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WMHCA Legislative Advocacy Priorities Survey
The Policy and Professional Advocacy Committee is seeking feedback on advocacy initiatives that are important to our membership. We have identified several areas that we believe may be valuable to work on in the coming legislative year.
1.
How important to you is having a governing board overseeing our profession? A governing board is a state regulatory body comprised of individuals within the profession that protects the public by setting and enforcing standards for professional practice. It issues and renews licenses, creates rules and guidelines, investigates complaints, and disciplines practitioners when necessary. The board also provides public information, clarifies regulations, and advises on policy changes affecting the profession.
Extremely important
Very important
Somewhat important
Not so important
Not at all important
2.
How important to you is ensuring fairness and transparency in contracting with insurance companies?
Not at all important
Not so important
Somewhat important
Very important
Extremely important
3.
How important to you is allowing licensed supervisors to have their active supervisor status displayed alongside their license in the DOH provider directory (similar to other states such as Oregon and California)?
Extremely important
Very important
Somewhat important
Not so important
Not at all important
4.
How important to you is working toward WMHCA being able to provide health insurance to members within Washington State?
Extremely important
Very important
Somewhat important
Not so important
Not at all important
5.
How important to you is addressing the erosion of licensing standards (e.g., requiring a supervised practicum in order to become a LMHCA, requiring the standards for licensure to reflect the requirements within the Counseling Compact, etc.)?
Extremely important
Very important
Somewhat important
Not so important
Not at all important
6.
How important to you is addressing Department of Health wait times for issuing licenses.
Extremely important
Very important
Somewhat important
Not so important
Not at all important
7.
How important to you is advocating for legislation that limits the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in mental health treatment.
Extremely important
Very important
Somewhat important
Not so important
Not at all important
8.
Any other areas of advocacy for the counseling profession you believe are important?
9.
We are strongly considering running a bill that limits the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in mental health treatment. How important are the following specific AI-related provisions to you?
Extremely Important
Very Important
Somewhat Important
Not So Important
Not At All Important
Prohibiting AI providers from presenting AI systems as capable of providing professional mental or behavioral health care.
Extremely Important
Very Important
Somewhat Important
Not So Important
Not At All Important
Banning AI providers from providing any service that constitutes the practice of mental or behavioral health care, including through telehealth platforms.
Extremely Important
Very Important
Somewhat Important
Not So Important
Not At All Important
Banning AI systems from making independent therapeutic decisions.
Extremely Important
Very Important
Somewhat Important
Not So Important
Not At All Important
Banning AI systems from engaging in therapeutic communication with clients.
Extremely Important
Very Important
Somewhat Important
Not So Important
Not At All Important
Banning AI systems from generating treatment recommendations or plans without human review or oversight.
Extremely Important
Very Important
Somewhat Important
Not So Important
Not At All Important
Requiring clear disclosure when a chatbot or service is AI and not a human provider.
Extremely Important
Very Important
Somewhat Important
Not So Important
Not At All Important
Preventing AI providers from the sale or sharing of users’ health information with third parties, even if the data is de-identified.
Extremely Important
Very Important
Somewhat Important
Not So Important
Not At All Important
Requiring mental care providers to disclose the use of any AI assistance to patients before or during treatment (e.g., note taking, treatment summaries, etc.).
Extremely Important
Very Important
Somewhat Important
Not So Important
Not At All Important
Requiring that all AI-generated records and recommendations be reviewed and verified by a human to ensure accuracy.
Extremely Important
Very Important
Somewhat Important
Not So Important
Not At All Important
Requiring AI companions and chatbots to include reasonable protocols to detect and address suicidal ideation or self-harm.
Extremely Important
Very Important
Somewhat Important
Not So Important
Not At All Important
