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

 

 

 

SPONSOR:

Begaye

 

DATE TYPED:

02/20/03

 

HB

784

 

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 395

 

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

 

Regulation and Licensing Department (RLD)

 

SUMMARY

 

     Synopsis of Bill

 

An exemption from the Counseling and Therapy Practice Act is provided for peer counselors who are selected for exceptional modeling and communication skills by program administrators in certain alcohol chemical dependency programs.

 

     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 395, 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.

 

GG/sb :yr