If you hold, or are working toward, a Certified Addiction Professional (CAP) or Certified Mental Health Professional (CMHP) credential, a change the Florida Certification Board (FCB) is pushing for could open a new door in your career: billing Florida Medicaid for individual and family therapy.
The short version
| For bachelor’s-level CAPs and CMHPs | Today | Under the FCB proposal |
|---|---|---|
| Deliver treatment under a qualified supervisor | Yes | Yes |
| Paid by a local Managing Entity | Yes | Yes |
| Paid by Medicaid for group therapy | Yes | Yes |
| Paid by Medicaid for individual and family therapy | No | Yes |
What the rules allow today
Florida Administrative Code 65D-30.0046(3) and (4) lets a person with a bachelor’s degree and FCB certification in addiction (CAP) or mental health (CMHP) deliver behavioral health treatment under the supervision of a qualified professional. These providers can be reimbursed by their local Managing Entity.
Medicaid is where the gap is. According to the FCB, these providers often serve Medicaid recipients but can’t be paid by Medicaid for individual and family therapy, only for group therapy. Florida Medicaid’s Behavioral Health Overlay Services handbook shows the same pattern: CAPs and bachelor’s-level practitioners can provide group therapy, while individual and family therapy is limited to physicians, psychiatrists, licensed practitioners of the healing arts, and master’s-level practitioners, including master’s-level CAPs.
What the FCB is proposing
In its July 2024 release, the FCB asks the Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) to amend section 3.2 of Medicaid’s November 2019 Behavioral Health Therapy Services Coverage Policy. The change would let bachelor’s-level CAPs and CMHPs who work at community mental health centers or licensed addiction treatment centers provide individual, family, and group therapy to Medicaid recipients.
No change in scope
Bachelor’s-level providers already deliver individual, family, and group counseling. The change is about being paid for it through Medicaid.
3,500+ more providers
Florida’s existing FCB-certified CAPs and CMHPs would immediately join the pool of providers Medicaid recipients can see.
More affordable care
Bachelor’s-level providers can deliver cost-effective treatment, making care easier to access.
A career pathway
It creates a clearer path for people who want to build a career in counseling.
What you can do now
Add your voice
The FCB is asking certified professionals and supporters to contact Governor DeSantis in support of the change, and it provides a ready-to-send letter.
Get the FCB’s letterContact the GovernorKeep your credential active
If Medicaid opens individual and family therapy to bachelor’s-level CAPs and CMHPs, the professionals positioned to benefit will be the ones holding an active credential. Staying current on the CE the FCB requires for renewal is the part you control today.
FCB CE requirementsGet your CE from an FCB Approved Provider
Dr. Paulson Professional Counseling LLC is a Florida Certification Board Approved Education Provider (#5572-A). Every course is online and self-paced, in the format FCB standards require, and ends with a post-test and a certificate of completion.
CMHP
58 courses covering psychological assessment, recovery planning, service coordination, and professional readiness.
Browse CMHP coursesCAP
FCB-approved training for Certified Addiction Professionals. Not sure which tier fits you? Read our CAP Tier I vs. Tier II guide.
Browse CAP coursesWorking toward a different FCB credential? See all of our FCB courses, organized by credential.
Stay informed
We’ll share updates on this proposal, and on CE requirements for FCB credentials, as they happen.
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