Bill Text: CT HB06780 | 2015 | General Assembly | Comm Sub

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Bill Title: An Act Requiring Certain Health Care Professionals To Complete Continuing Education Requirements Related To Mental Health Conditions Common To Veterans And Family Members Of Veterans.

Spectrum: Committee Bill

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2015-05-14 - File Number 825 [HB06780 Detail]

Download: Connecticut-2015-HB06780-Comm_Sub.html

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General Assembly		Substitute Bill No. 6780
January Session, 2015		*_____HB06780PH____040915____*

AN ACT REQUIRING CERTAIN HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS TO COMPLETE CONTINUING EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS RELATED TO MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS COMMON TO VETERANS AND FAMILY MEMBERS OF VETERANS.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:

Section 1. Subsection (a) of section 20-74t of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2015):

(a) On and after October 1, 2004, each alcohol and drug counselor licensed or certified pursuant to this chapter shall complete a minimum of twenty hours of continuing education each registration period. For purposes of this section, registration period means the twelve-month period for which a license or certificate has been renewed in accordance with section 19a-88 and is current and valid. The continuing education shall be in areas related to the individual's practice and shall include not less than one contact hour of training or education each registration period on the topic of cultural competency and, on and after January 1, 2016, not less than two contact hours of training or education each registration period on the topic of mental health conditions common to veterans and family members of veterans, including (1) determining whether a patient is a veteran or family member of a veteran, (2) screening for conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder, risk of suicide, depression and grief, and (3) suicide prevention training. Qualifying continuing education activities are educational offerings sponsored by a hospital or other licensed health care institutions, courses offered by a regionally accredited institution of higher education or courses offered by individuals or organizations on the list maintained by the Connecticut Certification Board, Inc. as approved providers of such continuing education activities.

Sec. 2. Section 20-32 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2015):

(a) No licensee under the provisions of this chapter shall use the title "Doctor" or any abbreviation or synonym thereof unless he or she holds the degree of doctor of chiropractic from a chartered chiropractic school or college, in which event the title shall be such as will designate the licensee as a practitioner of chiropractic. Each licensed chiropractor shall exhibit his or her name at the entrance of his or her place of business or on his or her office door. The Department of Public Health shall not initiate a disciplinary action against a licensed chiropractor who, prior to July 1, 2011, is alleged to have been practicing as a chiropractor under any name other than the name of the chiropractor actually owning the practice or a corporate name containing the name of such chiropractor.

(b) All licensed chiropractors applying for license renewal shall be required to participate in continuing education programs. Such programs shall include, on and after January 1, 2016, not less than two contact hours of training or education on the topic of mental health conditions common to veterans and family members of veterans. The Commissioner of Public Health shall adopt regulations, in accordance with chapter 54, to (1) define basic requirements for continuing education programs, (2) delineate qualifying programs, (3) establish a system of control and reporting, [and] (4) provide for waiver of the continuing education requirement for good cause, and (5) approve continuing education coursework appropriate for chiropractors on the subject of mental health conditions common to veterans and family members of veterans, including (A) determining whether a patient is a veteran or family member of a veteran, (B) screening for conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder, risk of suicide, depression and grief, and (C) suicide prevention training. For registration periods beginning on and after October 1, 2012, the Commissioner of Public Health, in consultation with the Board of Chiropractic Examiners, shall, on or before October 1, 2011, and biennially thereafter, issue a list that includes not more than five mandatory topics for continuing education activities that shall be required for the two subsequent registration periods following the date of issuance of such list.

Sec. 3. Section 20-94a of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2015):

(a) The Department of Public Health may issue an advanced practice registered nurse license to a person seeking to perform the activities described in subsection (b) of section 20-87a, upon receipt of a fee of two hundred dollars, to an applicant who: (1) Maintains a license as a registered nurse in this state, as provided by section 20-93 or 20-94; (2) holds and maintains current certification as a nurse practitioner, a clinical nurse specialist or a nurse anesthetist from one of the following national certifying bodies that certify nurses in advanced practice: The American Nurses' Association, the Nurses' Association of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Certification Corporation, the National Board of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners and Associates or the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists, their successors or other appropriate national certifying bodies approved by the Board of Examiners for Nursing; (3) has completed thirty hours of education in pharmacology for advanced nursing practice; and (4) (A) holds a graduate degree in nursing or in a related field recognized for certification as either a nurse practitioner, a clinical nurse specialist, or a nurse anesthetist by one of the foregoing certifying bodies, or (B) (i) on or before December 31, 2004, completed an advanced nurse practitioner program that a national certifying body identified in subdivision (2) of subsection (a) of this section recognized for certification of a nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, or nurse anesthetist, and (ii) at the time of application, holds a current license as an advanced practice registered nurse in another state that requires a master's degree in nursing or a related field for such licensure. No license shall be issued under this section to any applicant against whom professional disciplinary action is pending or who is the subject of an unresolved complaint.

