Brief⁽¹⁾

H.C.R. 5042 directs the establishment of a 13-member Task Force on Providers of Mental Health Services to study the laws and rules and regulations relating to the providing of treatment for persons with mental disorders; to review the scope of practice and qualifications of the mental health providers licensed by the Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board; to consider the various practice acts administered by the Board to determine if consolidation of statutes is possible; to recommend minimum qualifications for authorization to diagnose mental disorders and minimum standards for independent practice; to review definitions of "direction" and "supervision;" to consider how to foster interdisciplinary cooperation; and such other matters as the task force finds appropriate.

The task force created pursuant to H.C.R. 5042 would be composed of three members of the Senate appointed by the President and Minority Leader, three members of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker and Minority Leader, and seven members appointed by the Governor as set out in the resolution. The task force is to elect a chair and vice-chair from among the legislative members. The task force is to submit an interim report and recommendations to the 1999 Legislature and the Governor and a final report and recommendations to the 2000 Legislature and the Governor.

The Senate Committee amendments change the appointing authority for the nonlegislative members of the task force from the Legislative Coordinating Council to the Governor and require the task force to report to the Governor as well as the Legislature.

Background

The task force recommended by the House Committee on Health and Human Services is an outgrowth of Committee consideration of Sub. for H.B. 2630. A subcommittee appointed to consider issues raised by the bill recommended the creation of a task force to consider issues raised by the bill and other issues that arose from subcommittee deliberations. Laws relating to the provision of mental health services by various professional groups have been enacted and amended over a period of years with little or no consideration being given to the issues outlined in H.C.R. 5042 and with separate administrative procedures for each of the provider groups regulated by the Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board. The Health and Human Services Committee concurred with the subcommittee that there is a need to review the various acts with a view toward coordination and consolidation where that is possible.

1. *Supplemental notes are prepared by the Legislative Research Department and do not express legislative intent. The supplemental note and fiscal note for this bill may be accessed on the Internet at http://www.ink.org/public/legislative/fulltext-bill.html.