S.F. No. 249 amends the medical assistance rate reimbursement for certain mental health services.  Both amendments increase by 23.7 percent the rate paid to mental health professionals, under section 245.462, subdivision 18, clauses (2) , (3), (5), and (6), which are listed below:

Clause (2), in clinical social work: a person licensed as an independent clinical social worker under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 148D, or a person with a master's degree in social work from an accredited college or university, with at least 4,000 hours of post-master's supervised experience in the delivery of clinical services in the treatment of mental illness;

Clause (3), in psychology: an individual licensed by the Board of Psychology under sections 148.88 to 148.98, who has stated to the Board of Psychology competencies in the diagnosis and treatment of mental illness;

Clause (5), in marriage and family therapy: the mental health professional must be a marriage and family therapist licensed under sections 148B.29 to 148B.39, with at least two years of post-master's supervised experience in the delivery of clinical services in the treatment of mental illness; and

Clause (6), in licensed professional clinical counseling, the mental health professional shall be a licensed professional clinical counselor under section 148B.5301, with at least 4,000 hours of post-master's supervised experience in the delivery of clinical services in the treatment of mental illness.

The difference between the A-1 and the A-2 amendment is that in the A-1, the rate must be increased over the rate in effect July 1, 2015.  This language is not in the A-2 amendment.