So, uh, yeah, it’s pretty much all in the headline! We’ve updated our essential guide to California law for master’s-level mental health professionals. Basics of California Law for LMFTs, LPCCs, and LCSWs (6th edition) is now available on Amazon and at our site. Here’s a rundown of what’s new, with a discount link at the end of this post.
It’s worth pointing out here that, unlike the fifth edition, this sixth edition isn’t what we would call a major update. While there are several new laws we included in this edition, the main legal changes taking effect in 2019 are around supervision — more on that below.
Updated to 2019 law
The biggest changes are in the chapter on Supervision. Last year’s Assembly Bill 93 allows triadic supervision (two supervisees with one supervisor) to count as an equivalent to individual supervision. It reduces the supervised hours clinical social workers need for licensure from 3,200 to 3,000. It also makes some changes to the 90-day rule. (It’s worth noting that those changes only impact those who graduate on or after January 1, 2020.)
There will be some additional changes to supervision rules coming in the months ahead, through BBS regulations. But no one yet knows when those regulations will be approved. It could be in 2019, 2020, or even later. So we’re planning to include those changes in a future edition.
Current controversies
We’ve also made some changes to make the book even more useful and current. For example, we updated our discussion of Emotional Support Animals, as airlines have been cracking down and the public grows more skeptical of ESAs.
We’ve also updated our discussion of clients wishing to remain anonymous. This issue has proven particularly complex for online therapy services.
New feature: Practice test questions
For the first time, we’ve included practice test questions — 20 in all, two for each chapter — with rationales. If you’re using this as a graduate textbook, these questions are a great way to prepare for a final exam. They’ll also be useful when it’s time to get ready for your California Law & Ethics Exam.
A special discount
The digital version of Basics of California Law (6th ed) will be available soon. It features live hyperlinks to articles, relevant sections of state law, and other resources. You can get the paperback now — and get 10% off through February 15 when you order on our site and use coupon code HI6 at checkout.
For those who enjoy getting good stuff with as few clicks as possible, this link will automatically apply that coupon code at checkout. Happy reading!