{"data":{"id":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-59-59-6001","jurisdiction":"us-ok","citation":"Okla. Stat. tit. 59, § 59-6001","heading":"State Board of Behavioral Health Licensure","body":"A. 1. There is hereby re-created the State Board of Behavioral\n\nHealth Licensure to continue until July 1, 2025, in accordance with\n\nthe provisions of the Oklahoma Sunset Law.\n\n2. Members of the Board shall serve at the pleasure of and may\n\nbe removed from office by the appointing authority. Members shall\n\ncontinue to serve until their successors are appointed. Any vacancy\n\nshall be filled in the same manner as the original appointments.\n\nFour members shall constitute a quorum.\n\n3. The Board shall meet at least twice a year, but no more than\n\nfour (4) times a year and shall elect a chair and a vice-chair from\n\namong its members. The Board shall only meet as required for:\n\na. election of officers,\n\nb. establishment of meeting dates and times,\n\nc. rule development,\n\nd. review and recommendation, and\n\ne. adoption of nonbinding resolutions to the Board\n\nconcerning matters brought before the Board.\n\n4. Special meetings may be called by the chair or by\n\nconcurrence of any three members.\n\nB. 1. All members of the Board shall be knowledgeable of\n\ncounseling issues. The Board shall be appointed by the Governor\n\nwith the advice and consent of the Senate:\n\na. four members who are licensed professional counselors,\n\nb. three members who are licensed family and marital\n\ntherapists,\n\nc. two members who are licensed behavioral practitioners,\n\nand\n\nd. two members representing the public and possessing\n\nknowledge of counseling issues.\n\n2. Members of the Board shall serve for a period of three (3)\n\nyears and may be removed at any time by the appointing authority.\n\nVacancies on the Board shall be filled by the appointing authority.\n\nA majority of the Board shall constitute a quorum for the\n\ntransaction of business.\n\n3. The members of the Board from each professional area of\n\nbehavioral health counseling shall comprise separate committees and\n\nshall consult on professional issues within their respective areas\n\nof behavioral health counseling. Each committee shall recommend to\n\nthe Board approval or disapproval of all licenses to be issued\n\nwithin its specialty. Each committee shall be authorized to\n\nrecommend approval or disapproval of the examination requirements\n\nfor all applicants for licensure in the respective area of\n\nbehavioral health counseling, provide grading standards for\n\nexaminations, and provide for other matters relating to licensure in\n\nthat area of behavioral health counseling. Each committee may\n\ncreate advisory committees to consult on professional duties and\n\nresponsibilities pursuant to the provisions of this section.\n\n4. Any and all recommendations, approvals, or disapprovals made\n\nby a committee pursuant to the provisions of this section shall not\n\nbecome effective without the approval of a majority of members of\n\nthe Board.\n\n5. The jurisdictional areas of the Board shall include\n\nprofessional counseling licensing and practice issues, marital and\n\nfamily therapist licensing and practice issues, behavioral\n\npractitioner licensing and practice issues and such other areas as\n\nauthorized by the Licensed Professional Counselors Act.\n\nC. The Board shall not recommend rules for promulgation unless\n\nall applicable requirements of the Administrative Procedures Act\n\nhave been followed including but not limited to notice, rule impact\n\nstatements and rule-making hearings.\n\nD. Members of the Board shall serve without compensation but\n\nmay be reimbursed for expenses incurred in the performance of their\n\nduties, as provided in the State Travel Reimbursement Act. The\n\nBoard is authorized to utilize the conference rooms of and obtain\n\nadministrative assistance from the State Board of Medical Licensure\n\nand Supervision as required.\n\nE. The Board is authorized and empowered to:\n\n1. Establish and maintain a system of licensure and\n\ncertification pursuant to the provisions of the Licensed\nons Page 1568\n\nduties, as provided in the State Travel Reimbursement Act. The\n\nBoard is authorized to utilize the conference rooms of and obtain\n\nadministrative assistance from the State Board of Medical Licensure\n\nand Supervision as required.\n\nE. The Board is authorized and empowered to:\n\n1. Establish and maintain a system of licensure and\n\ncertification pursuant to the provisions of the Licensed\n\nProfessional Counselors Act;\n\n2. Adopt and enforce standards governing the professional\n\nconduct of persons licensed pursuant to the provisions of the\n\nLicensed Professional Counselors Act;\n\n3. Lease office space for the purpose of operating and\n\nmaintaining a state office, and pay rent thereon; provided, however,\n\nsuch state office shall not be located in or directly adjacent to\n\nthe office of any person licensed pursuant to the provisions of the\n\nLicensed Professional Counselors Act;\n\n4. Purchase office furniture, equipment, and supplies;\n\n5. Employ such office personnel as may be necessary, and fix\n\nand pay their salaries or wages;\n\n6. Contract with state agencies for the purposes of\n\ninvestigating written complaints regarding the conduct of persons\n\nlicensed pursuant to the provisions of the Licensed Professional\n\nCounselors Act and obtaining administrative assistance as deemed\n\nnecessary by the Executive Director; and\n\n7. Make such other expenditures as may be necessary in the\n\nperformance of its duties.\n\nF. The Board shall employ an Executive Director. The Executive\n\nDirector shall be authorized to:\n\n1. Employ and maintain an office staff;\n\n2. Enter into contracts on behalf of the Board; and\n\n3. Perform other duties on behalf of the Board as needed or\n\ndirected.\n\nG. All employees and positions shall be placed in unclassified\n\nstatus, exempt from the provisions of the Oklahoma Personnel Act.","path":["OK Code","Title 59"],"source_url":"https://www.oklegislature.gov/OK_Statutes/CompleteTitles/os59.pdf","current_through":"2026-08-14","vintage":"open-us-law v2026.08, retrieved 2026-09-14","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T18:32:36Z","sha256":"f82a36b060f8b35dd36f4b213fb0661f3c7349b9cfc4cbbf5e1248bfcf0e75d5","source_id":"us-ok","stale":false,"prev":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-59-59-598","next":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-59-59-6002"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}