AB 468 Chapter 168—Emotional Support Animals Effective January 2, 2022 Full text: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient. xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB468 This bill requires all healthcare providers to comply with all of the following if they are providing documentation regarding the need for an emotional support animal: ● Have a valid, active license, and include their license effective date, license number, jurisdiction, and type of professional license in the documentation ● Be licensed in the jurisdiction where the documentation is provided (i.e., where the client is located) ● Establish a client–provider relationship with the individual for at least 30 days prior to providing the documentation ● Complete a clinical evaluation of the individual regarding the need for an emotional support dog
● Provide a verbal or written notice to the individual that knowingly or fraudulently representing oneself as the owner or trainer of any dog licensed, qualified, or identified as a guide, signal, or service dog is a misdemeanor violation The bill applies the following definitions: a. “Emotional support animal” means an animal that provides emotional, cognitive, or other similar support to an individual with a disability, and that does not need to be trained or certified. b. “Emotional support dog” means a dog that provides emotional, cognitive, or other similar support to an individual with a disability, and that does not need to be trained or certified. A healthcare practitioner may be subject to discipline from the healthcare practitioner’s licensing board for a violation of this section. or from the commencement of residency in the state, whichever occurs first. This bill states that a psychologist certified or licensed in another state or Canadian province who has made application to the Board for a license in California and is married to, or in a domestic partnership or other legal union with, an active duty memory of the U.S. armed forces may continue to practice psychology in California under the other state’s license for one year from the time of submitting their application or from the time they begin residency in California, whichever occurs first. E. Nonurgent appointments with a nonphysician mental health care or substance use disorder provider: within 10 business days of the request for appointment, except as provided in subparagraphs (H) and (I). F. Commencing July 1, 2022, nonurgent follow up appointments with a nonphysician mental health care or substance use disorder provider: within 10 business days of the prior appointment for those undergoing a course of treatment for an ongoing mental health or substance use disorder condition, except as provided in subparagraph (H). This subparagraph does not limit coverage for nonurgent follow up appointments with a nonphysician mental health care or substance use disorder provider to once every 10 business days. The exceptions detailed in subparagraphs (H) and (I) state: H. The applicable waiting time for a particular appointment may be extended if the referring or treating licensed health care provider, or the health professional providing triage or screening services, as applicable, acting within the scope of their practice and consistent with professionally recognized standards of practice, has determined and noted in the relevant record that a longer waiting time will not have a detrimental impact on the health of the enrollee. I. Preventive care services and periodic follow up care, including standing referrals to specialists for chronic conditions, periodic office visits to monitor and treat pregnancy, cardiac, mental health, or substance use disorder conditions, and laboratory and radiological monitoring for recurrence of disease, may be scheduled in advance consistent with professionally recognized standards of practice as determined by the treating licensed health care provider acting within the scope of their practice. Chapter 6.6 of the Business and Professions Code. Existing law authorizes a person other than a licensed psychologist to register with the board as a registered psychological associate and perform specified psychological functions if specified
AB 107 Chapter 693—Licensure: Veterans and Military Spouses Effective January 1, 2022 Full text: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient. xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB107
Existing law authorizes a psychologist certified or licensed in another state or Canadian province who has applied to the board for licensure to provide activities and services of a psychological nature without a valid license for a period not to exceed 180 days from the time of submitting their application
SB 221 Chapter 724:—Health Care Coverage: Timely Access to Care Full text: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient. xhtml?bill_id=202120220SB221
Previous law and regulations set clear access standards for initial appointments with nonphysician providers of mental health and substance abuse disorders services but did not set similarly clear access standards for provision of follow-up services. This bill closed that loophole. This bill requires both a healthcare service plan and a health insurer, including a Medi-Cal Managed Care Plan, to ensure that appointments with nonphysician mental health and substance use disorder providers are subject to the timely access requirements. The bill additionally requires, as of July 1, 2022, that a healthcare service plan and a health insurer, including a Medi-Cal Managed Care Plan, must ensure that an insured individual who is undergoing a course of treatment for an ongoing mental health or substance use disorder condition is able to get a follow-up appointment with a nonphysician mental health care or substance use disorder provider within 10 business days of the prior appointment. The bill requires that a referral to a specialist by another provider must meet the timely access standards. If a healthcare service plan is operating in a service area that has a shortage of providers and the plan is not able to meet the geographic and timely access standards for providing mental health or substance use disorder services with an in-network provider, the bill requires the plan, including a Medi-Cal Managed Care Plan, to arrange coverage outside the plan’s contracted network. Section 1367.03 of the Health and Safety Code states that a healthcare service plan shall ensure that its contracted provider network has adequate capacity and availability of licensed health care providers to offer enrollees appointments that meet specific timeframes. Subsections which apply to psychologist services have been amended to read: SB 1428—Psychological Testing Technicians Full text: https://ctweb.capitoltrack.com/Bills/21Bills/sen/ sb_1401- 1450/sb_1428_97_E_bill.pdf This bill was passed and presented to the governor on September 6, 2022, for signature. It will add Article 10 to
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