Existing law establishes educational requirements for the issuance of: (1) a license as a psychologist, clinical professional counselor, marriage and family therapist, marriage and family therapist intern, clinical professional counselor intern, social worker, clinical social worker, independent social worker, clinical alcohol and drug counselor, clinical alcohol and drug counselor intern or alcohol and drug counselor; (2) a registration as a psychological intern, psychological assistant or psychological trainee; or (3) a certificate as a clinical alcohol and drug counselor intern, alcohol and drug counselor, alcohol and drug counselor intern, problem gambling counselor or problem gambling counselor intern. (NRS 641.170, 641.226, 641A.220, 641A.231, 641A.287, 641A.288, 641B.220-641B.240, 641C.330, 641C.340, 641C.350, 641C.390, 641C.420, 641C.430, 641C.440) If the Board of Psychological Examiners, the Board of Examiners for Marriage and Family Therapists and Clinical Professional Counselors, the Board of Examiners for Social Workers or the Board of Examiners for Alcohol, Drug and Gambling Counselors requires the submission of official transcripts as proof of those educational qualifications, sections 2, 5, 11.3 and 22.5 of this bill require those boards to provide an alternate means for an applicant to submit official transcripts if: (1) the college or university from which the applicant graduated has closed or has merged with another institution; and (2) the provision of official transcripts by ordinary means is not available or possible. Existing law requires the Board of Psychological Examiners, the Board of Examiners for Marriage and Family Therapists and Clinical Professional Counselors, the Board of Examiners for Social Workers and the Board of Examiners for Alcohol, Drug and Gambling Counselors to adopt regulations prescribing standards concerning the electronic supervision of persons obtaining supervised experience for licensure, including interns. (NRS 641.100, 641A.160, 641B.160, 641C.200) Sections 2.5, 5.5, 11.7 and 23.5 of this bill require those boards to adopt regulations authorizing remote supervision, including electronic supervision, and prescribing standards for such remote supervision. Existing law requires the Board of Psychological Examiners, the Board of Examiners for Marriage and Family Therapists and Clinical Professional Counselors, the Board of Examiners for Social Workers and the Board of Examiners for Alcohol, Drug and Gambling Counselors to report certain information concerning investigations of misconduct and applications for licensure or certification to the Legislative Committee on Health Care. (NRS 641.145, 641A.183, 641B.165, 641C.230) Sections 3, 6, 12 and 24 of this bill: (1) require those licensing boards to submit those reports to the Chair of each regional behavioral health policy board; (2) require those reports to include certain information concerning applications for licensure or certification by endorsement; and (3) authorize the submission of those reports to the Chair of each regional behavioral health policy board in a written format. Existing law authorizes the issuance of a license by endorsement as a psychologist, marriage and family therapist, clinical professional counselor, social worker, clinical social worker, independent social worker, clinical alcohol and drug counselor or alcohol and drug counselor, or a certificate by endorsement as an alcohol and drug counselor or problem gambling counselor, to a person who is licensed or certified, as applicable, in another jurisdiction of the United States and meets certain other requirements. (NRS 641.195, 641A.241, 641B.271, 641C.3305, 641C.355, 641C.395, 641C.432) Existing law: (1) prescribes similar requirements for the issuance of an expedited license or certificate, as applicable, by endorsement to practice in those professions to an applicant who is an active member of, or the spouse of an active member of, the Armed Forces of the United States, a veteran or the surviving spouse of a veteran; and (2) authorizes the issuance of a provisional license to such an applicant before making a final decision. (NRS 641.196, 641A.242, 641B.272, 641C.3306, 641C.356, 641C.396, 641C.433) Existing law reduces certain fees for such applicants. (NRS 641.228, 641A.290, 641B.300, 641C.470) Sections 3.6, 6.8, 17.5, 25.2-25.8 and 33.5 of this bill combine sections governing expedited licensure or certification by endorsement for a general applicant with sections governing licensure or certification by endorsement for an active member of, or the spouse of an active member of, the Armed Forces of the United States, a veteran or the surviving spouse of a veteran. The combined provisions: (1) authorize the issuance of a license or certificate by endorsement when the statutory requirements are met; (2) revise various requirements for the issuance of licenses and certificates by endorsement; and (3) authorize the issuance of a provisional license or certificate for any reason. Sections 3.3, 6.2-6.6 and 24.5 of this bill make conforming changes which remove references to repealed sections. Sections 4.5, 7.5, 20 and 25.9 of this bill make conforming changes so that active members of, or the spouses of active members of, the Armed Forces of the United States, veterans and the