Complete Story
03/08/2024
SB 60 was pulled from the docket for a possible vote
As reported recently in an Action Alert to members, Senate Bill (SB) 60, a bill creating a Certified Mental Health Assistant (CMHA) role with prescriptive authority, was scheduled for a sixth hearing, with a possible vote to pass out of the Senate Workforce and Higher Education Committee on Wednesday, February 28 at 11 a.m. However, that bill was removed from the committee docket on the morning of the 28th.
This was the result of the tremendous advocacy efforts of OPPA and its members, as well as other coalition partners including, OSMA and OAFP asking legislators to vote no on the bill. The joint letter of opposition to members of the Senate Workforce and Higher Education Committee had a tremendous impact.
The OPPA continues to have concerns with this bill as it would create a new mental health practitioner with presciptive authority without defined educational requirements to satisfy certification. There are no similar programs from any other state from which to draw curriculum standards. Nor, is there a national accrediting body, like there is for all other providers.
