UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 1518
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AN ACT relating to relating to alcohol and drug counselors. 1
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky: 2
Section 1. KRS 309.0836 is amended to read as follows: 3
(1) An applicant for registration as a temporary alcohol and drug peer support specialist 4
shall pay the board an initial fee for registration, and shall: 5
(a)[(1)] Be at least eighteen (18) years of age; 6
(b)[(2)] Have obtained a high school diploma or equivalent; 7
(c)[(3)] Have completed at least forty (40) classroom hours of board-approved 8
curriculum; 9
(d)[(4)] Have passed a written examination that has been approved by the board; 10
(e)[(5)] Have signed an agreement to abide by the standards of practice and code 11
of ethics approved by the board; 12
(f)[(6)] Attest to being in recovery for a minimum of twelve (12) consecutive 13
months immediately preceding the date of registration from a substance-14
related disorder; 15
(g)[(7)] Have completed at least: 16
1.[(a)] Sixteen (16) hours of ethics training; 17
2.[(b)] Three (3) hours of domestic violence training; 18
3.[(c)] Two (2) hours of training in the transmission, control, treatment, 19
and prevention of the human immunodeficiency virus; 20
4.[(d)] Ten (10) hours of advocacy training; 21
5.[(e)] Ten (10) hours of training in mentoring and education; and 22
6.[(f)] Ten (10) hours of training in recovery support; 23
(h)[(8)] Have submitted two (2) letters of reference from certified alcohol and 24
drug counselors or licensed clinical alcohol and drug counselors; 25
(i)[(9)] Live or work a majority of the time in Kentucky; and 26
(j)[(10)] Have complied with the requirements for the training program in suicide 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 1518
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assessment, treatment, and management in KRS 210.366 and any 1
administrative regulations promulgated thereunder. 2
(2) (a) A temporary alcohol and drug peer support license shall only be valid for a 3
maximum period of nine (9) months from the date of issuance. 4
(b) Upon expiration of the nine (9) months, the individual shall seek 5
registration as an alcohol and drug peer support specialist or shall no 6
longer be permitted to provide reimbursable peer support services. 7
Section 2. KRS 222.233 is amended to read as follows: 8
The Cabinet for Health and Family Services shall promulgate administrative regulations 9
in accordance with KRS Chapter 13A to: 10
(1) (a) Until January 1, 2026, require that licensed alcohol and other drug treatment 11
entities and behavioral health service organizations only employ a temporary 12
alcohol and drug peer support specialist or alcohol and drug peer support 13
specialist who is registered under KRS Chapter 309 or a temporary alcohol 14
and drug peer support specialist or alcohol and drug peer support specialist 15
who meets the requirements of applicable administrative regulations in effect 16
on July 15, 2024, or any applicable administrative regulations promulgated 17
thereafter. 18
(b) Beginning January 1, 2026, require that licensed alcohol and other drug 19
treatment entities and behavioral health service organizations only employ a 20
temporary alcohol and drug peer support specialist or alcohol and drug peer 21
support specialist who is registered under KRS Chapter 309; 22
(2) [Permit a registered temporary alcohol and drug peer support specialist to provide 23
the same services and be reimbursed at the same rates as a registered alcohol and 24
drug peer support specialist; 25
(3) Remove any limits on the maximum number of hours of direct client care that may 26
be provided by a registered alcohol and drug peer support specialist; 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 1518
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(4) ]Require that a temporary certified alcohol and drug counselor under the clinical 1
supervision of a certified alcohol and drug counselor, a licensed alcohol and drug 2
counselor, or a licensed clinical alcohol or drug counselor be a reimbursable service 3
provider in alcohol and other drug treatment entities and behavioral health service 4
organizations; 5
(3)[(5)] Permit a licensed alcohol and drug counselor to provide the same services and 6
be reimbursed at the same rates as a licensed clinical alcohol and drug counselor in 7
licensed alcohol and other drug treatment entities and behavioral health service 8
organizations; 9
(4)[(6)] Permit the qualifications for a case manager for an individual with mental or 10
substance use disorder to be a bachelor's degree or higher in any field of study and 11
set forth training and supervision requirements to substitute for required work 12
experience; 13
(5)[(7)] Require that a community support associate approved by the Department for 14
Behavioral Health, Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities to be a reimbursable 15
service provider in licensed alcohol and other drug treatment entities and behavioral 16
health service organizations;[ and] 17
(6)[(8)] Permit peer support specialists to provide services to groups of the same size 18
as other licensed clinical professionals in a licensed alcohol and other drug 19
treatment entities and behavioral health service organizations; and 20
(7) Require a temporary peer support specialist to be limited to facilitating groups 21
with no more than eight (8) participants. 22