House File 2515 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 2515 BY COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (SUCCESSOR TO HF 2343) A BILL FOR An Act relating to the licensure of marital and family 1 therapists, mental health counselors, and social workers, 2 and including effective date provisions. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 5869HV (2) 90 ss/ko
H.F. 2515 Section 1. Section 154C.3, subsection 4, Code 2024, is 1 amended to read as follows: 2 4. Supervision. The board shall not, by rule or other 3 means, require that supervision be completed in person or 4 that supervised clinical experience include live or recorded 5 direct observation of client interaction as a condition for 6 an applicant to receive a license, a reciprocal license, or a 7 renewed license under this chapter . 8 Sec. 2. Section 154D.2, subsection 2, Code 2024, is amended 9 to read as follows: 10 2. The board shall not, by rule or other means, require 11 any in-person supervised clinical experience or require that 12 supervised clinical experience include live or recorded direct 13 observation of client interaction . 14 Sec. 3. NEW SECTION . 154D.8 Licensure by endorsement. 15 An applicant who has been a licensed marital and family 16 therapist or licensed mental health counselor under the laws 17 of another jurisdiction may file an application with the board 18 for licensure by endorsement. The board shall adopt rules 19 requiring an applicant for licensure by endorsement to do all 20 of the following: 21 1. Submit a completed application to the board. 22 2. Pay a licensure fee. 23 3. Show evidence that the jurisdiction in which the 24 applicant holds a license has licensure requirements similar to 25 the licensure requirements of this state. 26 4. a. Provide verification that the applicant holds a 27 license from another jurisdiction, which shall be sent directly 28 from the licensing entity in the other jurisdiction to the 29 board. The applicant must also disclose any public or pending 30 complaints against the applicant in any other jurisdiction. 31 b. In lieu of verification under paragraph “a” , the board 32 may allow verification using an internet-based system if the 33 verification provides all of the following: 34 (1) The name of the applicant. 35 -1- LSB 5869HV (2) 90 ss/ko 1/ 2
H.F. 2515 (2) The date the applicant was initially licensed in the 1 jurisdiction. 2 (3) The applicant’s current licensure status. 3 (4) Any disciplinary action taken against the applicant. 4 Sec. 4. EFFECTIVE DATE. The following, being deemed of 5 immediate importance, takes effect upon enactment: 6 1. The section of this Act amending section 154C.3. 7 2. The section of this Act amending section 154D.2. 8 EXPLANATION 9 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 10 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 11 This bill relates to the licensure of social workers, 12 marital and family therapists, and mental health counselors. 13 The bill prohibits the board of social work and board of 14 behavioral science from requiring by rule or other means that 15 supervised clinical experience required for licensure to 16 practice social work, marital and family therapy, or mental 17 health counseling include live or recorded direct observation 18 of client interaction. These provisions of the bill take 19 effect upon enactment. 20 The bill allows a person licensed as a marital and family 21 therapist or mental health counselor in another jurisdiction 22 to apply for licensure by endorsement in this state. The 23 bill requires the board of behavioral science to adopt rules 24 requiring an applicant for licensure by endorsement to submit 25 an application, pay a licensure fee, show evidence that the 26 jurisdiction where the applicant holds a license has licensure 27 requirements similar to the licensure requirements of this 28 state, and provide verification that the applicant holds a 29 license from another jurisdiction. 30 -2- LSB 5869HV (2) 90 ss/ko 2/ 2