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An Act To Require Licensed Mental Health Professionals To Receive Training in Suicide Risk Assessment
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 32 MRSA §7060, as amended by PL 2013, c. 262, §4, is further amended by adding after the first paragraph a new paragraph to read:
Beginning January 1, 2018, a person who submits an application for license renewal shall demonstrate to the satisfaction of the board successful completion of a minimum of 6 hours of course work every 10 years in suicide prevention, evidence-based suicide risk assessment or the treatment and management of suicidal persons, including knowledge of community resources and cultural factors. Continuing education courses taken pursuant to this paragraph may be used to satisfy the licensee's required hours of continuing education.
Sec. 2. 32 MRSA §13860, sub-§2, as amended by PL 2013, c. 262, §6, is further amended to read:
 
2. Continuing education and supervision.   The board, by rule, may establish continuing education and supervision requirements. Applicants for license renewal must show proof of satisfying the continuing education requirements set forth by the board. If a license lapses due to failure of the licensee to meet continuing education requirements, the licensee may renew the license upon completion of the required continuing education. Beginning January 1, 2020, applicants for license renewal shall demonstrate to the satisfaction of the board a one-time successful completion of a minimum of 12 hours of course work in family or intimate partner violence, including course work in spousal or partner abuse that addresses screening, referral and intervention strategies, including knowledge of community resources, cultural factors, evidence-based risk assessment and same-gender abuse dynamics, and successful completion of 6 hours of course work every 10 years in suicide prevention, evidence-based suicide risk assessment or the treatment and management of suicidal persons, including knowledge of community resources and cultural factors. An applicant may fulfill this requirementthese requirements through course work provided through contact hours, Internet hours or distance learning programs, as evidenced by certification from an accredited educational institution or equivalent teaching or practice experience. The board may accept equivalent courses in evidence-based suicide risk assessment and treatment of suicidal persons, family or intimate partner violence screening and referral and intervention strategies or equivalent teaching or practice experience completed prior to January 1, 2020 in satisfaction of this requirementthese requirements. Continuing education courses taken pursuant to this subsection must be applied to the licensee's required hours of continuing education.
 
SUMMARY
This bill amends the laws governing the licensure renewal requirements for mental health clinicians, including professional counselors and social workers, to require 6 continuing education hours in suicide risk assessment and treatment of suicidal persons as a requirement for license renewal.