Governor Gretchen Whitmer recently signed two bipartisan bills aimed at increasing access to mental health services in Michigan by expanding mental health services across state lines.
A package of measures, House Bills 5488 and 5489, allows Michigan to license psychologists and participate in the Interjurisdictional Compact of Psychology. This provides temporary in-person services across jurisdictions and authorizes licensed psychologists to provide remote mental health services outside of licensed states.
Rep. Felicia Brabec of D-Pittsfield Township, who sponsored House Bill 5489, said in a statement that the legislation will help address the effects of a shortage of mental health providers that Michigans are feeling. I was.
“This will allow us to continue to care for our clients, especially if they have moved. It will also allow underserved people to access these much-needed resources.” ‘ said Brabeck. “We must continue to address the issue of access. This is one price he can enact to address this growing problem.”
Brabeck said he was proud to have worked with Rep. Bronna Kale (R-Adrian), the sponsor of House Bill 5488, to help ensure that residents get the mental health services they need. said.
Currently, 31 states, Washington, DC, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands participate in the Interjurisdictional Compact for Psychology. Florida, Massachusetts, and New York have also joined by introducing similar legislation.
Brittany Barber Garcia, a board-certified psychologist and president of the Michigan Psychological Association, said in a statement that she was grateful to lawmakers and Whitmer for their support in achieving this achievement.
“Recent years have shown a tremendous need for Michigan residents to have access to mental health care. Given the increased comfort and access to telemedicine services, Michigan’s (inter-psychology interjurisdictional compact) approval could not have come at a more appropriate and necessary time,” said Garcia. He said. “This bill will allow psychologists to introduce appropriate legal, ethical, and regulated practices to legally practice across state lines, providing residents statewide with the necessary spiritual and It allows us to improve access to behavioral health care.”
Introduced last October, the law received a lot of support in the state legislature and was passed in a few lame-duck sessions in early December. The pair are his one of more than 20 bills given the governor’s signature this month.
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