Senate Bill 674 would create a new Article 18J in Chapter 90 of the North Carolina General Statutes, titled the “Mental Health Licensure Recognition Act.” Its stated purpose is to improve access to mental health care by allowing certain licensed mental health professionals who are licensed or certified in another state to obtain North Carolina licensure through reciprocity, rather than starting the process from scratch. The bill applies to licensed clinical mental health counselor associates and supervisors, licensed marriage and family therapists and associates, psychologists, and psychiatrists.
To qualify, an applicant must apply to the appropriate licensing board, pay required fees and background-check costs, comply with Chapter 93B application requirements, provide a Social Security number, show active practice in the profession for at least two of the previous five years, and have no disqualifying disciplinary history or pending complaints. The relevant board must act within 60 days of receiving a complete application by either issuing a license/certification or notifying the applicant of ineligibility. The bill also preserves existing interstate compacts and reciprocity agreements already in place.
Impact
The bill would add a new statutory framework for occupational licensing reciprocity for mental health professionals and would require the Board of Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselors, the North Carolina Psychology Board, the North Carolina Marriage and Family Therapy Licensure Board, and the North Carolina Medical Board to adopt implementing rules. In practical terms, it would make it easier for out-of-state mental health professionals to practice in North Carolina, potentially increasing the supply of providers and reducing licensure barriers. The act would take effect October 1, 2025, and would operate alongside existing interstate compacts and board-specific reciprocity arrangements rather than replacing them.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee debate or votes in the provided materials, the overall sentiment appears strongly supportive of expanding access to mental health care and reducing administrative barriers for qualified professionals. The bill’s title, purpose statement, and streamlined application timeline all suggest a policy goal of improving workforce availability in a high-need area. No opposing viewpoints are documented in the supplied context.
Contention
The main potential points of contention are likely to be licensure standards, public protection, and board discretion. The bill requires only two years of active practice in the prior five years and allows reciprocity for professionals licensed elsewhere, which supporters may view as a practical workforce solution but critics could see as too permissive if they are concerned about differences in training, supervision, or disciplinary standards across states. Another possible issue is the 60-day decision deadline, which could be viewed by licensing boards as a constraint on review time, especially when evaluating background checks or out-of-state disciplinary records. No specific objections are recorded in the provided transcripts or vote history.