Sponsor Statement for HB 505: Mental Health Professionals

Click image for large 5'' x 7'' picture, 93.5k

Session:
State Capitol, Room 104
Juneau, AK 99801-1182
Phone: (907) 465-2199
Fax: (907) 465-4587

Interim:
10928 Eagle River Rd., Suite 140
Eagle River, AK 99577
Phone: (907) 694-6683
Fax: (907) 694-1015

An Act defining the term 'mental health professional' for the purpose of statutes relating to the evaluation of prisoners who may need psychological or psychiatric treatment, for the purpose of statutes relating to the evaluation of children in need of aid and delinquent minors who may need to be confined in a secure residential psychiatric treatment center or who should be released from such a center, for the purpose of statutes requiring certain professionals to report the possibility that a vulnerable adult has been abused or neglected, and for the purpose of statutes relating to mental health civil commitments.

For Immediate Release:	April 11, 2002
Contact:	House HESS Committee at (907) 465-3759

The growth of Alaska's clinical mental health profession is a commendable response to the needs of our state's youth and adults, and to Alaska's mental health system as a whole. More safety is needed for our citizens who experience acute psychiatric crises. Currently, in many regions of our state, there is a shortage of mental health professionals who are authorized to respond to a variety of significant public safety circumstances. Because of the limited focus of the current Title 47 definitions, many licensed professionals who are qualified to aid these Alaskans are not authorized to do so. HB 505 addresses this concern by updating the statutory definition of 'mental health professional,' resulting in an increase in the efficacy of Alaska's mental health system.

HB 505 expands the definition of 'mental health professional' to include (1) a licensed marital and family therapist, (2) a licensed professional counselor, (3) a licensed clinical social worker, and (4) a person who is trained and experienced and who is in the process of qualifying for licensure. This updates the current Title 47 definition, which was composed before the establishment of licensing standards for these master-level clinicians.

The broadening of the 'mental health professional' definition will increase the number of licensed, master-level professionals who will be (1) authorized to evaluate prisoners for psychological or psychiatric treatment, (2) authorized to evaluate minors who may need to be confined to, or released from, a residential treatment center, (3) liable to report incidents of harm, and (4) authorized to perform civil commitments.

# # #

Attachments:

Print Friendly Version
Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader - 1 page(s) - 6.4K

| Rep. Dyson's Page | House HESS Committee's Page |

· HB 81 : Extending Board of Dental Examiners

· HB 91 : Add Physician Assistant to State Medical Board

· HB 245 : Marital & Family Therapists

· HB 343 : Extend Board Of Professional Counselors

· HB 362 : Extend Board Of Governors Of Ak Bar Association

· HB 505 : Mental Health Professionals

· SB 9 : Extended Board of Architects Etc.

· SB 10 : Extended Board of Public Accountancy

· SB 58 : Add Physician Asst. to State Medical Board

· SB 243 : Chiropractors: Sunset/Licensing

· SB 257 : Extend Board Of Professional Counselors

· SB 273 : Extend Board Of Governors Of Ak Bar Association

The Official Web Site of the House and Senate Legislative Majorities
for the 22nd Alaska State Legislature
To Report Technical Problems or Contact Webmasters