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An Act To Improve the Ability of Mental Health Professionals To Assess the Risk of Suicide
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 32 MRSA §3835, as amended by PL 2013, c. 262, §2, is further amended by adding after the first paragraph a new paragraph to read:
Beginning January 1, 2020, 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 in the previous 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 other continuing education requirements.
Sec. 2. 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, 2020, 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 in the previous 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 other continuing education requirements.
Sec. 3. 32 MRSA §13858, sub-§2, ¶B, as amended by PL 2013, c. 262, §5, is further amended to read:
 
B. Two years of experience after obtainment of a master's degree or a doctoral degree to include at least 3,000 hours of supervised clinical experience with a minimum of 100 hours of personal supervision; and
Sec. 4. 32 MRSA §13858, sub-§2, ¶C, as enacted by PL 2013, c. 262, §5, is amended to read:
 
C. Beginning January 1, 20202022, demonstrated to the satisfaction of the board 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. An applicant may fulfill this requirement through course work taken in fulfillment of other educational requirements for licensure or through separate course work provided through contact hours, Internet hours or distance learning programs, as evidenced by certification from an accredited educational institution. The board shall accept certification from the accredited educational institution from which the applicant is a graduate that verifies the applicant's satisfaction of this requirement within the applicant's completed course curriculum. An applicant for initial licensure that is unable to demonstrate completion of the requirements of this paragraph at the time the initial application is submitted shall demonstrate to the board that these requirements have been fulfilled upon the applicant's first application for license renewal.; and
Sec. 5.  32 MRSA §13858, sub-§2, ¶D  is enacted to read:
 
D.  Beginning January 1, 2020, demonstrated to the satisfaction of the board successful completion of a minimum of 6 hours of course work in the previous 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 other continuing education requirements.
 
SUMMARY
This bill adds a new requirement for the renewal of professional licenses for psychologists, social workers and licensed clinical professional counselors that each must show proof upon renewal that the licensee has completed 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. These courses may be used to satisfy the licensee's other continuing education requirements. The bill also changes, from January 1, 2020 to January 1, 2022, the date that licensed clinical professional counselors must begin demonstrating successful completion of a minimum of 12 hours of course work in family or intimate partner violence.