Assembly Bill (AB) 2703:
Psychological Associates in FQHCs and RHCs
By Chloe Pertierra
In Central California, an underserved and high-need area, there is a shortage of mental health providers. In our rural communities, many residents are Medi-Cal patients and seek services in federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) and rural health clinics (RHCs). FQHCs and RHCs are known to experience “open vacancies that are unable to be filled for years, prolonged length of onboarding licensed providers, and being limited to a small list of billable licensed providers” (California Psychological Association).
Thanks to the passing of Senate Bill (SB) 966 in 2023, associate MFTs and associate social workers permanently became billable providers in FQHCs and RHCs, among other licensed behavioral health providers, including licensed psychologists, licensed social workers, licensed marriage and family therapists (LMFTs), and licensed professional clinical counselors. However, psychological associates were not included in that bill.
On September 27, 2024, the California Assembly Bill (AB 2703) passed, thanks to the advocacy of the California Psychological Association and the California Primary Care Association. AB 2703 allows psychological associates to provide services in FQHCs and RHCs. Psychological associates are registered with the Board of Psychology (BOP) and work towards the supervised clinical hours required for psychology licensure. This includes doctoral students who have obtained their master's degree, doctoral candidates, and those who have completed a doctoral degree but are unlicensed. Psychological associates, under the supervision of a licensed psychologist, will now be able to provide services in FQHCs and RHCs, and their services will be billable.
This will not only help FQHCs and RHCs meet the needs of our rural communities but also expand the behavioral health workforce and promote training for future psychologists. It is hoped that this will significantly improve access to crucial mental health and behavioral health services for those in need.
References
AB 2703: Federally qualified health centers and rural health clinics: psychological associates. (2023). Calmatters.org. https://digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org/bills/ca_202320240ab2703
California AB2703 | 2023-2024 | Regular Session. (2023). LegiScan. https://legiscan.com/CA/text/AB2703/id/2929040/California-2023-AB2703-Introduced.html