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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the practice of marriage and family therapy. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 502, Occupations Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 502.0021 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 502.0021. PRACTICE OF MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPY. |
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(a) "Marriage and family therapy" means the provision of |
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professional therapy services to individuals, families, or married |
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couples, alone or in groups, that involve applying family systems |
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theories and techniques, including the evaluation and remediation |
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of cognitive, affective, behavioral, or relational dysfunction in |
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the context of marriage or family systems. |
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(b) The practice of marriage and family therapy may include |
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the use of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental |
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Disorders, the International Classification of Diseases, and other |
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diagnostic classification systems and the use of billing codes in |
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connection with those systems for evaluation, classification, |
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treatment, and other activities by a person licensed under this |
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chapter, in connection with a claim for payment or reimbursement |
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from a health insurance policy issuer or other payor. |
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(c) The practice of marriage and family therapy does not |
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include prescribing medication, treating a physical disease, or |
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providing any service outside the scope of practice of a licensed |
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marriage and family therapist or licensed marriage and family |
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therapist associate. |
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SECTION 2. Section 21.003(b), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(b) Except as otherwise provided by this subsection, a |
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person may not be employed by a school district as an audiologist, |
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occupational therapist, physical therapist, physician, nurse, |
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school psychologist, associate school psychologist, licensed |
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professional counselor, marriage and family therapist, social |
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worker, or speech language pathologist unless the person is |
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licensed by the state agency that licenses that profession and may |
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perform specific services within those professions for a school |
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district only if the person holds the appropriate credential from |
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the appropriate state agency. As long as a person employed by a |
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district before September 1, 2011, to perform marriage and family |
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therapy under Chapter 502 [, as defined by Section 502.002], |
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Occupations Code, is employed by the same district, the person is |
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not required to hold a license as a marriage and family therapist to |
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perform marriage and family therapy with that district. |
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SECTION 3. Section 502.002(6), Occupations Code, is |
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repealed. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |