Mind Matters A Newsletter from the Colorado Mental Health Boards Spring 2016 Inside this issue:

Ongoing Licensing Initiative Streamlines Application Process

DORA Licensing 1 Initiative

The Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) continues to work with the State Innovation Model (SIM) and key state mental health associations to reduce regulatory burden, increase access to mental health services, and keep patients safe. As part of these efforts, the Division of Professions and Occupations’ (Division) licensing initiative is streamlining the licensing process so qualified mental health providers can move into the community more quickly and provide greatly needed mental health services around Colorado. The Division’s licensing initiative focuses on three key components:

CDPHE Suicide 1 Prevention Survey Legislation

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1. Improved inter-state mobility through streamlined licensure by endorsement. 2. Expedited education equivalency reviews - a process that has proved cumbersome, especially for international candidates. 3. Enhanced resources and assistance for the state jurisprudence exam.

Addresses Licensure Pathways New Requirements for Psychologists

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Streamlined Licensure by Endorsement The State Board of Licensed Professional Counselor Examiners, State Board of Psychologist Examiners, State Board of Social Work Examiners, and State Board of Marriage and Family Therapists held a joint Stakeholder Meeting to present and discuss modifications to the mental health endorsement rules at the end of November 2015. The meeting was attended by representatives of professional associations and employers, as well as the CBHC, and the proposed changes garnered support from all participants. Specific changes include:  Allowing electronic verification of licenses from other states.  Attestations of reporting requirements such as convictions and disciplinary action. (cont’d p.2 Initiative)

An Invitation from Larry Wolk, M.D., MSPH Executive Director and Chief Medical Officer Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment On behalf of the Colorado Suicide Prevention Commission, I invite you, as a mental health provider in Colorado, to complete a brief online survey on your professional experiences with suicide, and your training needs for responding to suicidal clients. With your help, we plan to use the findings of this survey to improve the training opportunities for mental health providers in Colorado. When you access the survey (http://j.mp/1OCZa6N), you will find additional information on this important initiative to reduce suicides in Colorado. The survey is voluntary and you may skip any question you do not wish to answer. (cont’d p.2 Wolk) Mind Matters—A Newsletter from the Colorado Mental Health Boards—Spring 2016

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Initiative- Cont’d The four Boards held Rulemaking Hearings in February and March to adopt the final changes to the Licensure by Endorsement rule. The new Rules were effective March 16, 2016 for Licensed Professional Counselors, Psychologists and Social Workers, with a later date of May 2, 2016 for Marriage and Family Therapists. To view the new rules, please visit the Division’s list of professions and select your profession’s respective Board webpage. Application forms reflect the new requirements and are available on the websites. Education Equivalency Reviews Currently, the Division conducts an independent review of all educational materials and coursework submitted for “education equivalence.” To speed up this process, the Division is soliciting proposals from interested parties that qualify to conduct education equivalency reviews on behalf of the Board of Psychologist Examiners, the Board of Marriage and Family Therapist Examiners, and the Board of Addiction Counselor Examiners. The Board of Licensed Professional Counselor Examiners already uses an outside vendor for this serve. The new process will allow applicants to seek review prior to submitting an application and paying a fee. They will know in advance whether or not they meet the requirements for licensure. The Division hopes these changes will expedite the application process and reduce the regulatory burden. Once the vendors are selected and a new process is in place, the Division will conduct outreach regarding the changes. Enhanced Resources and Assistance for the State Jurisprudence Exam In October 2015, the Division released new study materials for the jurisprudence exam. The new online study guide, "Test Outline, Specifications and Resources", helps applicants identify key information to review, as well as the statutes most relevant -to the exam. In addition to the guide, the boards plan to convene workgroups to review the questions and current structure of the jurisprudence examination. More information will be shared when it is available. For more information on the initiative, contact the Mental Health Boards at: [email protected]

(Wolk Cont’d) Your responses will remain confidential and will not be linked to any identifiable information. If you have any questions or comments about this study, please contact Dr. Laura Schwab Reese at 303.864.5307 or by email at [email protected]. If you have questions about your rights as someone in this study, you may contact Dr. Schwab Reese or the Colorado Multiple Institutional Review Board at 303.724.1055. Thank you for your time and for helping us learn how best to serve the needs of Coloradans.

