02-19 14:15 H.B. 531
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Division of Professional Licensing Amendments
2025 GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Chief Sponsor: Grant Amjad Miller
Senate Sponsor:
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LONG TITLE
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General Description:
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This bill modifies provisions that regulate qualifications for licensure as a substance use
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disorder counselor.
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Highlighted Provisions:
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This bill:
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▸ modifies a provision that sets qualification requirements for an individual to be licensed
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as a substance use disorder counselor.
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Money Appropriated in this Bill:
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None
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Other Special Clauses:
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None
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Utah Code Sections Affected:
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AMENDS:
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58-60-506, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2024, Chapter 420
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Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
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Section 1. Section 58-60-506 is amended to read:
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58-60-506 . Qualifications for licensure.
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(1) Subject to Subsection (2), an applicant for licensure as master addiction counselor based
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on education, training, and experience shall:
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(a) submit an application on a form provided by the division;
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(b) pay a fee determined by the department under Section 63J-1-504;
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(c) document successful completion of not less than two hours of training in suicide
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prevention obtained after completion of the education requirements under Subsection
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(1)(d) via a course that the division designates as approved;
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(d) produce a certified transcript from an accredited institution of higher education that
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meets standards established by division rule under Section 58-1-203, verifying the
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satisfactory completion of:
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(i) a doctoral or master's degree in:
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(A) substance use disorders or addiction counseling and treatment; or
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(B) a counseling subject approved by the division in collaboration with the board,
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which may include social work, mental health counseling, marriage and family
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therapy, psychology, or medicine;
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(ii) an associate's degree or higher, or 18 credit hours, in substance use disorder or
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addiction counseling and treatment from a regionally accredited institution of
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higher education;
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(e) if required under federal law for any licensee as a master addiction counselor to
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qualify as an eligible professional under CMS rules for Medicare payment, document
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completion of:
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(i) not less than 3,000 hours of clinical supervision, which includes hours accrued
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under Subsection (1)(g); or
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(ii) not less than two years of clinical supervision;
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(f) document successful completion of not less than 1,200 direct client care hours:
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(i) obtained after completion of the education requirements under Subsection
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(1)(d)(ii);
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(ii) subject to Subsection (1)(f)(iii), not less than 100 of which are direct clinical
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supervision hours under the supervision of a clinical supervisor;
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(iii) not less than 25 of which are direct observation hours; and
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(iv) not more than 25 of which are group supervision hours concurrently with more
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than one other applicant for licensure;
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(g) if the applicant for licensure produces a transcript described in Subsection (1)(d)(ii),
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evidence completion of an additional 200 hours of direct client care hours in
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substance use disorder or addiction treatment;
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(h)(i) pass the examination requirement established by division rule under Section
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58-1-203; or
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(ii) satisfy the following requirements:
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(A) document at least one examination attempt that did not result in a passing
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score;
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(B) document successful completion of not less than 500 additional direct client
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care hours, not less than 25 of which are direct clinical supervision hours, and
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not less than five of which are direct observation hours by a clinical supervisor;
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(C) submit to the division a recommendation letter from the applicant's direct
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clinical supervisor; and
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(D) submit to the division a recommendation letter from another licensed mental
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health therapist who has directly observed the applicant's direct client care
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hours and who is not the applicant's direct clinical supervisor; and
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(i) consent to a criminal background check in accordance with Section 58-60-103.1 and
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any requirements established by division rule made in accordance with Title 63G,
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Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act.
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(2) In lieu of the requirements under Subsections (1)(d) through (i), an applicant for
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licensure as master addiction counselor may document current certification in good
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standing as:
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(a) a master addiction counselor by the National Certification Commission for Addiction
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Professionals;
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(b) a master addiction counselor by the National Board for Certified Counselors; or
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(c) an equivalent certification as under Subsections (2)(a) and (b), as determined in rule
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made by the division in collaboration with the board.
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(3) An applicant for licensure as an associate master addiction counselor shall satisfy the
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requirements under Subsections (1)(a) through (c) and (i).
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(4) Subject to Subsection (5), an applicant for licensure as an advanced substance use
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disorder counselor shall:
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(a) submit an application on a form provided by the division;
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(b) pay a fee determined by the department under Section 63J-1-504; and
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(c)(i) produce certified transcripts verifying satisfactory completion of:
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(A) a bachelor's degree or higher, from a regionally accredited institution of
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higher learning, in substance use disorders, addiction, or related counseling
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subjects, including social work, mental health counseling, marriage and family
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counseling, or psychology; or
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(B) two academic years of study in a master's of addiction counseling curriculum
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and practicum approved by the National Addictions Studies Accreditation
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Commission;
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(ii) document completion of at least 500 hours of supervised experience while
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licensed as a substance use disorder counselor under this section, which the
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applicant may complete while completing the education requirements under
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Subsection (1)(c)(i); and
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(iii) satisfy examination requirements established by the division in rule.
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(5) The requirements of Subsection (4)(c) may be satisfied by providing official verification
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of current certification in good standing:
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(a)(i) as a National Certified Addiction Counselor Level II (NCAC II) from the
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National Certification Commission for Addiction Professionals (NCC AP); or
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(ii) as an Advanced Alcohol & Drug Counselor (AADC), from the International
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Certification and Reciprocity Consortium; or
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(b) of substantive equivalence to the certifications under Subsection (5)(a), as
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determined by division rule made in consultation with the board.
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(6) In accordance with division rules, an applicant for licensure as a substance use disorder
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counselor shall produce:
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(a) certified transcripts from an accredited institution that:
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(i) meet division standards; and
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[(ii) verify satisfactory completion of an associate's degree or equivalent as defined
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by the division in rule; and]
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[(iii)] (ii) verify the completion of prerequisite courses established by division rules;
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and
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(b) documentation of the applicant's completion of a substance use disorder education
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program that includes:
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(i) completion of at least 200 hours of substance use disorder related education;
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(ii) included in the 200 hours described in Subsection (6)(b)(i), a minimum of two
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hours of training in suicide prevention via a course that the division designates as
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approved; and
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(iii) completion of a supervised practicum of at least 200 hours[; and] .
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[(c) documentation of the applicant's completion of at least 2,000 hours of supervised
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experience in substance use disorder treatment that:]
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[(i) meets division standards; and]
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[(ii) is performed within a two-year period after the applicant's completion of the
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substance use disorder education program described in Subsection (6)(b), unless,
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as determined by the division after consultation with the board, the time for
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performance is extended due to an extenuating circumstance.]
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Section 2. Effective Date.
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This bill takes effect on May 7, 2025.
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