(b) During the period commencing January 1, 1990, and ending January 1, 1992, the Department of Public Health may in its discretion allow a registered nurse, who has been practicing as an advanced practice registered nurse in a nurse practitioner role and who is unable to obtain certification as a nurse practitioner by one of the national certifying bodies specified in subsection (a) of this section, to be licensed as an advanced practice registered nurse provided the individual:

(1) Holds a current Connecticut license as a registered nurse pursuant to this chapter;

(2) Presents the department with documentation of the reasons one of such national certifying bodies will not certify him or her as a nurse practitioner;

(3) Has been in active practice as a nurse practitioner for at least five years in a facility licensed pursuant to section 19a-491;

(4) Provides the department with documentation of his or her preparation as a nurse practitioner;

(5) Provides the department with evidence of at least seventy-five contact hours, or its equivalent, of continuing education related to his or her nurse practitioner specialty in the preceding five calendar years;

(6) Has completed thirty hours of education in pharmacology for advanced nursing practice;

(7) Has his or her employer provide the department with a description of his or her practice setting, job description, and a plan for supervision by a licensed physician;

(8) Notifies the department of each change of employment to a new setting where he or she will function as an advanced practice registered nurse and will be exercising prescriptive and dispensing privileges.

(c) Any person who obtains a license pursuant to subsection (b) of this section shall be eligible to renew such license annually provided he or she presents the department with evidence that he or she received at least fifteen contact hours, or its equivalent, eight hours of which shall be in pharmacology, of continuing education related to his or her nurse practitioner specialty in the preceding licensure year. Such continuing education shall include, on and after January 1, 2016, not less than two contact hours of training or education on the topic of mental health conditions common to veterans and family members of veterans, including (1) determining whether a patient is a veteran or family member of a veteran, (2) screening for conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder, risk of suicide, depression and grief, and (3) suicide prevention training. If an individual licensed pursuant to subsection (b) of this subsection becomes eligible at any time for certification as a nurse practitioner by one of the national certifying bodies specified in subsection (a) of this section, the individual shall apply for certification, and upon certification so notify the department, and apply to be licensed as an advanced practice registered nurse in accordance with subsection (a) of this section.

(d) A person who has received a license pursuant to this section shall be known as an "Advanced Practice Registered Nurse" and no other person shall assume such title or use the letters or figures [which] that indicate that the person using the same is a licensed advanced practice registered nurse.

Sec. 4. Subsection (b) of section 20-191c of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2015):

(b) Qualifying continuing education activities shall be related to the practice of psychology and shall include courses, seminars, workshops, conferences and postdoctoral institutes offered or approved by: (1) The American Psychological Association; (2) a regionally accredited institution of higher education graduate program; (3) a nationally recognized provider of continuing education seminars; (4) the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services; or (5) a behavioral science organization that is professionally or scientifically recognized. Not more than five continuing education units during each registration period shall be completed via the Internet, distance learning or home study. On and after January 1, 2016, qualifying continuing education activities shall include not less than two contact hours of training or education on the topic of mental health conditions common to veterans and family members of veterans, including (A) determining whether a patient is a veteran or family member of a veteran, (B) screening for conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder, risk of suicide, depression and grief, and (C) suicide prevention training. Qualifying continuing education activities may include a licensee's research-based presentation at a professional conference, provided not more than five continuing education units during each registration period shall be completed by such activities. A licensee who has earned a diploma from the American Board of Professional Psychology during the registration period may substitute the diploma for continuing education requirements for such registration period. For purposes of this section, "continuing education unit" means fifty to sixty minutes of participation in accredited continuing professional education.

Sec. 5. Subsection (c) of section 20-195c of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2015):

(c) Licenses issued under this section may be renewed annually in accordance with the provisions of section 19a-88. The fee for such renewal shall be three hundred fifteen dollars. Each licensed marital and family therapist applying for license renewal shall furnish evidence satisfactory to the commissioner of having participated in continuing education programs. The commissioner shall adopt regulations, in accordance with chapter 54, to (1) define basic requirements for continuing education programs, which shall include not less than one contact hour of training or education each registration period on the topic of cultural competency and, on and after January 1, 2016, not less than two contact hours of training or education each registration period on the topic of mental health conditions common to veterans and family members of veterans, including (A) determining whether a patient is a veteran or family member of a veteran, (B) screening for conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder, risk of suicide, depression and grief, and (C) suicide prevention training, (2) delineate qualifying programs, (3) establish a system of control and reporting, and (4) provide for waiver of the continuing education requirement for good cause.

