NOTE:  As provided in LFC policy, this report is intended only for use by the standing finance committees of the legislature.  The Legislative Finance Committee does not assume responsibility for the accuracy of the information in this report when used for other purposes.

 

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F I S C A L   I M P A C T   R E P O R T

 

 

 

SPONSOR:

Whitaker

 

DATE TYPED:

03/04/03

 

HB

395/aHJC

 

SHORT TITLE:

Licensing Exemption for Peer Counselors

 

SB

 

 

 

ANALYST:

Geisler

 

APPROPRIATION

 

Appropriation Contained

Estimated Additional Impact

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY03

FY04

FY03

FY04

 

 

 

 

NFI

NFI

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

 

Relates to:  HB 784

 

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

 

Regulation and Licensing Department (RLD)

 

SUMMARY

 

     Synopsis of HJC Amendment

 

The House Judiciary Committee Amendment to House Bill 395 adds a new subsection to Section B that states that nothing in the section shall be construed to allow an individual who has lost his/her license (or has it suspended) by the board to avoid such loss or suspension by utilizing the exemptions from the act listed in Section B. 

 

     Synopsis of Original Bill

 

House Bill 395 provides that individuals who serve as peer counselors for a twelve-step recovery program or a similar self-help chemical dependency recovery program would be exempt from the N.M. Counseling and Therapy Practice Act if the program:

 

 

 

 

     Significant Issues

 

While the Counseling and Therapy Practice Board supports the objective of increasing the number of chemical dependency counselors to meet pressing needs, it is concerned that this bill may allow individuals without the education and experience to perform alcohol and drug abuse counseling.

 

RELATIONSHIP

 

Relates to HB 784, which proposes a similar exemption for peer counselors.

 

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

 

Peer counselors are not licensed by the Counseling and Therapy Practice Board, so the need for the exemption proposed by the bill to the practice act is unclear.  However, the Board believes it is essential that peer counselors have proper supervision from the appropriate licensed professionals such as alcohol and drug abuse counselors, psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, and mental health counselors.

 

GGG/yr