AB 1188: Health professions development: loan repayment.

(1)Existing law authorizes any licensed mental health service provider, as defined, including a mental health service provider who is employed at a publicly funded mental health facility or a public or nonprofit private mental health facility that contracts with a county mental health entity or facility to provide mental health services, and who provides direct patient care in a publicly funded facility or a mental health professional shortage area, to apply for grants under the Licensed Mental Health Service Provider Education Program to reimburse his or her educational loans related to a career as a licensed mental health service provider, as specified. Existing law establishes the Mental Health Practitioner Education Fund and provides that moneys in that fund are available, upon appropriation, for purposes of the Licensed Mental Health Service Provider Education Program.

This bill would, on and after July 1, 2018, add licensed professional clinical counselors and associate professional clinical counselors to those licensed mental health service providers eligible for grants to reimburse educational loans.

(2)The Psychology Licensing Law establishes the Board of Psychology to license and regulate the practice of psychology. That law establishes a biennial license renewal fee and also requires the board to collect an additional fee of $10 at the time of renewal and directs the deposit of that fee into the Mental Health Practitioner Education Fund.

This bill would, on or after July 1, 2018, increase that additional fee to $20.

(3)The Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Act, the Clinical Social Worker Practice Act, and the Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor Act make the Board of Behavioral Sciences responsible for the licensure and regulation of marriage and family therapists, clinical social workers, and professional clinical counselors, respectively. Those acts require the board to establish and assess biennial license renewal fees, as specified. The Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Act and the Clinical Social Worker Practice Act also require the board to collect an additional fee of $10 at the time of license renewal and directs the deposit of these additional fees into the Mental Health Practitioner Education Fund.

This bill would, on and after July 1, 2018, increase those existing additional fees under the Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Act and the Clinical Social Worker Practice Act from $10 to $20, and would amend the Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor Act to require the Board of Behavioral Sciences to collect an additional $20 fee at the time of renewal of a license for a professional clinical counselor for deposit in the Mental Health Practitioner Education Fund.

(4)This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.