HB166 Alabama 2018 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Randy Davis

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2018

Title

Marriage and Family Therapy Board, practice of marriage and family therapy further defined to include diagnosis of mental and emotional problems, certain limitations deleted, Sec. 34-17A-3 am'd.

Summary

HB 166 expands the practice of marriage and family therapy to include diagnosing mental and emotional disorders and removes some existing practice limitations.

What This Bill Does

It adds diagnosis of mental and emotional disorders to the scope of marriage and family therapy. It deletes certain limitations on what therapists can do, potentially allowing actions that were previously restricted, but only within the bounds of their education, training, and board rules. It maintains that therapists must operate only within their trained capabilities and follow board standards.

Who It Affects

• Licensed marriage and family therapists — gain explicit authority to diagnose mental and emotional disorders and may have a broader practice scope subject to training and board rules.
• Clients/patients seeking therapy — may receive diagnoses from licensed MFTs and access expanded services from MFTs.

Key Provisions

• Definition of the practice now includes the use of principles to diagnose mental and emotional disorders as part of marriage and family therapy.
• The bill deletes certain limitations on the practice, removing or relaxing restrictions such as administering and interpreting certain psychological tests, hospital admissions, hospital-based treatment without medical supervision, prescribing medicines, authorizing clinical laboratory or radiological procedures, and use of electroconvulsive therapy.
• The bill preserves that MFTs cannot perform acts outside their education and training, and such acts remain governed by board standards.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Marriage and Family Therapy, Board of Examiners in