Virginia Law

Article 4. Behavioral Health Technicians and Qualified Mental Health Professionals.

A. A registered behavioral health technician shall be (i) qualified to perform, under Board-approved supervision, collaborative behavioral health services, training on prevention of mental health and substance use disorders, and mental health literacy and the supportive functions of screening, intake, orientation, care coordination, client education, and recordkeeping and (ii) after three years of practicing as a behavioral health technician in good standing and completion of the required behavioral health technician supervisor training set forth by the Board, qualified to supervise, as part of a collaborative team, behavioral health technicians and behavioral health technician assistants. A registered behavioral health technician shall not engage in independent or autonomous practice and shall only perform collaborative behavioral health services.

B. Such registered behavioral health technician shall be supervised by a mental health professional licensed by the Department of Health Professions, a person under supervision that has been approved by the Board of Counseling, Board of Psychology, or Board of Social Work as a prerequisite for licensure who has completed the required supervisor training, or a registered qualified mental health professional who has practiced for three years and completed the required supervisor training.

C. Pursuant to regulations adopted by the Board, an applicant for registration as a behavioral health technician shall submit evidence satisfactory to the Board that the applicant has (i) completed a specified number of hours of didactic education in a program or programs recognized or approved by the Board and (ii) received, at a minimum, an associate degree from an institution of higher education accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the Board. A bachelor's degree shall not be a requirement for registration as a behavioral health technician.

2024, c. 595.

A. A registered behavioral health technician assistant shall be qualified to perform, under Board-approved supervision, collaborative behavioral health services, training on prevention of mental health and substance use disorders, and mental health literacy and the supportive functions of screening, intake, orientation, care coordination, client education, and recordkeeping. A registered behavioral health technician assistant shall not engage in independent or autonomous practice and shall only provide collaborative behavioral health services.

B. Such registered behavioral health technician assistants shall be supervised by either a mental health professional licensed by the Department of Health Professions who has completed the required supervisor training, a person under supervision that has been approved by the Board of Counseling, Board of Psychology, or Board of Social Work as a prerequisite for licensure who has completed the required supervisor training, a registered qualified mental health professional who has practiced for three years and completed the required supervisor training, or a registered behavioral health technician who has practiced for three years and completed the required supervisor training.

C. Pursuant to regulations adopted by the Board, an applicant for registration as a behavioral health technician assistant shall submit evidence satisfactory to the Board that the applicant has (i) received, at a minimum, a high school diploma or its equivalent and (ii) completed a specified number of hours of didactic education in a program recognized or approved by the Board.

2024, c. 595.

A. A qualified mental health professional shall be qualified to perform, under Board-approved supervision, collaborative behavioral health services, including the supportive functions of (i) screening; (ii) intake; (iii) orientation; (iv) care coordination; (v) client education; (vi) referral activities; (vii) initiating crisis de-escalation; (viii) gathering histories of mental and physical health conditions, alcohol and drug use, past mental health treatment, and interactions with the criminal justice system; (ix) providing psychosocial skills development; (x) implementing interventions as assigned on individual plans of care and documenting the interventions for the purposes of recordkeeping; and (xi) prevention of mental health and substance use disorders. A registered qualified mental health professional shall not engage in independent or autonomous practice and shall only perform collaborative behavioral health services.

B. Such registered qualified mental health professionals shall be supervised by either a mental health professional licensed by the Department of Health Professions who has completed the required supervisor training, a person under supervision that has been approved by the Board of Counseling, Board of Psychology, or Board of Social Work as a prerequisite for licensure who has completed the required supervisor training, or a registered qualified mental health professional who has practiced for three years and completed the required supervisor training. Registered qualified mental health professionals who have met the supervisor requirements may supervise activities within their scope. This supervision must occur under the broader required direction of and in collaboration with the licensed mental health professional or licensed eligible mental health professional.

C. Pursuant to regulations adopted by the Board, an applicant for registration as a qualified mental health professional shall submit evidence satisfactory to the Board that the applicant has (i) completed a specified number of hours of didactic education in a program or programs recognized or approved by the Board; (ii) received, at a minimum, a bachelor's degree from an institution of higher education accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the Board; and (iii) accumulated a specified number of hours of Board-approved supervised experience.

2024, c. 595.

A. A qualified mental health professional-trainee shall be qualified to perform, under Board-approved supervision, collaborative behavioral health services, including the supportive functions of (i) screening; (ii) intake; (iii) orientation; (iv) care coordination; (v) client education; (vi) referral activities; (vii) initiating crisis de-escalation; (viii) gathering histories of mental and physical health conditions, alcohol and drug use, past mental health treatment, and interactions with the criminal justice system; (ix) providing psychosocial skills development; (x) implementing interventions as assigned on individual plans of care and documenting the interventions for the purposes of recordkeeping; and (xi) prevention of mental health and substance use disorders. A registered qualified mental health professional-trainee shall not engage in independent or autonomous practice and shall only perform collaborative behavioral health services.

B. Such registered qualified mental health professional-trainees shall be supervised by a mental health professional licensed by the Department of Health Professions who has completed the required supervisor training, a person under supervision that has been approved by the Board of Counseling, Board of Psychology, or Board of Social Work as a prerequisite for licensure and who has completed the required supervisor training, or a registered qualified mental health professional who has practiced for three years and completed the required supervisor training.

C. Pursuant to regulations adopted by the Board, an applicant for registration as a qualified mental health professional-trainee shall submit evidence satisfactory to the Board that the applicant has (i) completed a specified number of hours of didactic education in a program or programs recognized or approved by the Board and (ii) received, at a minimum, a bachelor's degree from an institution of higher education accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the Board or is actively enrolled and in good standing in a bachelor's degree program from an institution of higher education accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the Board.

2024, c. 595.