Article archive / March 1, 2014
Originally published: . Volume 5, No. 7. Source pages: 4.
Senator J.P. Morrell is authoring Senate Bill 121 which would clarify definitions in the Louisiana Mental Health Counseling Licensing Act.
According to the legislative digest, present law defines "marriage and family therapy" to mean the professional application of psychotherapeutic and family systems theories and techniques in the assessment and treatment of individuals, couples, and families.
The proposed law would amend this to define "marriage and family therapy" as the professional application of psychotherapeutic and family systems theories and techniques in the prevention, diagnosis, assessment, and treatment of mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders in an individual and relational disorders in couples and families.
Also, the present law defines "practice of marriage and family therapy" to mean the rendering of professional marriage and family therapy services to individuals, couples, and families, singly or in groups, whether such services are offered directly to the general public or through either public or private organizations for a fee, monetary or otherwise.
Proposed law amends present law and defines "practice of marriage and family therapy" to mean the rendering of professional marriage and family therapy and psychotherapy services, limited to prevention, assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of mental, emotional, behavioral, relational, and addiction disorders to individuals, couples, and families, singly or in groups, whether such services are offered directly to the general public or through either public or private organizations for a fee, monetary or otherwise in accordance with professional training as provided pursuant to present law and code of ethics/behavior involving the application of principles, methods, or procedures of the marriage and family therapy profession. The changes would be made to the Louisiana Mental Health Counselor Licensing Act, R.S. 37:1103(6) and (9), and would go into effect upon signature of the governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
Family therapists at last year’s convention of the Louisiana Counseling Association (LCA). Officers in the LCA Division for Marriage and Family Therapy are (left to right) Melissa Thomas, Donnie Underwood, Rashunda Reed, and Kathleen Rhodes. Legislation has been proposed to create a provisional license for Marriage and Family Therapist interns and also to clarify definitions.
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