Bill > SB1547

This bill establishes a new profession called "licensed behavioral health and wellness practitioner" who will be licensed by the Oregon Board of Psychology to provide behavioral health promotion, prevention, and brief intervention services, which includes early identification of concerns, psychoeducation, skills training, brief interventions, risk identification, and care coordination. To become licensed, individuals must meet educational and supervised practice requirements, pass an exam, and demonstrate good moral character. These practitioners must operate under the direct supervision of licensed psychologists, psychiatrists, licensed professional counselors, licensed marriage and family therapists, clinical social workers, or psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners. The bill also outlines grounds for disciplinary action by the Board of Psychology, including license denial, suspension, or revocation, and allows for civil penalties. It clarifies that licensed behavioral health and wellness practitioners cannot practice psychology, medicine, diagnose disorders, independently treat disorders, administer or interpret certain tests, or evaluate drug effects. The bill also extends certain protections, such as client privilege and mandatory reporting of abuse, to these new practitioners and makes conforming amendments to various existing statutes, with most provisions becoming operative on January 1, 2027.