Tennessee Senate Bill SB2399

Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/2/26

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 8; Title 33; Title 36; Title 49; Title 52; Title 56; Title 63 and Title 68, relative to professional counselors.

Impact

The proposed legislation will significantly impact the professional counseling landscape in Tennessee by formalizing the distinction between licensed professional counselors and limited practice professional counselors. By doing so, it aims to streamline the licensure process, ensuring that individuals in need of counseling services can be more easily matched with qualified professionals while maintaining standards for educational background and supervised experience. Furthermore, the changes are intended to ensure a clearer understanding of the roles within the counseling professions, thus potentially increasing public trust and reliance on these services.

Summary

Senate Bill 2399 aims to amend various sections of the Tennessee Code Annotated concerning the licensure and definition of professional counselors and limited practice professional counselors. The bill addresses the legal framework that governs the requirements for obtaining these licenses and sets forth definitions that delineate the scope of practice for both licensed professional counselors and those with limited practice status. Notably, the bill introduces the category of 'limited practice professional counselor,' which specifies a narrower set of responsibilities compared to a fully licensed professional counselor, particularly excluding the ability to diagnose or treat conditions related to mental disorders.

Contention

Discussion around SB2399 has surfaced debates about the implications of creating a tiered licensure system. Proponents argue that the introduction of the limited practice title will expand the field by allowing more practitioners to offer essential counseling services to the community without the full extent of responsibilities required of licensed counselors. However, opponents raise concerns that this might dilute the quality of care if untrained practitioners are allowed to operate without the ability to diagnose or treat more serious mental health issues. The expected outcomes of this bill are closely watched by both advocates for mental health services as well as regulatory bodies overseeing the profession.