Utah 2025 Regular Session

Utah House Bill HB0531 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	02-19 14:15 H.B. 531
2	2	1
3	3	Division of Professional Licensing Amendments
4	4	2025 GENERAL SESSION
5	5	STATE OF UTAH
6	6	Chief Sponsor: Grant Amjad Miller
7	7	Senate Sponsor:
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9	9
10	10	3
11	11	LONG TITLE
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13	13	General Description:
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15	15	This bill modifies provisions that regulate qualifications for licensure as a substance use
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17	17	disorder counselor.
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19	19	Highlighted Provisions:
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21	21	This bill:
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23	23	▸ modifies a provision that sets qualification requirements for an individual to be licensed
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25	25	as a substance use disorder counselor.
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27	27	Money Appropriated in this Bill:
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29	29	None
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31	31	Other Special Clauses:
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33	33	None
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35	35	Utah Code Sections Affected:
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37	37	AMENDS:
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39	39	58-60-506, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2024, Chapter 420
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41	41
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43	43	Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
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45	45	Section 1. Section 58-60-506 is amended to read:
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47	47	58-60-506 . Qualifications for licensure.
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49	49	(1) Subject to Subsection (2), an applicant for licensure as master addiction counselor based
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51	51	on education, training, and experience shall:
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53	53	(a) submit an application on a form provided by the division;
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55	55	(b) pay a fee determined by the department under Section 63J-1-504;
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57	57	(c) document successful completion of not less than two hours of training in suicide
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59	59	prevention obtained after completion of the education requirements under Subsection
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61	61	(1)(d) via a course that the division designates as approved;
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63	63	(d) produce a certified transcript from an accredited institution of higher education that
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65	65	meets standards established by division rule under Section 58-1-203, verifying the
66	66	H.B. 531 H.B. 531 02-19 14:15
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68	68	satisfactory completion of:
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70	70	(i) a doctoral or master's degree in:
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72	72	(A) substance use disorders or addiction counseling and treatment; or
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74	74	(B) a counseling subject approved by the division in collaboration with the board,
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76	76	which may include social work, mental health counseling, marriage and family
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78	78	therapy, psychology, or medicine;
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80	80	(ii) an associate's degree or higher, or 18 credit hours, in substance use disorder or
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82	82	addiction counseling and treatment from a regionally accredited institution of
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84	84	higher education;
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86	86	(e) if required under federal law for any licensee as a master addiction counselor to
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88	88	qualify as an eligible professional under CMS rules for Medicare payment, document
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90	90	completion of:
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92	92	(i) not less than 3,000 hours of clinical supervision, which includes hours accrued
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94	94	under Subsection (1)(g); or
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96	96	(ii) not less than two years of clinical supervision;
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98	98	(f) document successful completion of not less than 1,200 direct client care hours:
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100	100	(i) obtained after completion of the education requirements under Subsection
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102	102	(1)(d)(ii);
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104	104	(ii) subject to Subsection (1)(f)(iii), not less than 100 of which are direct clinical
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106	106	supervision hours under the supervision of a clinical supervisor;
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108	108	(iii) not less than 25 of which are direct observation hours; and
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110	110	(iv) not more than 25 of which are group supervision hours concurrently with more
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112	112	than one other applicant for licensure;
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114	114	(g) if the applicant for licensure produces a transcript described in Subsection (1)(d)(ii),
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116	116	evidence completion of an additional 200 hours of direct client care hours in
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118	118	substance use disorder or addiction treatment;
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120	120	(h)(i) pass the examination requirement established by division rule under Section
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122	122	58-1-203; or
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124	124	(ii) satisfy the following requirements:
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126	126	(A) document at least one examination attempt that did not result in a passing
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128	128	score;
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130	130	(B) document successful completion of not less than 500 additional direct client
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132	132	care hours, not less than 25 of which are direct clinical supervision hours, and
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134	134	not less than five of which are direct observation hours by a clinical supervisor;
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137	137	(C) submit to the division a recommendation letter from the applicant's direct
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139	139	clinical supervisor; and
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141	141	(D) submit to the division a recommendation letter from another licensed mental
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143	143	health therapist who has directly observed the applicant's direct client care
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145	145	hours and who is not the applicant's direct clinical supervisor; and
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147	147	(i) consent to a criminal background check in accordance with Section 58-60-103.1 and
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149	149	any requirements established by division rule made in accordance with Title 63G,
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151	151	Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act.
