behavioral health;
definitions
HB 2570 broadens the Board of Behavioral Health Examiners statutes to include the practice of psychotherapy.
The Board of Behavioral Health Examiners (Board) provides voluntary certification in four professions: counseling, marriage and family therapy, social work and substance abuse counseling. The Board currently certifies 5,798 behavioral health professionals in the state of Arizona and has a FY 2001-2002 operating budget of $673,000. The Board consists of eight public and eight professional members with four credentialling committees.
The Board of Behavioral Health Examiners statute A.R.S. § 32-3251 defines the term “psychotherapy” as a variety of treatment methods developing out of generally accepted theories about human behavior and development. This term is currently applied to social workers certified by the Board of Behavioral Health Examiners. HB 2570 extends the use of this term to certified professional counselors, marriage and family therapists and substance abuse counselors also certified under this section. The Board of Behavioral Health Examiners has stated that most services provided by their certified professionals fall within the definition of psychotherapy as the definition is very broad.
The Board of Psychologist Examiners statute A.R.S. § 32-2084 provides that a person may not use the designation “psychotherapist” or advertise services that include the root word “psycho.” Recently this was interpreted by the Board of Psychologist Examiners to mean certified behavioral health professionals should not be practicing psychotherapy. As a result, the Board of Psychologist Examiners issued cease and desist letters to certified behavioral health professionals advertising the service of psychotherapy.
In addition, when behavioral health professionals bill insurance companies for their services, they are required to use the correct CPT codes to denote their services. The only code available for counseling services specifies the service being billed as psychotherapy. If behavioral health professionals cannot acknowledge their services as psychotherapy, they are unable to become eligible for reimbursement through insurance companies.
HB 2570 includes “psychotherapy” in the definitions for behavioral health professionals certified through the Board of Behavioral Health Examiners.