FL Board Meeting Notes 05-15-25

Hi everyone,

We have another general board meeting that has come and gone on May 15th, 2025. We got the audio very quickly this time so I can get up this post quickly! This was an in-person meeting featuring quite a few disciplinary proceedings, some updates to the various licensure applications to account for the new background check requirements, and various updates on things.

Remember- for the privacy of the individuals, I will only be providing information relevant to our practice and not discuss specific cases. If you want to review those yourself, you can at the link below.

Now, on to the meeting.

Disciplinary Proceedings

• There are a couple cases involving clinicians giving medical and dietary recommendations to patients. Those specific recommendations constitute medical advise and are outside of our licensure scope. Please only provide those recommendations and work with patients in the way that you have the appropriate education and licensure to do so.

• As a reminder, you have to keep a full patient chart for each patient you see. See below in ongoing notes for more of what is required.

• If you are going to hire someone, it is on YOU to make sure that you are bringing on someone with the proper credentials and proper background. Do not take this lightly. Too many are going in front of the board due to hiring unlicensed folx and not getting them licensed before giving them a caseload to start seeing. No patients until license is verified.

• There have been more Medicaid termination cases recently- be prepared: many people don’t know that if you get terminated from Medicaid it is reported to the DOH and the board will investigate. Do what you can to successfully separate from Medicaid if you wish to cease working within the program rather than getting terminated.

• Please do not marry your ex-patients. Inappropriate relationships with current and ex-patients is the number one reason licenses are revoked. I promise you will find someone for you who is not a current or ex patient.

Rules Discussion

• All of the applications for all licenses are being updated to include the new background screening requirements set to go in July 1st, 2025. It will include a Livescan page and information for tracking the background check after the application is submitted.

• The email to submit the Verification of Clinical Hours form is shifting entirely to the MQA.491@flhealth.gov and NOT the info one. In the future, when submitting QS Verification of Hours forms, use that email (on top of faxing!).

• Board is starting to increase disciplinary penalties for more things to include license revocation, due to the severity of the cases they are seeing in front of them. Be mindful and check the updates- they actually have it listed out what the guidelines for discipline are for what violation.

• Board is starting to look at the rules around Qualified Supervisor Definitions and Duties. Board staff is encountering a lot of resistance from QS’ around communication and responses. Board staff is recommending a requirement for QS’ to respond to board correspondence regarding QS matters within 7 days. Board will begin more thorough discussions around current QS Definitions and Duties. Board staff is looking into also verifying who the current QS is on file with the Registered Intern and having them displayed on the Registered Intern’s license, as they have been approved for an updated licensing system. That would be super awesome!

• Board is also looking at updating Conflict of Interest rules around Qualified Supervision- basically looking to shore up who is and isn’t allowed to be someone’s QS. In addition to the rules already present, adding in language stopping a supervisee’s current or former therapist from becoming the supervisee’s QS. Also expanding to current or former sexual, romantic, or other personal relationships. Apparently some spouses are supervising each other? Interesting.

• Counseling Compact Update- Compact is moving along! Applications for designating FL as a home state for the Compact are in progress. It will be unveiled at the August meeting and will allow FL to begin participating in the Compact when it launches in Fall 2025.

Ongoing Notes

• In order for you to keep a thorough psychotherapy record, the following information at minimum is required:

  • All demographic information (including names, addresses, phone numbers, emergency contacts, releases of information)

  • Administrative paperwork (Informed Consents, insurance filing forms, treatment consents, etc.)

  • An initial assessment, ongoing progress notes for each meeting, and at least 1 treatment plan on file

  • Invoices for each appointment completed with patient

• The board has become very concerned with private and group practices hiring on newly graduated Registered Interns and providing little oversight as to their practice and carrying of behavior. They have commented on the high level of caseloads some Registered Interns are taking on, and the concern for supervisors not following through with ensuring supervision is occurring properly and commensurate to these caseloads. Just a food for thought.

• Background check system and setup is complete- you will find that it is up and running to start July 1st. See my pinned post on that for more complete information.

• As a reminder: do not start Qualified Supervision as a Registered Intern or QS until you have confirmation from the board that the QS is approved. Multiple cases, again, come to the board for a variance due to this. Yes it is annoying to have to wait and sometimes it is hard for them to respond. To save yourself headache in the future, just wait. Hoping the possible updates (see above) would help greatly with this.

And that’s it! Any questions, feel free to post them here in the comments.

https://floridasmentalhealthprofessions.gov/.../past.../