Action Alert
SF2393 Committee on Labor and Business relations
https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/BillBook?ga=88&ba=SF2393
Passed sub committee 3/4/20 Sen Brown, R. Smith and Dotzler
Contact Members of the Labor Committee to ask to amend. Click on the name to get to their profile.
- Jason Schultz(R, District 9), Chair [email protected]; https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislators/legislator?ga=88&personID=6588
- Zach Whiting(R, District 1), Vice Chair [email protected]; https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislators/legislator?ga=88&personID=26997
- Todd E. Taylor(D, District 35), Ranking Member [email protected]; https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislators/legislator?ga=88&personID=54
- Nate Boulton(D, District 16) [email protected]; https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislators/legislator?ga=88&personID=18073
- Waylon Brown(R, District 26) [email protected]; https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislators/legislator?ga=88&personID=18074
- Jim Carlin(R, District 3) [email protected]; https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislators/legislator?ga=88&personID=18041
- William A. Dotzler Jr.(D, District 31) [email protected]; https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislators/legislator?ga=88&personID=157
- Dennis Guth(R, District 4) [email protected]; https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislators/legislator?ga=88&personID=10726
- Carrie Koelker(R, District 29) [email protected]; https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislators/legislator?ga=88&personID=27001
- Zach Nunn(R, District 15) [email protected]; https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislators/legislator?ga=88&personID=14803
- Rich Taylor(D, District 42) [email protected]; https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislators/legislator?ga=88&personID=10735
Concerns of the bill are in Section 36 of the bill
This section would allow people to be licensed in Iowa if they establish residency in the state or are a spouse of a military member accompanying the member if the following are true:
Person is currently licensed, certified or registered in at least one other state in the same practice. This does not define the practice.
If they have been licensed for one year (Iowa administrative code applicable to our license says 5 years currently)
If person has the “minimal education requirements and clinical supervision requirements.”
HOWEVER, if the other state does not impose education requirements, a person shall be considered to have meet the requirements if they have three or more years of related work experience. (This is not current Iowa law or expectations)
Message to Senators:
Dear Senator,
As a licensed mental health counselor in Iowa, I am very concerned about SF 2393 that allows persons with varying education and experience practice as a mental health professional in Iowa. (Optional personal work/education experience added here) In Section 36 on page 15 lines 3-7, it states that a person who acts as a counselor in another state can be licensed in Iowa with only 3 years of work experience. This does not define counselor and does not define the work within their license. Although we realize, Iowa has a shortage of mental health professionals, this is not an appropriate way to address the issue. Counseling is a unique profession in that the term is not applied equally across states and licenses. States are working towards equal standards and definitions. This hinders progress made on the national scale. This bill would inadvertently allow non clinically trained, inexperienced persons to practice in the field of counseling. Mental health professionals in Iowa diagnose and screen persons seeking help from a professional. A lessor or differently educated person would not have the ability to do either and could cause harm. Our board of behavioral sciences has a system in place to address the reciprocity of licensure and a way to regulate those seeking licensure in Iowa. We ask for this section of the bill to be removed.
Thank you,
Your name
_____________________________________________
Additional links:
Find your Legislator if you would like to know who represents you and what district you are in: https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislators/find