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153	153	(2) In lieu of the requirements under Subsections (1)(d) through (i), an applicant for
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155	155	licensure as master addiction counselor may document current certification in good
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157	157	standing as:
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159	159	(a) a master addiction counselor by the National Certification Commission for Addiction
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161	161	Professionals;
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163	163	(b) a master addiction counselor by the National Board for Certified Counselors; or
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165	165	(c) an equivalent certification as under Subsections (2)(a) and (b), as determined in rule
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167	167	made by the division in collaboration with the board.
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169	169	(3) An applicant for licensure as an associate master addiction counselor shall satisfy the
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171	171	requirements under Subsections (1)(a) through (c) and (i).
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173	173	(4) Subject to Subsection (5), an applicant for licensure as an advanced substance use
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175	175	disorder counselor shall:
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177	177	(a) submit an application on a form provided by the division;
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179	179	(b) pay a fee determined by the department under Section 63J-1-504; and
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181	181	(c)(i) produce certified transcripts verifying satisfactory completion of:
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183	183	(A) a bachelor's degree or higher, from a regionally accredited institution of
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185	185	higher learning, in substance use disorders, addiction, or related counseling
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187	187	subjects, including social work, mental health counseling, marriage and family
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189	189	counseling, or psychology; or
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191	191	(B) two academic years of study in a master's of addiction counseling curriculum
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193	193	and practicum approved by the National Addictions Studies Accreditation
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195	195	Commission;
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197	197	(ii) document completion of at least 500 hours of supervised experience while
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199	199	licensed as a substance use disorder counselor under this section, which the
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201	201	applicant may complete while completing the education requirements under
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203	203	Subsection (1)(c)(i); and
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206	206	(iii) satisfy examination requirements established by the division in rule.
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208	208	(5) The requirements of Subsection (4)(c) may be satisfied by providing official verification
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210	210	of current certification in good standing:
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212	212	(a)(i) as a National Certified Addiction Counselor Level II (NCAC II) from the
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214	214	National Certification Commission for Addiction Professionals (NCC AP); or
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216	216	(ii) as an Advanced Alcohol & Drug Counselor (AADC), from the International
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218	218	Certification and Reciprocity Consortium; or
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220	220	(b) of substantive equivalence to the certifications under Subsection (5)(a), as
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222	222	determined by division rule made in consultation with the board.
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224	224	(6) In accordance with division rules, an applicant for licensure as a substance use disorder
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226	226	counselor shall produce:
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228	228	(a) certified transcripts from an accredited institution that:
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230	230	(i) meet division standards; and
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232	232	[(ii) verify satisfactory completion of an associate's degree or equivalent as defined
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234	234	by the division in rule; and]
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236	236	[(iii)] (ii) verify the completion of prerequisite courses established by division rules;
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238	238	and
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240	240	(b) documentation of the applicant's completion of a substance use disorder education
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242	242	program that includes:
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244	244	(i) completion of at least 200 hours of substance use disorder related education;
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246	246	(ii) included in the 200 hours described in Subsection (6)(b)(i), a minimum of two
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248	248	hours of training in suicide prevention via a course that the division designates as
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250	250	approved; and
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252	252	(iii) completion of a supervised practicum of at least 200 hours[; and] .
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254	254	[(c) documentation of the applicant's completion of at least 2,000 hours of supervised
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256	256	experience in substance use disorder treatment that:]
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258	258	[(i) meets division standards; and]
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260	260	[(ii) is performed within a two-year period after the applicant's completion of the
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262	262	substance use disorder education program described in Subsection (6)(b), unless,
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264	264	as determined by the division after consultation with the board, the time for
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266	266	performance is extended due to an extenuating circumstance.]
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268	268	Section 2. Effective Date.
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270	270	This bill takes effect on May 7, 2025.
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