Interstate Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Practice: Policies, Clinical Considerations, and Legal Implications.

Abstract

In the United States, mental health and substance use disorder care is provided by a range of professionals, including psychiatrists, psychologists, and master's-level clinicians. These professionals are overseen and regulated at the state level by field-specific boards. Considerable variation between states in the educational and clinical supervision requirements for licensure creates challenges for license portability. To address these challenges, beginning in 2014, states have adopted practice compacts in medicine, psychology, counseling, and social work that allow clinicians licensed in a participating state to practice either via telehealth or in person in other participating states. This article discusses the nature of these compacts and provides legal and practice considerations for clinicians interested in joining a practice compact in their profession.