02/21/2002 01:40 PM Senate L&C

               HB 245-MARITAL & FAMILY THERAPISTS                                                                           
                                                                                                                              
CHAIRMAN STEVENS announced HB 245 to be up for consideration.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE PEGGY  WILSON, sponsor,  said that HB 245  adds the                                                              
Board of Marital  and Family Therapy to the list  of professionals                                                              
that the  department can now  contract with to  provide treatment.                                                              
It gives them the ability to order  a licensed therapist to submit                                                              
to a reasonable  physical or mental  examination if the  board has                                                              
credible  evidence sufficient  to  conclude  that the  therapist's                                                              
physical or mental capacity to practice safely is an issue.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Section 3  allows for an individual  client contact to be  used as                                                              
hours towards  licensing.  Section 4 requires  that the  therapist                                                              
must communicate to a potential victim  or law enforcement officer                                                              
if  serious harm  has been  identified. The  next section  imposes                                                              
disciplinary sanctions  with regards  to the therapist  for sexual                                                              
misconduct. The Board of Marital  and Family Therapy group will be                                                              
added with  the social  workers and  counselors and other  medical                                                              
people.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR DAVIS moved  to adopt the CS to HB 245,  22LS0892\F. There                                                              
were no objections and it was so ordered.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
MS.  CATHERINE   REARDON,  Director,   Division  of   Occupational                                                              
Licensing, said  that Ms. Samaniego  is Chairman of the  Board and                                                              
she supports this legislation.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR DAVIS  moved to pass SCS  HB 245(L&C) from  committee with                                                              
the  $0 fiscal  note and  with individual  recommendations.  There                                                              
were no objections and it was so ordered.