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Bill

S 6116

Relates to the protection of mental health practitioners

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Tom O'Mara and 1 co-sponsor

S 6116 aims to enhance safety and protections for mental health practitioners against threats and harassment, supporting their ability to provide care.

REFERRED TO MENTAL HEALTH
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Bill Summary · S 6116

Summary of Bill S 6116 — Relates to the protection of mental health practitioners

Overview

  • Bill Number: S 6116
  • Title: Relates to the protection of mental health practitioners
  • Status: Referred to Mental Health
  • Introduced: March 5, 2025
  • Classification: Bill
  • Related legislation: Prior-session bills S 775, S 7424, S 2372, S 3475, S 7969; companion A 994 (listed twice)

Note: The full text of the bill is not included here. The following reflects the bill’s stated purpose from its title and the context provided by related bills, along with typical areas such legislation addresses.

Purpose and intent

The bill’s title indicates a focus on the protection of mental health practitioners. While the exact provisions are not provided, such measures commonly aim to enhance safety, security, and professional autonomy for clinicians, counselors, psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, and related professionals, in the course of delivering mental health services.

Potential provisions and changes (subject to the actual text)

Because the bill text is not included, the following are indicative areas often addressed in protecting mental health practitioners. The actual bill may include one or more of these or other, distinct provisions:
- Safety and anti-harassment measures for practitioners in clinical settings, hospitals, community clinics, and telehealth environments.
- Criminal or civil penalties for threats, intimidation, stalking, doxxing, or other actions targeting mental health professionals.
- Protections for practice operations (e.g., interference with patient care, intimidation of staff, or disruption of services).
- Whistleblower or reporting protections related to patient care quality, safety concerns, or professional misconduct.
- Immunities or defenses for practitioners acting within the scope of practice, potentially related to disclosures or confidentiality in specific circumstances.
- Stance on professional licensure actions or disciplinary processes when practitioners are harassed or obstructed in their duties.
- Requirements for public awareness, training, or institutional policies to safeguard practitioners.

Note: These are common themes in related legislation and may not reflect the actual text of S 6116.

Who is affected

  • Mental health practitioners: clinicians, therapists, and other licensed or credentialed professionals delivering mental health services.
  • Employers and facilities: clinics, hospitals, private practices, community health centers, and telehealth platforms that house or employ mental health staff.
  • Patients and the public: indirectly affected through enhanced practitioner safety and potential impacts on service delivery.
  • Licensing and law-enforcement bodies: could be involved in enforcement, reporting, or disciplinary processes if included in the bill.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Introduced and referred to the Mental Health committee on March 5, 2025.
  • No additional actions are listed in the provided information. The bill would advance through the usual committee review, potential amendments, floor debate, and votes, subject to legislative scheduling and negotiation.

Related provisions and context

  • The presence of multiple prior-session S-numbered bills (S 775, S 7424, S 2372, S 3475, S 7969) and companion A 994 suggests ongoing legislative interest in protecting mental health practitioners. Tracking these related bills may provide insight into recurring themes or proposed standards.

Next steps for readers

  • Obtain the full text of S 6116 to understand the exact provisions, definitions, enforcement mechanisms, and funding (if any).
  • Review committee hearing notices, fiscal notes, and amendments as the bill progresses.
  • Consider how the bill’s provisions would interact with existing state laws on professional licensure, patient confidentiality, and workplace safety.

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

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