SB 153 Louisiana Senate · 2025 Regular Session

BEHAVIORAL HEALTH: Provides relative to behavioral health rehabilitation services in the Louisiana medical assistance program. (gov sig)

SB 153 creates limited scope licenses for certain mental health professionals providing Community Psychiatric Support Team (CPST) services under Louisiana's Medicaid program. It allows provisional license holders (like counselors, marriage and family therapists, and certified social workers) who have provided CPST services to obtain a limited license specifically for those services, bypassing full licensure requirements. The bill updates Medicaid reimbursement rules to require all CPST service providers to have staff meeting specific licensing criteria, including those with the new limited licenses. This directly affects Medicaid-funded behavioral health providers and professionals seeking to work in community psychiatric support roles. The changes aim to expand access to these services while maintaining oversight through defined licensing pathways.

Issues: ✓ Healthcare

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Apr 2025

Committee Review

May 2025

Senate Passage

Jun 2025

House Passage

Jun 2025

Signed into Law

Jun 2025

Introduced Apr 4, 2025 Signed Jun 20, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

SB153 Original → SB153 Act 431 · 4 edits

MODERATE

This bill amends Louisiana statutes to expand eligibility for Medicaid reimbursement in behavioral health rehabilitation services. It specifically allows certified social workers to obtain a limited license to provide CPST services after their initial three-year certification expires, provided they meet specific qualifications and receive supervision. The change ensures that these services can continue to be reimbursed by Medicaid without requiring the social worker to immediately obtain a full professional license.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of services eligible for Medicaid reimbursement by including provisionally licensed professionals (such as certified social workers) who are authorized to provide CPST services under supervision, whereas previously only fully licensed professionals were explicitly covered.

ELIGIBILITY

Added a pathway for certified social workers to petition for an extension of their certification specifically to provide CPST services, allowing them to continue working in this capacity for up to three years after their initial certification expires.

Modified the list of eligible providers for CPST services to include provisionally licensed counselors, provisionally licensed marriage and family therapists, and certified social workers, in addition to fully licensed professionals.

REQUIREMENT

Added specific requirements for the petition to extend certification, including a limit of three years, a statement from a licensed clinical supervisor, and completion of continuing education.

SCOPE

Updated the legislative purpose to clarify that the bill provides for limited licenses for individuals to provide CPST services and ensures related matters regarding Medicaid reimbursement are addressed.

Floor votes · Senate May 13, 2025 · House Jun 8, 2025

How they voted

36–0

Passed · 1 other

Total votes 37

May 13, 2025

D Democratic11

11 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican26

25 Yea 1

96% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Jun 10, 2025

Upper · Passed

Amendments proposed by the House read and concurred in by a vote of 34 yeas and 0 nays.

upper

Jun 8, 2025

Lower · Passed

Read third time by title, amended, roll called on final passage, yeas 99, nays 0. Finally passed, ordered to the Senate.

lower

May 29, 2025

Introduced

Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments.

lower

May 28, 2025

Lower · Passed

Reported with amendments (12-0). Referred to the Legislative Bureau.

lower

May 14, 2025

Committee

Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Health and Welfare.

lower

May 13, 2025

Upper · Passed

Read by title, passed by a vote of 38 yeas and 0 nays, and sent to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.

upper

May 7, 2025

Upper · Passed

Reported favorably.

upper

Apr 14, 2025

Committee

Introduced in the Senate; read by title. Rules suspended. Read second time and referred to the Committee on Health and Welfare.

upper

1 primary · 2 co-sponsors