An Act To Improve the Ability of Mental Health Professionals To Assess the Risk of Suicide
Maine Legislature, Session 129, LD 0429
Committee: Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services
Sponsors: BEEBE-CENTER, VITELLI, EVANGELOS, PERRY, SYLVESTER, TALBOT ROSS, WARREN, BREEN, CARSON, DOW
Amends: 32 MRSA §3835, 32 MRSA §7060, 32 MRSA §13858

Legislative Document
No. 429
H.P. 338
House of Representatives, January 29, 2019
An Act To Improve the Ability of Mental Health Professionals To 
Assess the Risk of Suicide
Reference to the Committee on Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services 
suggested and ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative BEEBE-CENTER of Rockland.
Cosponsored by Senator VITELLI of Sagadahoc and
Representatives: EVANGELOS of Friendship, PERRY of Calais, SYLVESTER of Portland, 
TALBOT ROSS of Portland, WARREN of Hallowell, Senators: BREEN of Cumberland, 
CARSON of Cumberland, DOW of Lincoln.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  32 MRSA §3835, as amended by PL 2013, c. 262, §2, is further amended 
by adding after the first paragraph a new paragraph to read:
Beginning January 1, 2020, a person who submits an application for license renewal 
shall demonstrate to the satisfaction of the board successful completion of a minimum of 
hours of course work in the previous 10 years in suicide prevention, evidence-based 
suicide risk assessment or the treatment and management of suicidal persons, including 
knowledge of community resources and cultural factors.  Continuing education courses 
taken pursuant to this paragraph may be used to satisfy the licensee's other continuing 
education requirements.
Sec. 2.  32 MRSA §7060, as amended by PL 2013, c. 262, §4, is further amended 
by adding after the first paragraph a new paragraph to read:
Beginning January 1, 2020, a person who submits an application for license renewal 
shall demonstrate to the satisfaction of the board successful completion of a minimum of 
hours of course work in the previous 10 years in suicide prevention, evidence-based 
suicide risk assessment or the treatment and management of suicidal persons, including 
knowledge of community resources and cultural factors.  Continuing education courses 
taken pursuant to this paragraph may be used to satisfy the licensee's other continuing 
education requirements.
Sec. 3.  32 MRSA §13858, sub-§2, ¶B, as amended by PL 2013, c. 262, §5, is 
further amended to read:
B.  Two years of experience after obtainment of a master's degree or a doctoral 
degree to include at least 3,000 hours of supervised clinical experience with a 
minimum of 100 hours of personal supervision; and
Sec. 4.  32 MRSA §13858, sub-§2, ¶C, as enacted by PL 2013, c. 262, §5, is 
amended to read:
C.  Beginning January 1, 2020 2022, demonstrated to the satisfaction of the board 
successful completion of a minimum of 12 hours of course work in family or intimate 
partner violence, including course work in spousal or partner abuse that addresses 
screening, referral and intervention strategies, including knowledge of community 
resources, cultural factors, evidence-based risk assessment and same-gender abuse 
dynamics.  An applicant may fulfill this requirement through course work taken in 
fulfillment of other educational requirements for licensure or through separate course 
work provided through contact hours, Internet hours or distance learning programs, as 
evidenced by certification from an accredited educational institution.  The board shall 
accept certification from the accredited educational institution from which the 
applicant is a graduate that verifies the applicant's satisfaction of this requirement 
within the applicant's completed course curriculum.  An applicant for initial licensure 
that is unable to demonstrate completion of the requirements of this paragraph at the 
time the initial application is submitted shall demonstrate to the board that these 
requirements have been fulfilled upon the applicant's first application for license 
renewal.; and
Sec. 5.  32 MRSA §13858, sub-§2, ¶D is enacted to read:
D.  Beginning January 1, 2020, demonstrated to the satisfaction of the board 
successful completion of a minimum of 6 hours of course work in the previous 10 
years in suicide prevention, evidence-based suicide risk assessment or the treatment 
and management of suicidal persons, including knowledge of community resources 
and cultural factors.  Continuing education courses taken pursuant to this paragraph 
may be used to satisfy the licensee's other continuing education requirements.
SUMMARY
This bill adds a new requirement for the renewal of professional licenses for 
psychologists, social workers and licensed clinical professional counselors that each must 
show proof upon renewal that the licensee has completed a minimum of 6 hours of course 
work every 10 years in suicide prevention, evidence-based suicide risk assessment or the 
treatment and management of suicidal persons, including knowledge of community 
resources and cultural factors.  These courses may be used to satisfy the licensee's other 
continuing education requirements.  The bill also changes, from January 1, 2020 to 
January 1, 2022, the date that licensed clinical professional counselors must begin 
demonstrating successful completion of a minimum of 12 hours of course work in family 
or intimate partner violence.