Board.
COMMENTS:
Purpose and Background. According to the Sponsor, this
bill makes clarifying changes within the scope of practice
for 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 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 practice during intern registration periods
subsequent to the initial six-year registration.
SUPPORT AND OPPOSITION:
AB 2552
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Support:
California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists
(Sponsor)
Opposition:
None on file
Consultant:Robin Hartley