JKC C.S.H.B. 699 75(R)BILL ANALYSIS HUMAN SERVICES C.S.H.B. 699 By: Coleman 3-10-97 Committee Report (Substituted) BACKGROUND Licensed Professional Counselors (LPCs) have traditionally fallen behind other mental health disciplines in acquiring recognition as professionals due to a discrepancy either in required educational hours or supervision hours. Many disciplines are currently adjusting their hours to establish more equivalence between disciplines. Initially, LPCs had a much higher continuing education requirement that justified lower educational and supervision requirements. However, recent changes to Texas Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors rules have reduced the number or required CEUs (Continuing Education Units) for counselors. In addition, managed care companies have also begun denying LPCs access to provider panels because they do not meet the national standards set by the National Board of Certified Counselors. PURPOSE HB 699 increases the number of required supervised hours for licensure as a professional counselor. Increasing the required number of supervised hours will provide parity with other disciplines, increase opportunities to be considered for third party payments, and offer greater protections for the public via more highly trained practitioners. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency or institution. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS Section 1:Amends Section 10, Applicant Qualifications, Licensed Professional Counselor Act (Article 4512g, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes) as follows: Subsection (5) is amended by increasing the required amount of experience working in a counseling setting from 24 to 36 months or from 2,000 to 3,000 supervised hours. Subsection (7)(b) is amended by increasing the number of hours of supervised work experience from 2,000 to 3,000. Section 2:Effective date. This Act takes effect September 1, 1997 and applies only to a person who applies for a professional counselor's license on or after that date. Section 3:Emergency clause. COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE SECTION 2 pertaining to the effective date of the Act is the only change between H.B. 699 and C.S.H.B. 699. The original bill had an effective date of January 1, 1999 and applied to a person applying for a professional counselor's license on or after that date. The new effective date contained in the substitute bill is September 1, 1997 and applies only to a person who begins a graduate program in counseling or related field after September 1, 1997.