Montana Code 37-39-101. Purpose
37-39-101. Purpose. The practices of social work, professional counseling, marriage and family therapy, addiction counseling, and behavioral health peer support in the state of Montana are professional behavioral health practices affecting the public health, safety, and welfare and are subject to regulation and control in the public interest. It is a matter of public interest and concern that the collective practices of these professions warrant and receive the confidence of the public and that only qualified persons be permitted to practice in the behavioral health field from within or outside of Montana and engage with behavioral health clients located within the state. This chapter must be liberally construed to carry out these objectives and purposes.
Terms Used In Montana Code 37-39-101
- Addiction: means the condition or state in which an individual is physiologically or psychologically dependent on alcohol or other drugs. See Montana Code 37-39-102
- Behavioral health: means , for the purposes of regulation and licensure under this chapter, the practices of social work, professional counseling, marriage and family therapy, addiction counseling, and peer support regulated under this chapter. See Montana Code 37-39-102
- Marriage and family therapy: means the diagnosis and treatment of mental and emotional disorders within the context of interpersonal relationships, including marriage and family systems. See Montana Code 37-39-102
- Social work: means the professional practice directed toward helping people achieve more adequate, satisfying, and productive social adjustments. See Montana Code 37-39-102
- State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the territories. See Montana Code 1-1-201