AB 1055: Alcohol drug counselors.

Existing law requires the State Department of Health Care Services to license and regulate adult alcoholism or drug abuse recovery or treatment facilities. Existing law also requires the department to require that an individual providing counseling services within a program be certified by a certifying organization approved by the department. Existing law authorizes the department to charge a fee to all programs for licensure or certification by the department, and establishes the Residential and Outpatient Program Licensing Fund to hold these fees.

This bill would create, upon appropriation by the Legislature, the Allied Behavioral Health Board within the Department of Consumer Affairs. The bill would require the board to establish regulations and standards for the licensure of alcohol drug counselors, as specified. The bill would authorize the board to collaborate with the Department of Health Care Access and Information regarding behavioral health professions, review sunrise review applications for emerging behavioral health license and certification programs, and refer complaints regarding behavioral health workers to appropriate agencies, as specified. The bill would require an applicant to satisfy certain requirements, including, among other things, possession of a masters degree in alcohol and drug counseling or a related counseling masters degree, as specified. The bill would, commencing 18 months after the board commences approving licenses, impose additional requirements on an applicant, including completion of a supervised practicum from an approved educational institution, and documentation that either the applicant is certified by a certifying organization or the applicant has completed 2,000 hours of postgraduate supervised work experience. The bill would impose requirements related to continuing education and discipline of licensees. The bill would prohibit a person from using the title of Licensed Alcohol Drug Counselor unless the person has applied for and obtained a license from the board, and would make a violation of that provision punishable by an administrative penalty not to exceed $10,000.

The bill would specify that it does not require a person employed or volunteering at an outpatient treatment program or residential treatment facility certified or licensed by the State Department of Health Care Services to be licensed by the board. The bill would require the board to establish fees for licensure, as specified, and would revert all unencumbered funds appropriated from fees in the Residential and Outpatient Program Licensing Fund to the State Department of Health Care Services for the purpose of certification oversight of substance use disorder counselors to that fund. specified.