Andrade celebrates passage of professional counselors licensure compact bill, mirroring bill authored by Andrade

After authoring a bill with mirror language the past two legislative sessions, Rep. Mike Andrade celebrated the passage of a bill to include Indiana's professional mental health counselors in an interstate licensure compact out of the Indiana House of Representatives. Senate Bill 160, which Andrade has co-sponsored, will allow Hoosier patients to seek treatment from counselors in other states that are members of the compact and allow counselors to continue serving individuals who have moved out of state.

“Red tape shouldn't stand in the way of mental health counselors serving their patients and Hoosiers getting the mental health care they need,” Andrade said. “I'm glad the House came together today to modernize Indiana's mental health care system for a telehealth world and cut red tape for providers and patients alike. There are many reasons why someone might seek care outside of state lines. Out-of-state college students and families moving into our state might want to continue receiving care from the counselor they already trust. Active-duty military members frequently move states but face significant mental health challenges as a result of their service. To ensure they get the healing they need as they serve our country, we need to allow for flexibility and continuity of care. And people in rural areas, or those who might seek language or cultural competencies in their counselor, may be best served by an out-of-state provider.

“Additionally, opening up a wider array of providers to Hoosiers will lower wait times. When it comes to mental health counseling, half the battle is finding a provider you trust and can work with. This compact will allow a larger number of Hoosiers to access mental health care in a timely and more efficient manner.  

“I am proud to have championed this issue and can't wait to work on more legislation to help Hoosiers get the mental health care they need.”