Board of Behavioral Sciences: marriage and family therapists: clinical social workers: professional clinical counselors: supervision of applicants for licensure via videoconferencing.

(1) Existing law establishes the Board of Behavioral Sciences within the Department of Consumer Affairs, and requires the board to regulate various registrants and licensees under the Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Act, the Clinical Social Worker Practice Act, and the Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor Act. A violation of any of those acts is a misdemeanor. Under those acts, applicants for licensure are required to comply with specified educational and experience requirements, including, but not limited to, hours of supervised experience and direct supervisor contact. Existing law defines "one hour of direct supervisor contact" for purposes of those acts to mean one hour of face-to-face contact between the supervisor and the supervisee or supervisees, as specified. Existing law authorizes a supervisee working in certain exempt settings to obtain the required weekly direct supervisor contact via 2-way, real-time videoconferencing. This bill, instead, would define "face-to-face contact" for purposes of the definition of "one hour of direct supervisor contact" to mean in-person contact, contact via 2-way, real-time videoconferencing, or some combination of these. The bill would make the supervisor responsible for ensuring compliance with federal and state laws relating to confidentiality of patient health information. The bill would require a supervisor within 60 days of the commencement of supervision to conduct a meeting with the supervisee during which the supervisor is required to assess the appropriateness of allowing the supervisee to receive supervision via 2-way, real-time videoconferencing, as specified, and to document the results of that assessment. The bill would prohibit the supervisor from utilizing supervision via 2-way, real-time videoconferencing if their assessment finds it is inappropriate. Because the bill would expand the scope of a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would repeal its provisions on January 1, 2026. (2) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason. (3) This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.