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The Legislature is on summer recess until August 1, 2022. In August, the Legislature will resume with Appropriation committee actions, and all bills that pass out Appropriations continue onto the floor for a full vote by the Assembly or the Senate. If passed, the bill resumes a similar process in the opposite house. The Legislature adjourns at the end of August, and the Governor will have 30 days to sign or veto bills.
CAMFT Sponsored Legislation:
MFTs and AMFTs in FQHC and Rural Health Clinics: SB 966 (Limon) Co-Sponsor: This bill removes administrative barriers that have prevented MFTs from providing treatment in Federally Qualified Health Clinics (FQHC) and Rural Health Clinics (RHC). Current Medi-Cal policy requires FQHCs and RHCs to file a new "scope of services" when adding a new provider, like MFTs. By eliminating this administrative hurdle, FQHCs and RHCs may hire MFTs to help ensure services are available to their patients and increase access to behavioral health treatment.
Additionally, this bill makes a Federal COVID-19 pandemic waiver permanent and allows Associate Marriage and Family Therapists and Associate Clinical Social Workers to work in FQHCs and RHCs. This will provide an additional opportunity for these associate clinicians to pursue their clinical hours required for state licensure and improve consumer access.
This bill has had no "no" votes and is in the Senate Appropriations Committee.
Bills supported by CAMFT: Mental Health: 988 Crisis Line (Bauer-Kahan) Support:
This bill implements a comprehensive "988" statewide system for suicide prevention and mental health crisis response. This bill is in the Senate Appropriations Committee.
Remote Supervision: AB 1758 (Aguilar-Curry) Support: This bill allows for the remote supervision of pre-licensees, without regard to the setting, by defining supervision as "face-to-face contact" to mean in-person contact or contact via two-way, real-time videoconferencing, or some combination of these.
This measure is urgent legislation, meaning it will go into effect immediately if the Governor signs it. The bill was not taken up by the Legislature last week, and so it will be addressed this August after the legislative summer break. Because of this delay, the DCA has extended the remote supervision waiver through August 2022. Click here for more information on this bill.
Board of Behavioral Sciences
In preparation for the Telehealth Listening Session that will occur in September 2022, the Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) is seeking your input. Please take this simple survey to let us know your thoughts on the use of telehealth in delivering mental health services. The service can be found here.
Future BBS Meetings:
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