04/21/2023 03:15 PM House LABOR & COMMERCE

          HB 126-ASSOCIATE AND PROFESSIONAL COUNSELORS                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
3:49:35 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
VICE CHAIR RUFFRIDGE  announced that the final  order of business                                                               
would be  HB 126, "An Act  relating to the Board  of Professional                                                               
Counselors; and relating to licensing of associate counselors."                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
3:50:02 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
VICE CHAIR RUFFRIDGE opened public testimony on HB 126.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
3:50:23 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
ELAINE BORDER,  Owner, Border  Counseling Services,  testified in                                                               
support of HB 126.  She shared  that she has been a counselor for                                                               
10 years, covering a wide variety  of disciplines.  She said that                                                               
she  supports  the  bill  because   it  would  improve  care  for                                                               
Alaskans.   She  explained  that the  proposed legislation  would                                                               
give  counselors  the  ability  to   learn  a  broader  range  of                                                               
disciplines and  have more accountability.   She stated  that the                                                               
way training  hours are currently counted  creates confusion, and                                                               
this can  result in some  associate counselor training  hours not                                                               
being credited  correctly.   She added that  the bill  would also                                                               
reduce   financial  burdens   on  counseling   practices  because                                                               
associate  counselors  are  not currently  covered  by  insurance                                                               
companies.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
3:54:42 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  SADDLER  asked  whether   a  patient  would  face                                                               
greater risk if seen by an associate counselor.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
MS.  BORDER  answered that  an  associate  counselor would  still                                                               
require supervision, so  there would not be additional  risk.  In                                                               
response  to  a follow-up  question,  she  said that  many  other                                                               
states have  licenses for associate  counselors.  She  added that                                                               
different   professions  have   different   levels  of   training                                                               
involved.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
3:58:42 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  PRAX asked  whether Ms.  Border is  familiar with                                                               
malpractice insurance.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
MS. BORDER  answered yes.   She  added that  even interns  in her                                                               
field require malpractice insurance.   In response to a follow-up                                                               
question,  she   said  that   malpractice  insurance   varies  by                                                               
practice.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
4:01:56 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
RACHEL  BUDDIN-YOUNG,  Member,   Professional  Counselors  Board,                                                               
testified  in support  of  HB 126.    She shared  that  she is  a                                                               
licensed  counselor  and  stated  that  the  bill  would  improve                                                               
professionalism by  providing a  clearer path for  those recently                                                               
receiving a  master's degree.  She  reiterated previous testimony                                                               
in that  training hours  can be done  with the  wrong supervision                                                               
and cause  training hours not to  be counted.  She  expressed the                                                               
opinion that creating an associate  license would allow those who                                                               
have earned master's  degrees to receive guidance  and the proper                                                               
training.    She stated  that  approximately  60 percent  of  the                                                               
country has a similar type of license.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
4:06:09 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX asked whether  it is correct that individuals                                                               
with a  master's degree who work  at a government agency  can use                                                               
those hours to earn their license.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
MS. BUDDIN-YOUNG answered that earning  hours towards receiving a                                                               
license   requires  supervision   by  a   state  board   approved                                                               
individual.   She added that the  supervisor does not have  to be                                                               
part  of any  government  agency.   In  response  to a  follow-up                                                               
question, she  said it is  correct that insurance  companies will                                                               
not cover unlicensed trainees.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
4:09:46 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
VICE CHAIR  RUFFRIDGE, after ascertaining  there was no  one else                                                               
who wished to testify, closed public testimony.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
4:09:58 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
VICE CHAIR RUFFRIDGE announced that HB 126 was held over.