HB 104: Decreased Regulatory Barriers for Therapy

This bill passed the House and Senate unanimously. 

A person who is ordered by a court to receive mental health or substance abuse services as part of treatment is not freely able to do so with private mental health therapists who are already licensed in their profession. These professionals are required by the Department of Human Services to obtain further licensure in order to provide services to these court-appointed persons.

This causes problems, for example, in rural communities where the supply of such practitioners is small. To remedy this, Representative Christine Watkins is sponsoring House Bill 104.

This bill would ensure that licensed mental health therapists aren’t required to obtain additional licenses in order to provide services to those in prison or jail, those ordered by a court to obtain services, or any individual who lives in a rural county.

HB 104 reduces regulatory barriers that stand in the way between practitioner and patient.