surviving spouses of veterans continue to receive reductions in fees. Existing law authorizes the Board of Examiners for Social Workers to issue a license as: (1) a social worker to an applicant who possesses a baccalaureate degree or master's degree in social work and passes an examination; (2) an independent social worker to an applicant who possesses a master's or doctoral degree in social work, completes at least 3,000 hours of supervised, postgraduate social work and passes an examination; and (3) a clinical social worker to an applicant who possesses a master's or doctoral degree in social work, completes at least 3,000 hours of supervised, postgraduate clinical social work and passes an examination. (NRS 641B.220, 641B.230, 641B.240) Section 9 of this bill additionally authorizes the Board to issue a license as a master social worker to an applicant who possesses a master's or doctoral degree in social work and passes an examination. Sections 9 and 22 of this bill authorize a master social worker to engage in independent social work or clinical social work as part of an approved internship program to complete the requirements for licensure as an independent or clinical social worker, as applicable. Section 9 additionally authorizes a master social worker to supervise other persons engaging in the practice of social work. Section 20 of this bill establishes the maximum fees that the Board is authorized to charge and collect for the issuance and renewal of a license as a master social worker. Sections 1, 13, 26 and 28-31 of this bill make conforming changes to ensure that a master social worker is treated similarly to other types of social worker in various circumstances. Sections 9, 10, 14-16 and 18 of this bill authorize the Board of Examiners for Social Workers to issue a license as a social worker, master social worker, independent social worker, or clinical social worker, or a provisional license as a social worker to an applicant who has graduated from a foreign college or university if the applicant submits certain documentation concerning his or her degree and meets the other requirements for licensure. Section 11 of this bill authorizes the Board to put a license on inactive status for not more than 5 years upon the application of a licensee who is in good standing. Sections 11 and 19 of this bill exempt a licensee who holds an inactive license from the requirement to complete continuing education, and sections 11 and 22 of this bill prohibit an inactive licensee from engaging in the practice of social work. Section 17 of this bill revises the conditions under which the Board is authorized to refuse to issue a license. Section 21 of this bill requires an employee of the Board who is aware that grounds for disciplinary action may exist against a person practicing social work to submit a complaint to the Board. Existing law makes it a misdemeanor for a person to engage in: (1) the independent practice of social work unless he or she is licensed as an independent social worker or a clinical social worker; or (2) the clinical practice of social work unless he or she is licensed as a clinical social worker. (NRS 641B.505) Section 22 of this bill additionally makes it a misdemeanor to engage in the practice of social work unless a person is licensed as an associate in social work, social worker, master social worker, independent social worker or clinical social worker. Sections 15 and 22 of this bill authorize an independent social worker to engage in clinical social work as part of an approved internship program to complete the requirements for licensure as a clinical social worker. Existing law authorizes a clinical social worker to engage in the practice of counseling persons with alcohol or other substance use disorders and counseling persons with an addictive disorder related to gambling with the authorization of the Board of Examiners for Social Workers. (NRS 641C.130) Section 23 of this bill additionally authorizes a person who is licensed as a master social worker or independent social worker and engaging in clinical social work as part of an approved internship program to engage in such counseling with the authorization of the Board.

Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 629.031, 641.145, 641.220, 641A.183, 641A.260, 641B.165, 641B.206, 641B.220, 641B.230, 641B.240, 641B.260, 641B.275, 641B.280, 641B.300, 641B.410, 641B.505, 641C.130, 641C.230, 641C.320, 62A.270, 458A.057, 689A.0485, 689B.0385, 695B.1975, 695C.1775
Reprint 1: 629.031, 641.100, 641.145, 641.170, 641.196, 641.228, 641A.160, 641A.183, 641A.220, 641A.230, 641A.231, 641A.242, 641A.290, 641B.160, 641B.165, 641B.206, 641B.220, 641B.230, 641B.240, 641B.260, 641B.272, 641B.275, 641B.280, 641B.300, 641B.410, 641B.505, 641C.130, 641C.200, 641C.230, 641C.290, 641C.3306, 641C.356, 641C.396, 641C.433, 641C.470, 62A.270, 689A.0485, 689B.0385, 695B.1975, 695C.1775
As Enrolled: 629.031, 641.100, 641.145, 641.170, 641.196, 641.228, 641A.160, 641A.183, 641A.220, 641A.230, 641A.231, 641A.242, 641A.290, 641B.160, 641B.165, 641B.206, 641B.220, 641B.230, 641B.240, 641B.260, 641B.272, 641B.275, 641B.280, 641B.300, 641B.410, 641B.505, 641C.130, 641C.200, 641C.230, 641C.290, 641C.3306, 641C.356, 641C.396, 641C.433, 641C.470, 62A.270, 689A.0485, 689B.0385, 695B.1975, 695C.1775