"An Act eliminating the prohibition on the use by certain licensed professionals of titles or descriptions of services that incorporate the terms 'psychoanalysis,' 'psychoanalyst,' 'psychotherapy,' 'psychotherapeutic,' or 'psychotherapist.' "

AS 08.86.180 prohibits professionals-except for licensed psychologists and clinical social workers-from using certain terms to describe their services or their titles. These terms include: "psychology," "psychological," "psychologist," "psychometry," "psychotherapy," "psychotherapeutic," "psychotherapist," "psychoanalysis," and "psychoanalyst." This statute was written prior to the licensure of professional counselors (LPC's) and marital and family therapists (LMFT's), who also provide these types of psychological services. LPC's and LMFT's constitute a large portion of Alaska's licensed mental health professional workforce, and are an even larger percentage of professionals working in state funded community mental health centers.

CS SB 177 (HES) was composed with the collaboration of the Alaska Board of Licensed Professional Counselors, the Alaska Psychological Association, the Alaska Board of Psychologist and Psychological Associate Examiners, the Alaska Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers, the Alaska Board of Marital and Family Therapists, and the Alaska Board of Social Work Examiners.

SB 177 updates these statutes to reflect current practice and training as well as maintaining a degree of protection to the public. The language affects licensed clinical social workers, licensed marital and family therapists, and licensed professional counselors and explicitly allows these licensed professionals to provide and bill for these services.

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