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NASW-Utah Members,
Regrettably, HB281, which seeks to restrict therapeutic topics and impose additional burdens on school therapists, passed in committee. Shockingly, during the committee hearing, several members proposed amendments that would severely undermine ethical therapy for students in Utah.
We strongly encourage you to watch the debate and stay informed about the conversations happening. You can access the recording here:
Friday, January 31 - Audio/Video
Click to Watch
LINK TO LEGISLATION
HB281 now moves to the full House for a vote. We urgently encourage you to reach out to your representative starting Monday to express your opposition to this bill. When reaching out, please emphasize the harm this bill will cause to children and, if possible, share personal stories that highlight these concerns.
Key Tips for Contacting Your House Representative:
- Use "Constituent Email" in the subject line.
- Reference HB281: Health Curriculum and Procedure Amendments.
- Keep your message concise, professional, and personal.
We anticipate a difficult fight ahead, as many legislators are working behind the scenes to secure support for this bill.
Additionally, we are closely monitoring another piece of legislation that would allow Occupational Therapists (OTs) to practice mental health therapy. We have met with the bill sponsor and requested that a disclaimer be reinstated to clarify that OTs cannot provide mental health therapy. Following our conversation, the sponsor offered an amendment stating that OTs cannot engage in mental health psychotherapy.
LINK TO LEGISLATION
There is growing confusion regarding who can provide mental health therapy, particularly with the rise of life coaches and new behavioral health licenses. While Occupational Therapists are highly skilled in their field, mental health therapy is not within their scope of practice. We remain engaged on this issue and will keep you updated.
Please use the below link to find you local representative. Your engagement as an individual is where we will make a difference.
LINK TO FIND YOUR REPRESENTATIVE
We also have a legislative tracker on the NASW-Utah website. We are tracking many bills, but those we are actively engaged on are mentioned at the top.
BILL TRACKER
Thank you for your advocacy and dedication to ethical, high-quality mental health services in Utah.
Katie Mansell
Executive Director
NASW-Utah
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