Psych Plug
LSSP Newsletter
Chatter from Crissy
I hope you are masked up and taking care of yourself and yours! This edition of PSYCH PLUG is all about updated information from our licensing board.
This year gives us pause to truly contemplate "being thankful"! The words of "I'm thankful for my health, my family and my job" are not rote for 2020!!
I am thankful for you all and the tireless work you are doing under unprecedented circumstances in unprecedented times in education.
Keep your chin up! You are making a difference in students' lives.
Crissy
Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council (TBHEC)
Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council (TBHEC)
The Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council was created by the 86th Legislature in 2019 following consecutive reviews of its member boards by the Sunset Advisory Commission. The Council consists of the Texas State Board of Examiners of Marriage and Family Therapists, Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors, Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists, and the Texas State Board of Social Worker Examiners.
The Council is designed to play a central role in the regulation of behavioral health services and social work practice in Texas.
The Move to Biennial License Renewal
YES!
- If so, you saw an increased renewal fee while continuing to demonstrate 20 hours of professional development. You are now on a biennial renewal cycle and your next biennial renewal will require 40 hours of professional development during that period, per Board rule (463.35 (a)).
NO!
- If not, you will be joining the biennial renewal process during your next birth month (remember the initial selection of half of licensees only spanned from November 2019 to October 2020). You will be required to demonstrate 20 hours of professional development for your first biennial renewal while paying the increased renewal fee. All subsequent biennial renewals will require 40 hours of professional development.
The link to the Online Licensing/Renewal System on the Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council webpage, where all license renewals will occur, can be found here: https://www.bhec.texas.gov/online-license-renewal-system/index.html
New Annual License Renewal Requirement: Human Trafficking Prevention
H.B. 2059 was adopted by the legislature and signed into law by Governor Abbott following the 86th Legislature. This bill, which added Chapter 116 to the Occupations Code, requires health care practitioners to successfully complete an HHSC-approved Human Trafficking Prevention training course as a condition for renewal of a license on or after September 1, 2020.
Information about HHSC-approved Human Trafficking Prevention training courses is available on HHSC’s Health Care Practitioner Human Trafficking Training webpage here: https://hhs.texas.gov/services/safety/texas-human-trafficking-resource-center/health-care-practitioner-human-trafficking-training at the link entitled "Take the SOAR to Health and Wellness training course."
At this time, the SOAR training on the HHSC's Health Care Practitioner webpage is the only approved course. This is an annual license renewal requirement.
Please note-- The course information indicates that it will take approximately 1 hour to complete. However, feedback from many licensees has indicated that the course takes more than one hour so you may wish to plan accordingly.
NO MORE PRINTING OF LICENSES
From the Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council on November 5th:
The Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council voted to discontinue printing and mailing renewal permits at its October 27, 2020 regular meeting. This decision was made in-part because licensees are no longer required to display a renewal permit alongside their license and because the information contained in renewal permits is now available through the Council’s online license verification system.
Beginning November 16th, the Council will no longer print or mail renewal permits when licensees renew their license. Licensees may verify whether their license has been renewed through the Council’s online verification system and print out the status of their license if proof is needed, e.g. to submit to an insurance company. The information available through the online verification system is both accurate and based upon agency records, and is considered primary source verification.
Lastly, licensees can still order a renewal permit through