Virginia Code 54.1-3519: Scope of practice, supervision, and qualifications of registered behavioral health technician assistants.
A. A registered behavioral health technician assistant shall be qualified to perform, under Board-approved supervision, collaborative behavioral health services, training on prevention of mental health and substance use disorders, and mental health literacy and the supportive functions of screening, intake, orientation, care coordination, client education, and recordkeeping. A registered behavioral health technician assistant shall not engage in independent or autonomous practice and shall only provide collaborative behavioral health services.
Terms Used In Virginia Code 54.1-3519
- Behavioral health technician: means a person who has completed, at a minimum, an associate degree and registered with the Board to practice in accordance with the provisions of § 54. See Virginia Code 54.1-3500
- Behavioral health technician assistant: means a person who has completed a high school diploma or equivalent, at a minimum, and registered with the Board to practice in accordance with the regulations of the Board and the provisions of § 54. See Virginia Code 54.1-3500
- Board: means the Board of Counseling. See Virginia Code 54.1-3500
- Collaborative behavioral health services: means those supportive services that are provided by a registered behavioral health technician, registered behavioral health technician assistant, registered qualified mental health professional, or registered qualified mental health professional-trainee under the direction of and in collaboration with either a mental health professional licensed in the Commonwealth or a person under supervision as a prerequisite for licensure who has been approved by the Board of Counseling, Board of Psychology, or Board of Social Work. See Virginia Code 54.1-3500
- Counseling: means the application of principles, standards, and methods of the counseling profession in (i) conducting assessments and diagnoses for the purpose of establishing treatment goals and objectives and (ii) planning, implementing, and evaluating treatment plans using treatment interventions to facilitate human development and to identify and remediate mental, emotional, or behavioral disorders and associated distresses that interfere with mental health. See Virginia Code 54.1-3500
- Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
- qualified mental health professional: includes a qualified mental health professional-adult and qualified mental health professional-child. See Virginia Code 54.1-3500
- Supervision: means the ongoing process, performed by a supervisor, of monitoring the performance of the person supervised and providing regular, documented individual or group consultation, guidance, and instruction with respect to the clinical skills and competencies of the person supervised. See Virginia Code 54.1-3500
B. Such registered behavioral health technician assistants shall be supervised by either a mental health professional licensed by the Department of Health Professions who has completed the required supervisor training, a person under supervision that has been approved by the Board of Counseling, Board of Psychology, or Board of Social Work as a prerequisite for licensure who has completed the required supervisor training, a registered qualified mental health professional who has practiced for three years and completed the required supervisor training, or a registered behavioral health technician who has practiced for three years and completed the required supervisor training.
C. Pursuant to regulations adopted by the Board, an applicant for registration as a behavioral health technician assistant shall submit evidence satisfactory to the Board that the applicant has (i) received, at a minimum, a high school diploma or its equivalent and (ii) completed a specified number of hours of didactic education in a program recognized or approved by the Board.
2024, c. 595.