North Carolina proposes certification and annual training for community forensic evaluators
A fiscal note from the Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Abuse Services laid out proposed rule changes for the evaluators who conduct court-ordered capacity-to-proceed screenings. Under a 2013 law (Session Law 2013-18), the state's commission could require those evaluators to complete training to be credentialed as certified forensic evaluators and to attend annual continuing education, and the rules would convert the old registration process into a certification process.
The note said about 220 community forensic screeners were then registered, and described new requirements that evaluators be licensed clinicians, enhanced training, quality oversight by the regional managed-care entities, and a way to identify when more evaluators are needed to meet local demand. It estimated additional state costs, driven mainly by new senior psychologist positions to run the training, and local costs for evaluators' travel and time. The statute had been enacted without added funding, so the cost was to come from existing hospital and managed-care budgets.
Source: Fiscal Note: Proposed Amendment of Rules 10A NCAC 27G .6702, Operations; 10A NCAC 27H, Section .0200, Training and Registration of Forensic Evaluators — North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, by North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Division of MH/DD/SAS
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