HB1282 Licensed substance abuse treatment practitioners; licensure by endorsement; licensure without examination.
Language of the bill as introduced.
Opening Statements
House Subcommittee
Shortened Version
HB1282 expands access to addiction treatment by creating a clear licensure pathway for experienced counselors, so more Virginians can get timely care.
Right now, Virginia faces a serious workforce shortage. The Department of Behavioral Health reports that hiring clinicians is extremely difficult, and more than half of providers lack enough staff to meet community needs.
At the same time, thousands of Virginians rely on state-funded treatment each year, and demand is growing.
Many counselors already have advanced degrees, years of supervised experience, and national credentials. HB1282 allows these highly qualified professionals to earn licensure by endorsement without repeating unnecessary exams.
This bill does not lower standards or weaken oversight. It maintains rigorous requirements and protects existing practitioners.
By removing unnecessary barriers, HB1282 strengthens our treatment workforce and helps more Virginians get care when they need it.
I respectfully ask that the subcommittee report the bill to full committee.
Expanded Version
HB1282 expands access to addiction treatment by creating a clear licensure pathway for experienced counselors, so more Virginians can get timely care.
It does this by allowing highly qualified substance abuse counselors to earn licensure by endorsement, without repeating unnecessary exams, after years of proven service.
Right now, Virginia does not have enough licensed treatment providers.
The Department of Behavioral Health’s 2024 State Opioid Response Report found that agencies rate hiring clinicians as “extremely difficult.”
It also found that many positions are hard to fill because of licensing requirements.
More than half of providers said they do not have enough clinical staff to meet community needs.
At the same time, nearly 7,000 Virginians received state-funded addiction treatment in one year, and demand continues to grow.
So we have more people seeking help, but too few professionals available to serve them.
Many counselors already have master’s degrees, years of supervised experience, and national credentials.
HB1282 addresses this need in a balanced way. It provides an alternative route for licensure that still requires a large amount of real-world experience.
Alternative licensure will require advanced education, extensive supervision, long-term certification, and a national credential.
Only highly experienced professionals qualify.
This does not lower standards.
It does not weaken oversight.
And it does not disadvantage existing licensed practitioners.
It recognizes proven competence and rewards long-term service.
By removing unnecessary barriers, this bill strengthens our workforce, protects quality of care, and helps more Virginians get treatment when they need it.
I hope it will be the will of the subcommittee to report the bill to full committee.
House Floor Speech
HB1282 expands access to addiction treatment by creating a licensure pathway for experienced substance abuse counselors.
Virginia faces a serious workforce shortage while thousands rely on state-funded treatment each year.
This bill allows highly qualified professionals to earn licensure by endorsement without repeating unnecessary exams, while maintaining rigorous standards.
It strengthens our workforce and protects quality of care. I respectfully ask for your support.
I hope it is the will of the body to engross the bill and pass it along to its third reading.
Senate
Senate Committee
HB1282 expands access to addiction treatment by creating a clear licensure pathway for experienced counselors, so more Virginians can get timely care.
Right now, Virginia faces a serious workforce shortage. The Department of Behavioral Health reports that hiring clinicians is extremely difficult, and more than half of providers lack enough staff to meet community needs.
At the same time, thousands of Virginians rely on state-funded treatment each year, and demand is growing.
Many counselors already have advanced degrees, years of supervised experience, and national credentials. HB1282 allows these highly qualified professionals to earn licensure by endorsement without repeating unnecessary exams.
This bill does not lower standards or weaken oversight. It maintains rigorous requirements and protects existing practitioners.
By removing unnecessary barriers, HB1282 strengthens our treatment workforce and helps more Virginians get care when they need it.
Fiscal Impact
The fiscal impact statement returned by appropriations recorded no fiscal impact to the state.