Mind Matters—A Newsletter from the Colorado Mental Health Boards—Spring 2016

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Important Legislation Expedites Application Process for Most Mental Health Providers A bill affecting many mental health providers is headed to Governor Hickenlooper’s desk for signature. Effective January 1, 2017, House Bill 16-1103 Concerning Clarifying License Pathways for the Mental Health Professional Workforce will affect psychologists, social workers, marriage and family therapists, professional counselors, and any other individual who is actively working toward licensure and is enrolled in a professional training program at an approved school. DORA supported the bill as part of its ongoing initiative to streamline the application process, reduce regulatory burden, and move qualified professionals into the workforce more quickly to increase access to mental health services. A key component of the legislation clarifies that graduates must “have completed” their degrees (rather than "hold") in order to fulfill the educational requirements for licensure. This change will expedite the licensure process significantly. Often times, new graduates do not receive, or “hold” their actual degree certificate for many weeks after graduation. As a result, they must wait to apply, even if they have a job offer. With this change, applications can be submitted with an unofficial transcript or a letter from the academic program as soon as an applicant completes a graduate program. In addition, the bill seeks to clarify the recommended pathway a student should take for licensure in Colorado. For instance, the legislation clarifies that students participating in internships do not need to register with DORA as registered psychotherapists. However, as soon as they hold their degree, they are encouraged to register as a candidate under the board that will govern their licensure. This type of clarification helps simplify the process and reduces the regulatory burden on students. The bill was brought forward by the Colorado Counseling Association and the Colorado Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers, with support from Mental Health Colorado, the Colorado Behavioral Healthcare Council, and other mental health professional associations. In addition, the bill received bipartisan, unanimous support in both the House and Senate. Mental health professionals who want to follow the implementation process should check their respective Board websites for updated information beginning June 1, 2016.

Mind Matters—A Newsletter from the Colorado Mental Health Boards—Spring 2016

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Update on New Continuing Professional Development Requirements for Psychologists On April 8, 2015, Governor John Hickenlooper signed House Bill 15-1067 Concerning the Establishment of a Continuing Professional Development Program for Licensed Psychologists. The new law requires licensed psychologists to complete 40 continuing professional development hours to maintain a license. A licensed psychologist can choose the type of continuing professional development from a long list of activities provided in the new law. The new law became effective August 5, 2015. Staff at the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) created a workgroup of licensed psychologists to help implement the bill. The workgroup will provide input on draft rules that will specify how psychologists must meet the new requirements. The State Board of Psychologists Examiners will adopt rules to establish the new continuing professional development program before the 2017 renewal period. Continuing competency starts September 1, 2017 and must be met by August 2019. Therefore, any hours accrued prior to September 1, 2017 will not count toward renewal. In addition to DORA’s implementation efforts, the Colorado General Assembly introduced House Bill 161379 Concerning the Criteria Under Which the State Board of Psychologists Examiners May Award Professional Development Credit for Specific Activities Currently Included in the Continuing Professional Development Program For Licensed Psychologists in mid-March. The bill clarifies and amends portions of the continuing professional development program for licensed psychologists, enacted by House Bill 15-1057. The clarifications include: 

Allowing credit hours for teaching or giving presentations to be awarded more than once for the same material, but only once during the same licensure cycle;

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Allowing credit hours for writing, editing or reviewing psychology publications and not limiting the credit hours to the first year of publication or distribution;

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Limiting the award of credit hours to review of peer review journal articles.

The Division will work with the State Board of Psychologist Examiners, key stakeholders and state associations, in a joint outreach effort to help licensees understand the new requirements. Please check the Board’s webpage for implementation updates.

For More Information on Any of the Information Provided in this Newsletter: [email protected] 303-894-7800 Mind Matters—A Newsletter from the Colorado Mental Health Boards—Spring 2016