🚨UPDATE: AZ BOARD OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH VOTES TO **REPEAL** SCHOOL COUNSELOR "NO-TOUCH" POLICY
Licensing board members "alarmed" at the mission creep of school counselors - agree that something has to be done
*WINNING*
By unanimous vote, and on the basis of my petition, the AZ Board of Behavioral Health Examiners yesterday REPEALED their 2003 policy that for 20+ years has been used to exclude from licensure and regulation school counselors certified by the AZ Department of Education.
BBBHE board members expressed alarm over the mission creep of school-based mental health workers assessing and treating serious mental health disorders without proper qualifications or supervision. The general sentiment was that a line has been crossed - where that line is, I’m not sure they themselves understand just yet. But they all acknowledged: something has to be done about these mental health workers in schools.
So, what does this mean?
The repeal is only a first step.
Expect more as they work through the issues. Under existing statutes the board cannot prevent school counselors or school social workers from using those titles - so long as they don’t put “licensed” in front of it. But they can regulate the practice of behavioral health when they see it, regardless of what school districts call their “supports.” And it was clear to me that this board sees it; they’ve seen it a long time, they just needed that slight push to finally do something about it.
The fun part next is the wailing and gnashing of teeth as the news ripples through public education circles that the BBHE will be scrutinizing school-based “support services” - and taking complaints from parents when a line is crossed. Practicing behavioral health without a license is a felony. The BBHE refers those cases to the Attorney General - and the AG had a staff attorney sitting in that board meeting yesterday.
I also expect some lawmakers to rush out a bill during this legislative session to exempt school counselors and social workers from the BBHE’s regulatory oversight. So, this fight isn’t over.
You can read about and download a copy of my ARS 41-1033 administrative petition that looks at over two decades of legislative history and the evolution of school counseling by clicking here:
Stay tuned.
End.
“Winning”👍