Provides relative to the Addictive Disorder Regulatory Authority. (2/3CA7s2.1(A)) (8/1/26) (OR INCREASE SG EX See Note)

Senate Bill 168 amends the regulatory framework governing the Addictive Disorder Regulatory Authority by expanding its jurisdiction to include credential recognition for peer support specialists and related professionals. The bill amends Louisiana Revised Statutes Chapter 37, Title 3386 through 3390, and R.S. 40:1203.3 to establish peer support specialist credentials as distinct professional designations with defined scopes of practice. Specifically, the bill creates three new credential levels: peer support specialist, peer support specialist associate, and peer support specialist supervisor. The legislation adds nine new or amended statutory sections establishing qualifications, scope of practice, and renewal processes for these roles, and it increases the ADRA board membership from eight to nine members to include a representative from the Louisiana Department of Health's office of behavioral health. The bill repeals the previous authority of the Department of Health to establish training and requirements for peer support specialists, transferring that regulatory responsibility to ADRA.

The legislation directly affects peer support specialists, peer support organizations, licensed behavioral health services providers, and individuals seeking substance use disorder and mental health support services. Peer support specialists and peer support specialist associates will be required to obtain ADRA credentials through an application process that includes examination fees. The bill establishes fee structures for all peer support specialist credentials, with application fees ranging from fifty to three hundred dollars, examination fees from one hundred to three hundred dollars, and renewal fees from one hundred to three hundred dollars. Licensed behavioral health services providers employing peer support specialists will now interact with ADRA rather than the Department of Health for compliance and training matters. Individuals with certain criminal backgrounds may pursue peer support specialist employment if they meet ADRA-established requirements, shifting the evaluation authority from the Department of Health to the regulatory board.

The bill operates within the existing regulatory structure of Louisiana's addictive disorder licensing and credentialing system, which has historically focused on addiction counselors and prevention specialists. The new peer support provisions complement existing mental health professional licensing schemes by creating a non-clinical credential pathway for individuals with lived experience of behavioral health conditions. The legislation incorporates new definitions including behavioral health condition, peer support, and licensed mental health professional, which expand the semantic scope of the regulatory regime beyond substance use disorders to encompass broader mental health and behavioral health contexts. The changes interact with R.S. 40:1203.3, which addresses criminal background considerations for peer support specialists employed by licensed providers, updating references to reflect ADRA's new centralized authority. The effective date of August 1, 2026, provides implementation time for ADRA to establish rules, procedures, and fee structures for the new credential categories.