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Bill

S 6999

Enacts the "Supervising Upcoming Professionals for Practice in Official Roles in Therapy (SUPPORT) act"

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Samra Brouk and 1 co-sponsor

Establishes a framework to supervise therapy trainees in practicum roles, standardizing supervision to improve training quality and patient safety.

REFERRED TO HIGHER EDUCATION
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Bill Summary · S 6999

Summary of S. 6999 — "SUPPORT" Act

Overview

  • Bill Number: S. 6999
  • Title: Enacts the "Supervising Upcoming Professionals for Practice in Official Roles in Therapy (SUPPORT) act"
  • Status: REFERRED TO HIGHER EDUCATION
  • Introduced: March 28, 2025
  • Classification: bill
  • Sponsors:
    • Primary: Toby Ann Stavisky
    • Cosponsor: Samra Brouk
  • Related Bills: A 780 (companion)

What is known about the bill

  • The bill’s title indicates it aims to regulate or establish standards for supervising upcoming therapy professionals who will practice in official roles. The focus suggests governance of supervision during training, practicum, internships, or early professional practice within therapy-related fields.
  • Legislative actions show the bill was introduced on March 28, 2025 and referred to the Higher Education committee (listed twice in the record).

Purpose and intent (inferred from the title)

  • Create a framework to supervise and oversee trainees or early-career therapy professionals as they gain practice experience in authorized or official therapy roles.
  • Likely aims to enhance training quality, standardized supervision, and consistency across higher education programs and clinical sites that place therapy trainees.

Key provisions and changes (currently not specified in the available text)

  • Text of provisions is not provided in the current record. Based on the title, typical areas such a bill might address include:
    • Qualifications and duties of supervisors supervising therapy trainees (e.g., required licensure, experience, supervision frequency, and methods).
    • Standards for practicum, internship, or practicum-like placements within therapy programs.
    • Protocols for matching students with supervisors or clinical sites and for ongoing evaluation.
    • Documentation, reporting, and record-keeping requirements related to supervision.
    • Compliance, enforcement, and potential sanctions for programs or individuals not meeting standards.
    • Any funding, grants, or phased implementation to support institutions in meeting new requirements.
  • Until the bill text is available, these provisions remain speculative categories commonly associated with supervision-related legislation.

Who would be affected

  • Higher education institutions offering therapy-related programs (e.g., counseling, psychology, social work, marriage and family therapy) and their clinical/practicum sites.
  • Supervisors and licensed professionals who oversee therapy trainees.
  • Students and interns in therapy training programs.
  • Licensing boards or state agencies responsible for professional standards in therapy-related fields, should they be tasked with enforcement or oversight.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Introduced and referred to the Senate Higher Education committee on March 28, 2025.
  • The current record does not show further actions (e.g., hearings, amendments, votes). The companion bill is A 780, which would move through the Assembly with parallel timelines.
  • Next steps typically include committee hearings, potential amendments, floor votes, and ultimately passage or revision before moving to the other chamber.

Potential impact (high-level)

  • If enacted, the SUPPORT Act could standardize how therapy trainees are supervised across higher education and clinical settings, potentially improving training quality and patient safety.
  • Institutions may need to adjust practicum structures, supervisor qualifications, and reporting processes.
  • Could influence licensure-related training requirements and inter-institution collaboration between universities and clinical sites.

Next steps for readers

  • Review the full bill text when available to understand specific provisions, definitions, and requirements.
  • Monitor committee activity in the Higher Education committee for hearings, amendments, and votes.
  • Check for the companion Assembly bill (A 780) for aligned provisions and timeline.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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