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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>73615</law_id><section_number>54.1-3521</section_number><catch_line>Scope of practice, supervision, and qualifications of qualified mental health professional-trainees</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>54.1-3500</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="54.1">Professions and Occupations</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="III">Professions and Occupations Regulated by Boards Within the Department of Health Professions</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="35">Professional Counseling</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="4">Behavioral Health Technicians and Qualified Mental Health Professionals</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> A <span class="dictionary"><span class="dictionary">qualified mental health professional</span>-trainee</span> shall be qualified to perform, under <span class="dictionary">Board</span>-approved <span class="dictionary">supervision</span>, <span class="dictionary">collaborative behavioral health services</span>, including the supportive functions of (i) screening; (ii) intake; (iii) orientation; (iv) care coordination; (v) client education; (vi) <span class="dictionary">referral activities</span>; (vii) initiating crisis de-escalation; (viii) gathering histories of mental and physical health conditions, alcohol and drug use, past <span class="dictionary">mental health treatment</span>, 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 <span class="dictionary"><span class="dictionary">qualified mental health professional</span>-trainee</span> shall not engage in independent or autonomous practice and shall only perform <span class="dictionary">collaborative behavioral health services</span>. <a id="paragraph-264772" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/54.1-3521/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> Such registered <span class="dictionary"><span class="dictionary">qualified mental health professional</span>-trainees</span> 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 <span class="dictionary">supervision</span> that has been approved by the <span class="dictionary">Board</span> of <span class="dictionary">Counseling</span>, <span class="dictionary">Board</span> of Psychology, or <span class="dictionary">Board</span> of Social Work as a prerequisite for licensure and who has completed the required supervisor training, or a registered <span class="dictionary">qualified mental health professional</span> who has practiced for three years and completed the required supervisor training. <a id="paragraph-264773" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/54.1-3521/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> Pursuant to regulations adopted by the <span class="dictionary">Board</span>, an applicant for registration as a <span class="dictionary"><span class="dictionary">qualified mental health professional</span>-trainee</span> shall submit <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> satisfactory to the <span class="dictionary">Board</span> that the applicant has (i) completed a specified number of hours of didactic education in a program or programs recognized or approved by the <span class="dictionary">Board</span> and (ii) received, at a minimum, a bachelor&#x2019;s degree from an institution of higher education accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the <span class="dictionary">Board</span> or is actively enrolled and in good standing in a bachelor&#x2019;s degree program from an institution of higher education accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the <span class="dictionary">Board</span>. <a id="paragraph-264774" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/54.1-3521/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>2024, c. 595.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
