An Act to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 54.1-3507.01, relating to licensed substance abuse treatment practitioners; licensure by endorsement; licensure without examination.
Summary
HB1282 creates a new licensure-by-endorsement pathway for licensed substance abuse treatment practitioners in Virginia. The bill directs the Board to grant licensure without examination to applicants who meet a set of experience, education, and credentialing requirements, including at least 10 years of prior certification as a certified substance abuse counselor, five years of documented supervised experience, a qualifying master’s degree, and the NAADAC Master Addiction Counselor credential.
In practical terms, the bill is aimed at recognizing experienced substance use disorder professionals and allowing them to transition into full licensure more easily. It does not create a new profession, but instead adds a statutory route into an existing licensed category under Title 54.1 of the Code of Virginia. By doing so, it is likely to expand the pool of eligible practitioners and reduce barriers for long-serving counselors seeking state licensure.
Impact
The bill amends the Code of Virginia by adding § 54.1-3507.01, requiring the Board to establish and apply a licensure-by-endorsement process for qualified substance abuse treatment practitioners. It affects the regulatory authority of the licensing board by mandating approval for applicants who satisfy the listed criteria, including education, supervised experience, prior certification, and NAADAC credentialing. The measure primarily impacts applicants in the addiction counseling and substance use treatment workforce, as well as the board responsible for professional licensure oversight.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have been broadly supported and noncontroversial. It advanced unanimously through subcommittee, full committee, and both chambers, with no recorded votes in opposition. The vote history suggests general agreement that the measure would help experienced professionals obtain licensure and support the behavioral health workforce.
Contention
No major opposition is reflected in the available record. Any potential point of discussion would likely have centered on the bill’s eligibility standards—especially the requirement for a decade of prior certification, five years of supervised experience, a master’s degree, and the NAADAC Master Addiction Counselor credential—which may have been intended to balance workforce access with professional standards. The absence of recorded dissent suggests those requirements were acceptable to legislators and stakeholders.