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Family & Children’s Place supports passage of Senate Bill 51 (SB51), an amendment to KRS 202A.400, that adds protection against action or monetary liability for mental health professionals, including Licensed Clinical Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists and professional counselors.

Specifically, the amendment would hold professionals harmless for failing to warn under certain circumstances – the patient makes a specific threat against a recognizable person or threatens a specific violent act. With this amendment, so long as the professional makes a reasonable effort to notify law enforcement, the potential victim, patient family and residence, he or she has fulfilled both duty and responsibility.

We believe that SB51, offered by Sens. Whitney Westerfield, R, Hopkinsville, and Morgan McGarvey, D, Louisville, provides appropriate and sound protections for mental health professionals, and assures proper patient confidentiality, protections and oversight.