Committee reviews Board of Examiners of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors report

The committee reviewed a report from the State Board of Examiners of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors detailing licensing counts, outreach and continuing-education practices. Matt Gilmore of the Department of Health presented the report and answered questions.

The board licenses roughly 172–180 counselors, Gilmore said, and meets monthly. He told the committee the number of licensees “fluctuates a little bit” and that growth has been modest. The board has been holding campus meetings and awareness events with colleges and sponsoring continuing-education and workforce-development outreach to increase the pipeline of prospective counselors.

Gilmore said the timeline to get someone licensed is relatively short because the board meets monthly, and that the number of continuing-education hours required is “in line with other states around us.”

There were no follow-up questions from committee members. “Without objection this report stands as reviewed,” the chair said.

The review did not include proposed changes to statute or fee schedules; committee members did not request follow-up action during the meeting.