BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                                  AB 1113
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   April 29, 2009

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                Kevin De Leon, Chair

               AB 1113 (Lowenthal) - As Introduced:  February 27, 2009 

          Policy Committee:                              Business &  
          Professions  Vote:                            8-0

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program:  
          No     Reimbursable:              

           SUMMARY  

          This bill authorizes the California Department of Corrections  
          and Rehabilitation (CDCR) to allow an individual to gain  
          training for licensure as a marriage and family therapist (MFT)  
          in California prisons if such training is within the scope of  
          MFT practice. 

           FISCAL EFFECT  

          No direct fiscal impact to CDCR to continue oversight of  
          clinical training in prisons. Under current law, psychologists  
          and clinical social workers are authorized, subject to CDCR  
          approval, to gain qualifying experience in CDCR facilities. This  
          bill adds MFT students to the professions for whom CDCR may  
          choose to waive current law requirements to allow for training. 

           COMMENTS  

           1)Purpose  . This bill is sponsored by the California Association  
            of Marriage and Family Therapists to allow MFT students to  
            provide services, under appropriate supervision, in California  
            prisons. Such training would be used toward hours required for  
            licensure. Currently MFT students are not authorized to train  
            in prisons, even though much of the MFT background is similar  
            to clinical social workers, who are authorized to train and  
            work in prisons. According to the author, this bill helps  
            reduce mental health workforce pressures in California  
            prisons. In addition, the author indicates this bill supports  
            a proposal currently pending before the Department of  
            Personnel Administration to add a new employment  
            classification to CDCR, a Mental Health Therapist. This  








                                                                  AB 1113
                                                                  Page  2

            therapist position would include MFTs in the kinds of  
            professionals who would be considered for the position.

           2)Background  . Under current law, prison mental health and  
            counseling services are provided by psychologists and clinical  
            social workers. Students training for licensure in these other  
            professions are authorized to train in prisons, subject to  
            CDCR approval. This bill expands CDCR authority to allow MFT  
            students to enjoy these training privileges. 

           3)Concerns  . The California Psychological Association and AFSCME,  
            Local 2620 oppose this bill. Both groups indicate this bill  
            allows professionals who are not adequately trained in the  
            treatment of severe mental illness to work in prisons,  
            resulting in a significant expansion of scope of practice and  
            creating dangerous situations. 

           Analysis Prepared by  :    Mary Ader / APPR. / (916) 319-2081