Sec. 6. Subsection (b) of section 20-195cc of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2015):

(b) Licenses issued under this section may be renewed annually pursuant to section 19a-88. The fee for such renewal shall be one hundred ninety dollars. Each licensed professional counselor applying for license renewal shall furnish evidence satisfactory to the commissioner of having participated in continuing education programs. The commissioner shall adopt regulations, in accordance with chapter 54, to (1) define basic requirements for continuing education programs, which shall include not less than one contact hour of training or education each registration period on the topic of cultural competency and, on and after January 1, 2016, not less than two contact hours of training or education each registration period on the topic of mental health conditions common to veterans and family members of veterans, including (A) determining whether a patient is a veteran or family member of a veteran, (B) screening for conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder, risk of suicide, depression and grief, and (C) suicide prevention training, (2) delineate qualifying programs, (3) establish a system of control and reporting, and (4) provide for a waiver of the continuing education requirement for good cause.

Sec. 7. Subsection (b) of section 20-195u of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2015):

(b) Continuing education required pursuant to this section shall be related to the practice of social work and shall include not less than one contact hour of training or education each registration period on the topic of cultural competency and, on and after January 1, 2016, not less than two contact hours of training or education each registration period on the topic of mental health conditions common to veterans and family members of veterans, including (1) determining whether a patient is a veteran or family member of a veteran, (2) screening for conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder, risk of suicide, depression and grief, and (3) suicide prevention training. Such continuing education shall consist of courses, workshops and conferences offered or approved by the Association of Social Work Boards, the National Association of Social Workers or a school or department of social work accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. A licensee's ability to engage in on-line and home study continuing education shall be limited to not more than six hours per registration period. Within the registration period, an initial presentation by a licensee of an original paper, essay or formal lecture in social work to a recognized group of fellow professionals may account for five hours of continuing education hours of the aggregate continuing education requirements prescribed in this section.

Sec. 8. Subsection (b) of section 20-10b of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2015):

(b) Except as otherwise provided in subsections (d), (e) and (f) of this section, a licensee applying for license renewal shall earn a minimum of fifty contact hours of continuing medical education within the preceding twenty-four-month period. Such continuing medical education shall (1) be in an area of the physician's practice; (2) reflect the professional needs of the licensee in order to meet the health care needs of the public; and (3) during the first renewal period in which continuing medical education is required and not less than once every six years thereafter, include at least one contact hour of training or education in each of the following topics: (A) Infectious diseases, including, but not limited to, acquired immune deficiency syndrome and human immunodeficiency virus, (B) risk management, (C) sexual assault, (D) domestic violence, (E) cultural competency, and (F) behavioral health, and on and after January 1, 2016, include not less than two contact hours of training or education each renewal period on the topic of mental health conditions common to veterans and family members of veterans, including (i) determining whether a patient is a veteran or family member of a veteran, (ii) screening for conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder, risk of suicide, depression and grief, and (iii) suicide prevention training. For purposes of this section, qualifying continuing medical education activities include, but are not limited to, courses offered or approved by the American Medical Association, American Osteopathic Medical Association, Connecticut Hospital Association, Connecticut State Medical Society, county medical societies or equivalent organizations in another jurisdiction, educational offerings sponsored by a hospital or other health care institution or courses offered by a regionally accredited academic institution or a state or local health department. The commissioner, or the commissioner's designee, may grant a waiver for not more than ten contact hours of continuing medical education for a physician who: (i) Engages in activities related to the physician's service as a member of the Connecticut Medical Examining Board, established pursuant to section 20-8a; (ii) engages in activities related to the physician's service as a member of a medical hearing panel, pursuant to section 20-8a; or (iii) assists the department with its duties to boards and commissions as described in section 19a-14.

This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections:
Section 1	October 1, 2015	20-74t(a)
Sec. 2	October 1, 2015	20-32
Sec. 3	October 1, 2015	20-94a
Sec. 4	October 1, 2015	20-191c(b)
Sec. 5	October 1, 2015	20-195c(c)
Sec. 6	October 1, 2015	20-195cc(b)
Sec. 7	October 1, 2015	20-195u(b)
Sec. 8	October 1, 2015	20-10b(b)

VA	Joint Favorable Subst. -LCO
PH	Joint Favorable