HB265 Alabama 2021 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Neil RaffertyRepresentative

Democrat

Co-Sponsor

Paul W. Lee

Session

Regular Session 2021

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

HB265 creates the Alabama Psychology Professionals Wellness Committee within the Board of Examiners in Psychology to identify, intervene, and help treat impaired licensed psychology professionals, with confidentiality protections and board oversight.

What This Bill Does

It establishes the Alabama Psychology Professionals Wellness Committee and authorizes the board to contract with nonprofits or health professionals to assist with reporting, intervention, treatment, monitoring, and post-treatment support. It requires procedures for periodic and annual reporting on committee activity, allows the board to require evaluations, and lets the board refrain from disciplinary action if a licensee is in treatment, while preserving the board's disciplinary authority. It also sets confidentiality rules for committee records and outlines funding for committee operations separate from treatment costs.

Who It Affects

• Licensed psychologists and licensed psychological technicians in Alabama who may be identified as impaired, referred for treatment, and monitored during rehabilitation.
• The Alabama Board of Examiners in Psychology, which oversees the committee, reviews reports, may discipline licensees, and may contract with external organizations to run the program.

Key Provisions

• Establishes the Alabama Psychology Professionals Wellness Committee under the Board of Examiners in Psychology, with 3-11 resident members reflecting state diversity.
• The board must develop a program to promote early identification, treatment, and rehabilitation of impaired licensees.
• The board may contract with a nonprofit organization, health professional, or professional association to perform committee duties such as receiving reports, intervening, referring to treatment, monitoring, and post-treatment support.
• The board must develop procedures for periodic reporting of committee activity and an annual report on operations.
• The committee reports to the board on suspected impairment and treatment needs; the board may require evaluations; the board retains disciplinary authority and may refrain from disciplinary action if treatment is ongoing.
• All committee records and proceedings are confidential and not public; regular licensee records outside committee proceedings may not be immune from discovery; breaches can be disclosed to the board for disciplinary purposes.
• The board may fund the committee from available funds, but funds cannot cover treatment costs and are not subject to competitive bidding.
• Effective January 1, 2022.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 22, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Psychology, Alabama Board of Examiners in