Article archive / February 1, 2012
Originally published: . Volume 3, No. 6. Source pages: 6.
Members of the Licensed Professional Counselors Board continued to discuss revisions to rules for Act 320 at their November and December meetings in 2011, according to minutes published last month.
Act 320 is the legislation passed in 2011 that clarified and expanded the scope of practice for counselors, and that required counselors to establish collaboration and consultation with someone licensed under the state medical board when treating individuals with “serious mental illness.”
The board members also discussed a list of rule revisions, called a “wish list,” that is being developed by the subcommittee on rules, according to the minutes.
At the November LPC board meeting, Cindy Nardina asked the Rules Committee “to consider further defining the list of serious mental illness in the rules, specifically defining the level of severity required for each type of illness to be considered serious.” Also discussed at the November meeting were issues about specifying additional courses for counselor interns. M. Reynaud suggested a redefinition of the Abnormal Psychology course, but discussion suggested that it these changes could require a change in the law.
At their December 16, 2011 meeting the LPC board continued to discuss changes to the rules for Act 320. One member noted that she hoped that sufficient changes could be made through rules so that the Counselors’ Association would not have to change act 320. Mentioned in the minutes were concerns that the restriction to the Louisiana Medical board should be any state medical board.
The LPC board passed Emergency Rules in July 2011, because the Act 320 took effect when signed by the governor. This placed new responsibilities on some counselors who were then required to arrange collaboration and consultation with someone licensed under the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners, either psychiatrists, medical psychologists, or physicians.
The Emergency Rules are published in the July 2011 issue of the Louisiana Register.
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