Sponsor Statement for SB 122

Marital and Family Therapists

Senate Bill 122 was introduced by the Labor and Commerce Committee at the request of the Alaska Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT). SB 122 adds marital and family therapists to the list of providers against whom insurers may not discriminate.

This bill does not require insurers to add coverage of marital and family therapists where the coverage currently is not provided. It merely requires that insurers treat marital and family therapists on equal footing with other licensed providers.

Section 1 adds marital and family therapists to the unfair discrimination list under group health insurance policies with an effective date of July 1, 1998.

AAMFT is a division of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, Inc.. Marriage and Family Therapists (MFTs) are a group of mental health professionals with background in a variety of disciplines, including psychology, social work, and family social science. MFTs are licensed or certified in 37 states and are recognized by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as one of the five core mental health disciplines in the United States.