Mental health professionals: suicide prevention training.

Existing law provides for the licensure and regulation of various professionals who provide mental health-related services, including psychologists, marriage and family therapists, educational psychologists, professional clinical counselors, and clinical social workers. Under existing law, an applicant for licensure in these professions is required to complete certain coursework or training in order to be eligible for a license. Existing law also requires these professionals to participate in continuing education as a prerequisite for renewing their license. This bill would require a psychologist, marriage and family therapist, educational psychologist, professional clinical counselor, and clinical social worker who began graduate study on or after January 1, 2016, to complete a minimum of 15 contact hours of coursework in suicide assessment, treatment, and management before he or she may be issued a license. The bill would also require, commencing January 1, 2016, a person licensed in these professions or any applicant for licensure who began graduate study prior to January 1, 2016, to take a six-hour continuing education course in suicide assessment, treatment, and management in order to renew his or her license.