Article archive / March 1, 2014
Originally published: . Volume 5, No. 7. Source pages: 3.
Two different bills have been prefiled in this legislative session which would qualify individuals for “provisional” licenses.
Senate Bill 157 by Senator Daniel Martiny (Metairie) would allow the state psychology board to issue a provisional license to those who are being supervised for a psychology licensure.
According to the proposed law, candidates for the provisional license in psychology will need a minimum of one year experience practicing psychology under the supervision of a psychologist or substantially equivalent as defined in the rules and regulations of the board and required as part of the doctoral degree in psychology as defined by the board, as noted in the legislative digest for the bill.
The provisional license has been a topic for the Louisiana State Board of Examiners of Psychologists, and topic across the nation, as to how to help speed doctoral-level individuals through the two-year supervision requirement for psychologists.
Several sources indicated to the Times that a provisional license may help these professionals while under supervision, be reimbursed for services.
In different but somewhat similar type of move, Senate Bill 194 by Senator Fred Mills would replace the title Counselor Intern with “Provisional Licensed Professional Counselor” and also the title Marriage and Family Therapist Intern with “Provisional Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist.”
According to Cindy Nardini, LPC, the bill is a collaborative effort by the Louisiana Counseling Association (LCA) and the Louisiana Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. Nardini is Governmental Relations Chair for the LCA.
According to the legislative digest for SB 194, provisional licensed professional counselors will only use the title "provisional licensed professional counselor," and may practice mental health counseling, only under the direction and active supervision of a board approved supervisor and only while obtaining the post- graduate degree experience required for licensure as a professional counselor.
Likewise, the provisional licensed marriage and family therapists may only use the title "provisional licensed marriage and family therapist" under the direction and active supervision of a board approved supervisor and only while obtaining the post- graduate degree experience required for licensure as a marriage and family therapist.
A person with the provisional license may not practice independently or advertise themselves as able to practice independently.
Nardini explained to the Times that LCA had been approached for several years by interns who asked for the change, because the word “intern” was confusing for the public. Many were incorrectly viewed as students instead of those under supervision.
The change will not affect fees, said Nardini.
Psychology board members Dr. Darla Burnett and Dr. Phillip Griffin listen to Executive Director Kelly Parker at the February board meeting. The board is supporting a bill to give those in the post-doctoral supervision phase of licensing a “provisional” license to practice psychology.
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