All Roll Calls
Yes: 58 • No: 1
NevadaSB16583rd Regular Session (2025)SenateWALLET
AN ACT relating to behavioral health; providing for the licensure and regulation of behavioral health and wellness practitioners; requiring the establishment of a Behavioral Health and Wellness Practitioner Advisory Group; authorizing the Board of Psychological Examiners to investigate and impose discipline on a behavioral health and wellness practitioner; prohibiting the unlicensed practice of behavioral health promotion and prevention; establishing a privilege for certain confidential communications between a patient and a behavioral health and wellness practitioner under certain circumstances; requiring Medicaid to cover behavioral health promotion and prevention services provided by a behavioral health and wellness practitioner; providing penalties; requiring certain allocations and transfers of money and authorizing certain expenditures; and providing other matters properly relating thereto.
Sponsored By: Rochelle T. Nguyen (Democratic)
Signed by Governor
BDR 54-145
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
10 provisions identified: 7 benefits, 0 costs, 3 mixed.
New license for behavioral health practitioners
Nevada creates a new license for behavioral health and wellness practitioners. Supervision may be by a psychiatrist, a qualified psychiatric APRN, a psychologist, a clinical professional counselor, a marriage and family therapist, or a clinical social worker. The Board sets detailed rules, with help from a new advisory group. You must renew every 3 years, pay the renewal fee, and complete 20 hours of continuing education, including 2 hours in ethics and 2 hours in prevention science. If you miss renewal, the Board sends notice; you have 60 days to renew before the license expires. People already practicing by January 1, 2026 may keep working without the new license until July 1, 2026.
Conversion therapy banned for minors
Psychotherapists, including licensed behavioral health and wellness practitioners, may not provide conversion therapy to anyone under 18. Licensing boards can discipline providers who break this rule.
Medicaid covers prevention services in 2026
Beginning January 1, 2026, Nevada Medicaid covers behavioral health promotion and prevention services by licensed behavioral health and wellness practitioners. Coverage applies to the extent federal matching funds are available. The state must apply for any needed federal waiver or State Plan amendment.
Safety and reporting rules for practitioners
If a patient makes an explicit, imminent threat and the practitioner believes the patient can carry it out, the practitioner must act. They may start or petition for a crisis hold, or try to warn the person threatened or law enforcement. Practitioners who act with reasonable care are legally protected. Behavioral health and wellness practitioners must report suspected abuse or neglect of older or vulnerable people within the time limits in law, starting January 1, 2026. They also must file a written report to the Board if they learn a licensee may have broken the rules.
Stronger crackdown on unlicensed practice
It is illegal to practice or claim the title of behavioral health and wellness practitioner without the required license. Violations can be a gross misdemeanor. Regulators first try notice, education, or mediation before criminal charges when appropriate. The Board can investigate, subpoena, fine $500 for a first violation, $1,000 for a second, and $1,500 for later violations, and suspend or revoke licenses. Complaints are kept for at least 10 years, and people who report or assist without malice are protected from civil suits. A disciplined person may apply for reinstatement after one year.
Scholarships to grow behavioral health workforce
For the 2025–2027 biennium, Nevada reimburses colleges to build programs and give scholarships. Up to $574,980 each goes to UNR, UNLV, and Great Basin College for bachelor’s programs and scholarships. Up to $500,000 each helps UNR, UNLV, and Great Basin College create micro‑credentials and scholarships. Up to $1.2 million funds an APA‑accredited child‑psychology internship at UNLV. Up to $2 million funds scholarships through NSHE to train supervisors for these practitioners.
New license and rules for wellness practitioners
Nevada creates a license to practice behavioral health promotion and prevention. To get it, you must be 18, of good moral character, hold a listed degree, finish a Board‑approved program, name a licensed supervisor, and pass the Board exam or an approved alternative. The Board must give a written decision within 120 days and explain any denial. Starting January 1, 2026, these practitioners count as health care providers under state law, so standard provider rules, including liability and fee rules, apply.
Privacy rules for training recordings
Approved programs and listed mental health professionals may use recordings for training only with informed written consent on a Board form. Recordings must follow HIPAA, and cannot include personal details unless the patient or client agrees. They are destroyed after a Board‑set time and generally are not part of the health record. These rules apply to behavioral health and wellness practitioners, marriage and family therapists, clinical professional counselors, and others defined as mental health professionals.
Funding to add Medicaid prevention services
Beginning July 1, 2026, the state moves $68,705 into the Nevada Medicaid budget and authorizes $115,171 in spending for FY 2026–2027. This money supports adding coverage for behavioral health promotion and prevention services by licensed wellness practitioners.
Who is covered and who is exempt
Behavioral health promotion and prevention is now a regulated profession. Behavioral health and wellness practitioners count as providers of health care, and malpractice and professional‑standards rules apply to their services. Many licensed professionals and clergy remain exempt if they do not misrepresent themselves or do prohibited acts. These practitioners are exempt from social work and counseling chapters, and starting January 1, 2026, from the behavior analysis chapter if they do not present as behavior analysts. The law also clarifies that music therapy does not include this work, and licensed practitioners may offer some nutrition‑related services if within their scope and without using dietitian titles. State and federal employees are exempt when practicing within their government job duties.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsor
Rochelle T. Nguyen
Democratic • Senate
Cosponsors
Carrie Ann Buck
Republican • Senate
John C. Steinbeck
Republican • Senate
Roll Call Votes
House vote • 5/31/2025
Final Passage - Assembly (2nd Reprint)
Yes: 38 • No: 1
Senate vote • 5/27/2025
Final Passage - Senate (2nd Reprint)
Yes: 20 • No: 0
Actions Timeline
Chapter 379.
6/6/2025legislatureApproved by the Governor.
6/6/2025legislatureEnrolled and delivered to Governor.
6/4/2025legislatureTo enrollment.
6/2/2025SenateIn Senate.
6/1/2025SenateRead third time. Passed. Title approved. (Yeas: 38, Nays: 1, Excused: 3.) To Senate.
5/31/2025HouseRead second time.
5/30/2025HousePlaced on Second Reading File.
5/30/2025HouseFrom committee: Do pass.
5/30/2025HouseRead first time. Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor. To committee.
5/28/2025HouseIn Assembly.
5/28/2025HouseFrom printer. To re-engrossment. Re-engrossed. Second reprint. To Assembly.
5/28/2025SenateRead third time. Passed, as amended. Title approved, as amended. (Yeas: 20, Nays: None, Excused: 1.) To printer.
5/27/2025SenateReprinting dispensed with.
5/27/2025SenateRead third time. Amended. (Amend. No. 823.)
5/27/2025SenatePlaced on General File.
5/27/2025SenateFrom committee: Amend, and do pass as amended.
5/27/2025SenateTo committee.
4/16/2025SenateFrom printer. To engrossment. Engrossed. First reprint.
4/16/2025SenateTaken from General File. Re-referred to Committee on Finance. Exemption effective. To printer.
4/15/2025SenateRead second time. Amended. (Amend. No. 34.)
4/15/2025SenateNotice of eligibility for exemption.
4/15/2025SenatePlaced on Second Reading File.
4/15/2025SenateFrom committee: Amend, and do pass as amended.
4/15/2025SenateRead first time. To committee.
2/5/2025Senate
Bill Text
As Enrolled
As Introduced
Reprint 1
Reprint 2
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