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House File 107 - IntroducedA Bill ForAn Act 1relating to supervision requirements for licensed
2marital and family therapists, mental health counselors, and
3social workers, and including effective date provisions.
4BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. Section 154C.3, Code 2021, is amended by adding
2the following new subsection:
3 NEW SUBSECTION. 4. Supervision. The board shall not, by
4rule or other means, require that supervision be completed
5in-person as a condition for an applicant to receive a license,
6a reciprocal license, or a renewed license under this chapter.
7 Sec. 2. Section 154D.2, Code 2021, is amended to read as
8follows:
9154D.2 Licensure — marital and family therapy — mental
10health counseling.
111. An applicant for a license to practice marital and family
12therapy or mental health counseling shall be granted a license
13by the board when the applicant satisfies all of the following
14requirements:
151. a. Possesses a master’s degree in marital and family
16therapy or mental health counseling, as applicable, consisting
17of at least sixty semester hours, or its equivalent, from a
18nationally accredited institution or from a program approved
19by the board.
202. b. Has at least two years of supervised clinical
21experience or its equivalent as approved by the board.
22Standards for supervision, including the required
23qualifications for supervisors, shall be determined pursuant to
24the requirements in subsection 2 and by the board by rule.
253. c. Passes an examination approved by the board.
262. The board shall not, by rule or other means, require any
27of the following for the licensure or renewal of a license to
28practice marital or family therapy or mental health counseling:
29a. In-person supervision.
30b. Supervised clinical experience hours in excess of the
31hours required by the board of social work for the licensure
32of any class of social worker.
33 Sec. 3. Section 154D.4, subsection 2, paragraph b, Code
342021, is amended to read as follows:
35b. A person who practices marital and family therapy or
-1-1mental health counseling under the supervision of a person
2licensed under this chapter as part of a clinical experience as
3described in section 154D.2, subsection 2 1, paragraph “b”.
4 Sec. 4. BOARD OF SOCIAL WORK AND BOARD OF BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE
5— RULES. The board of social work and the board of behavioral
6science shall amend their administrative rules pursuant to
7chapter 17A to remove any requirement for supervised clinical
8experience and supervised professional practice to be completed
9in-person as a condition for the licensure of marital and
10family therapists, mental health counselors, and social workers
11pursuant to chapters 154C and 154D. The board of social work
12and the board of behavioral science shall replace all licensing
13requirements for in-person supervision with the ability to have
14supervision requirements completed electronically.
15 Sec. 5. EMERGENCY RULES. The board of social work and board
16of behavioral science may adopt emergency rules under section
1717A.4, subsection 3, and section 17A.5, subsection 2, paragraph
18“b”, to implement the provisions of this Act and the rules
19shall be effective immediately upon filing unless a later date
20is specified in the rules. Any rules adopted in accordance
21with this section shall also be published as a notice of
22intended action as provided in section 17A.4.
23 Sec. 6. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act, being deemed of immediate
24importance, takes effect upon enactment.
25EXPLANATION
26The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
27the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
28This bill relates to supervision requirements for certain
29licensed individuals and provides an effective date.
30The bill provides that the board of social work and the board
31of behavioral science shall not require that supervision of an
32applicant for a license as a social worker, marital or family
33therapist, or mental health counselor be completed in-person.
34The bill provides that the board of behavioral science shall
35not require supervised clinical experience hours for marital or
-2-1family therapists or mental health counselors in excess of the
2hours required for social workers. The bill makes a conforming
3change to Code section 154D.4(2)(b).
4The bill directs the board of social work and the board
5of behavioral science to amend their administrative rules to
6remove any requirement for supervised clinical experience and
7supervised professional practice to be completed in-person as a
8condition for the licensure of marital and family therapists,
9mental health counselors, and social workers.
10The bill provides that the board of social work and the board
11of behavioral science may adopt emergency rules and creates an
12immediate effective date upon enactment.
-3-dg/rh
2marital and family therapists, mental health counselors, and
3social workers, and including effective date provisions.
4BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. Section 154C.3, Code 2021, is amended by adding
2the following new subsection:
3 NEW SUBSECTION. 4. Supervision. The board shall not, by
4rule or other means, require that supervision be completed
5in-person as a condition for an applicant to receive a license,
6a reciprocal license, or a renewed license under this chapter.
7 Sec. 2. Section 154D.2, Code 2021, is amended to read as
8follows:
9154D.2 Licensure — marital and family therapy — mental
10health counseling.
111. An applicant for a license to practice marital and family
12therapy or mental health counseling shall be granted a license
13by the board when the applicant satisfies all of the following
14requirements:
151. a. Possesses a master’s degree in marital and family
16therapy or mental health counseling, as applicable, consisting
17of at least sixty semester hours, or its equivalent, from a
18nationally accredited institution or from a program approved
19by the board.
202. b. Has at least two years of supervised clinical
21experience or its equivalent as approved by the board.
22Standards for supervision, including the required
23qualifications for supervisors, shall be determined pursuant to
24the requirements in subsection 2 and by the board by rule.
253. c. Passes an examination approved by the board.
262. The board shall not, by rule or other means, require any
27of the following for the licensure or renewal of a license to
28practice marital or family therapy or mental health counseling:
29a. In-person supervision.
30b. Supervised clinical experience hours in excess of the
31hours required by the board of social work for the licensure
32of any class of social worker.
33 Sec. 3. Section 154D.4, subsection 2, paragraph b, Code
342021, is amended to read as follows:
35b. A person who practices marital and family therapy or
-1-1mental health counseling under the supervision of a person
2licensed under this chapter as part of a clinical experience as
3described in section 154D.2, subsection 2 1, paragraph “b”.
4 Sec. 4. BOARD OF SOCIAL WORK AND BOARD OF BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE
5— RULES. The board of social work and the board of behavioral
6science shall amend their administrative rules pursuant to
7chapter 17A to remove any requirement for supervised clinical
8experience and supervised professional practice to be completed
9in-person as a condition for the licensure of marital and
10family therapists, mental health counselors, and social workers
11pursuant to chapters 154C and 154D. The board of social work
12and the board of behavioral science shall replace all licensing
13requirements for in-person supervision with the ability to have
14supervision requirements completed electronically.
15 Sec. 5. EMERGENCY RULES. The board of social work and board
16of behavioral science may adopt emergency rules under section
1717A.4, subsection 3, and section 17A.5, subsection 2, paragraph
18“b”, to implement the provisions of this Act and the rules
19shall be effective immediately upon filing unless a later date
20is specified in the rules. Any rules adopted in accordance
21with this section shall also be published as a notice of
22intended action as provided in section 17A.4.
23 Sec. 6. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act, being deemed of immediate
24importance, takes effect upon enactment.
25EXPLANATION
26The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
27the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
28This bill relates to supervision requirements for certain
29licensed individuals and provides an effective date.
30The bill provides that the board of social work and the board
31of behavioral science shall not require that supervision of an
32applicant for a license as a social worker, marital or family
33therapist, or mental health counselor be completed in-person.
34The bill provides that the board of behavioral science shall
35not require supervised clinical experience hours for marital or
-2-1family therapists or mental health counselors in excess of the
2hours required for social workers. The bill makes a conforming
3change to Code section 154D.4(2)(b).
4The bill directs the board of social work and the board
5of behavioral science to amend their administrative rules to
6remove any requirement for supervised clinical experience and
7supervised professional practice to be completed in-person as a
8condition for the licensure of marital and family therapists,
9mental health counselors, and social workers.
10The bill provides that the board of social work and the board
11of behavioral science may adopt emergency rules and creates an
12immediate effective date upon enactment.
-3-dg/rh