CORRECTIONS; ALCOHOL/DRUG EDUCATION; ALCOHOL/DRUG ABUSE;

CORRECTIONS, CT DEPT OF;

You asked for the rationale for HB 6570, “An Act Concerning Substance Abuse Counselors Employed by the Department of Correction. ”

HB 6570 is meant to build upon and correct legislation passed last year (PA 02-75). That act requires alcohol and drug abuse counselors (substance abuse counselors) employed by the Department of Correction (DOC) to be licensed or certified, depending on when they are hired. But the act specified that it does not apply to trainees or student interns. Prior law had exempted all state-employed alcohol and drug counselors from licensure and certification. HB 6570 also exempts those who are counseling DOC clients to satisfy the substance abuse counselor licensure law’s supervised, paid work experience requirement.

Ultimately, individuals must be licensed or certified if they wish to work as DOC substance abuse counselors. Last year’s act and this bill are exempting from licensure or certification those individuals who are acting, for a limited period of time, as a trainee or student intern, or in a paid work experience capacity for purposes of meeting the requirements for licensure or certification.

By law, substance abuse counselors must (1) complete an accredited master’s degree program or be certified clinical supervisors and (2) be certified by DPH. One of the criteria for DPH certification is completion of three years of supervised, paid work experience or acceptable unpaid internships. Candidates can substitute a master’s degree for one year of experience.

Testimony on the bill was limited, and the Judiciary Committee’s Joint Favorable Report indicates no opposition. DOC Commissioner Theresa Lantz testified, “The purpose of this bill is to make a technical change to existing language that will allow for college educated employees to obtain their clinical supervision requirements to establish licensure or certification in accordance with the appropriate general statute as offered in this bill proposal. ”

She continued, “during the last legislative session, the Department of Correction and the Department of Public Health worked with the chairpersons and members of the Public Health Committee to pursue appropriate language for this statute, which was designed to remove the exemption clause for certain state employees from having to be certified or licensed to perform substance abuse related services. Upon passage of the bill it was later determined that the language within the bill did not properly reflect its intent. Therefore, the language offered before you today is intended to make the appropriate changes as suggested by the Department of Public Health, Licensure and Certification Division. ” (April 4, 2003 testimony before the Judiciary Committee. )

JK: ts