FMHCA Emerges Victorious from the 2022 Florida Legislative Session Legislative Update from FMHCA Lobbyist, Corinne Mixon
Session concluded – several days late due to disagreements over Florida’s $112 billion budget – on Monday, March 14th. A significant accomplishment – Early in the final week of session, Sen. Ana Maria Rodriguez, (R-Miami), presented HB 1521, a bill titled Mental Health Counseling Compacts, for the final time. It passed with unanimous approval through the Senate chamber. The bill, which was brought to its sponsor in the House of Representatives, Tracy Koster (R-Tampa) and Sen. Rodriguez, by FMHCA and key constituents, surfaced as one of the only bills to pass dealing with licensed health care professionals – an abnormal occurrence during any given legislative session. In fact, the bill was among the 285 bills to pass this legislative session even though an astonishing 3685 were filed by the 150 members of the House and Senate! FMHCA’s leadership and government relations committee, coupled with our lobbying efforts, were integral in ensuring this success. Rationale for the bill – There is currently a health care provider shortage in the U.S. This shortage is predicted to continue into the foreseeable future and will likely worsen with the aging and growth of the U.S. population. According to the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), the U.S. will experience a 7% increase in demand for mental health counselors by 2030, producing a shortage of approximately 6,870 mental health counselors nationwide. In Florida, HRSA estimates a shortage of 3,400 mental health counselors by 2030. Exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, the American Academy of Pediatrics declared a national state of emergency in children’s mental health, creating a need for more mental health professionals and increased access to such. Interstate compacts are a proven solution. The compact – An interstate compact is agreement between states to enact legislation and enter into a contract for a specific, limited purpose. In 2020, the National Center for Interstate Compacts adopted model legislation for the Professional Counselors Licensure Compact (PCLC or compact) which
