SB193 Alabama 2018 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Greg J. Reed

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2018

Title

Psychology Professional Wellness Committee, established within Psychology Examiners board to provide intervention services to impaired licensed professionals, duties, immunity provided, Sec. 34-26-4 added

Summary

The bill creates the Alabama Psychology Professionals Wellness Committee to identify and help impaired licensed psychologists and psychological technicians, under the Board of Examiners in Psychology, with support from contracted providers and legal protections.

What This Bill Does

It would establish the Alabama Psychology Professionals Wellness Committee within the Board of Examiners in Psychology to identify and intervene in impairments due to illness, substance use, or other conditions. The board could contract with a nonprofit organization, health professional, or professional association to assist the committee with duties like receiving reports, intervening, arranging treatment, referring licensees to treatment, and monitoring recovery. It also sets who serves on the committee, requires reporting procedures, keeps records confidential, and preserves the board's disciplinary authority, while allowing treatment to influence disciplinary actions.

Who It Affects

• Licensed psychologists and licensed psychological technicians in Alabama who may be identified as impaired and may receive evaluation, intervention, treatment referrals, and post-treatment monitoring.
• The Alabama Board of Examiners in Psychology, which oversees the Wellness Committee, sets appointments, enacts rules, and retains authority to discipline licensees.

Key Provisions

• Creates the Alabama Psychology Professionals Wellness Committee within the Board of Examiners in Psychology to identify and intervene in impairment of licensed psychology professionals.
• Authorizes the board to contract with a nonprofit organization, health professional, or professional association to assist the committee in its duties (e.g., receiving reports, intervening, arranging treatment, monitoring).
• Specifies committee composition: not fewer than 3 and not more than 11 members, consisting of licensed psychologists or licensed psychological technicians appointed by the board, plus one member representing the contractor.
• Outlines duties of the contractor and committee, including receiving/evaluating reports, intervening in impairment, contracting with treatment providers, referring to treatment, monitoring treatment/recovery, and providing post-treatment support.
• Requires the board to develop reporting procedures for periodic and annual reporting on committee activities.
• Gives the committee authority to evaluate a licensee for impairment if there is reasonable cause, with findings reported to the board, while preserving the board’s disciplinary authority.
• Allows the board to refrain from disciplinary action if the licensee is undergoing treatment and participating in recommended programs, or if the board has referred the licensee for committee evaluation.
• Keeps all committee information confidential; records are not public and may only be used for committee purposes, with disclosures limited by the chapter and certain breach consequences to the board for disciplinary purposes.
• Provides immunity from liability for committee members, contractor representatives, and associated personnel acting within their duties, and extends immunity to nonprofit/health providers or associations contracting with the board.
• Authorizes the board to fund the committee’s operational expenses (not treatment costs), with funds not subject to competitive bidding laws.
• Effective date: becomes law on the first day of the sixth month after passage and governor approval.

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

Subjects

Psychology, Alabama Board of Examiners in