Board Meeting Review 02/06/25

Hi everyone,

So another board meeting has come and gone, and with it more information for us to look over and be aware of. I will provide a general review and recommendations here, but you are also free to look at it as you wish here: https://floridasmentalhealthprofessions.gov/meeting-information/past-meetings/

Information Updates

• Board is discussing making some adjustments to disciplinary guidelines around licensed providers who get convicted of a crime and it gets brought to the board. The board is deciding to add the possibility of revoking a license as the maximum discipline for getting convicted, depending on the severity of the conviction.

• CACREP approved MH masters or MPCAC master psychology degree that is at least 60 credit hours or 80 quarter hours to apply for licensure. The board will likely be removing the "equivalent accrediting body” language currently present to ensure that there is either a CACREP or MPCAC degree required when applying for registered internship or licensure by examination. The board will still take applications from non-accredited institutions but it will be up to their discretion to whether they will review it or not.

• The board is starting to push more towards looking at and approving/denying CE courses. Make sure if you are submitting CE courses for consideration that you keep up with them and to provide the most relevant, up-to-date information and materials in your presentations.

• Counseling Compact- Annual conference is this week in Myrtle Beach, CA. Right now the update is that the tech platform is still ongoing. Testing phase is currently in process and actual implementation is currently aiming for end of year at the latest.

• 6 legislative bills to keep aware of:

  • 4 bills are related to the Social Work Compact. It will be a multi-state license similar to how nursing licenses work. I can do a separate post on this for more info.

  • FMHCA bill changes Registered Interns to Associates and strikes the “on the premises” language.

  • Full session begins in March through April. NOTHING is passed yet.

• Public Comment- Verification of provisional vs registered intern re-registration- board acknowledged that after the 5 year registered intern period ends that some will be offered a re-registration versus a provisional. It is best to reach out to the board if you know that your 5 years is going to lapse (be sure to do this AT LEAST 30 days prior to it expiring). I will create a separate post on this clarifying further. Exam approvals for ASWB will be done on a case by case basis should the registered intern license lapse. Re-application is based upon requirements upon submission of application. E-mail address is attached to application- need to use a paper application or use a different email address for online.

• Board has reiterated- if you do psychotherapy, you NEED a license. If you are doing psychotherapy as a registered intern you need to be under active supervision.

• Also reiterated- if you are providing psychotherapy for patients in FL and you live in FL, you NEED a full license, either registered intern or independent full license. You CANNOT use the out of state telehealth cert to see FL patients after you have moved to FL.

Laws and Rules Recommendations

• Remember, if you get arrested and charged with a crime and found guilty of it (whether it be a plea or trial), you NEED to report that to the board within the proper timeframe. There are a few reprimands on here for arrests and legal charges. It is unknown how many of them were reported on time.

• Similarly, as we get more widespread clinicians licensed in different states (or through things like Compacts), you also need to report any reprimands from other state medical boards to our board. Please do not forget to do this- it is better for you to self-report than to have them find out.

• Telehealth only privileges are being disciplined actively now (the last 3-4 meetings have had at least one). While there are no providers in this group that are out of state telehealth, know that as you move into other states in different ways that other boards are likely doing the same thing. Make sure that you are keeping your addresses updated and your licenses in good standing.

• Please do not ask for money from your patients.

Any questions about any of this, let me know and I’ll try to answer best I can! 🙂