SECTION 1.  Chapter 112 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2006 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting the following section:-

Section 165A.

(a) Definitions:

“Board” shall refer to the Massachusetts board of registration of allied mental health and human services.

(b)  The following applicants shall obtain certification as an adoption specialist if they provide satisfactory evidence to the board that: (1) demonstrates to the board, the successful completion of 1,200 hours of direct clinical experience with adoptive parents, adopted children, foster parents, foster children, kinship placements, step families; (2) demonstrates to the board, the successful completion of 30 Continuing Education Units (credits or hours) from seminars, conferences, etc on research or clinically based topics related to adoption, foster care, kinship placement, step families with at least 15 of the Continuing Education Units being on topics directly related to issues affecting adoptive families.

(c) To be eligible for a certification as an adoption specialist, an applicant must have obtained from the board, an independent license in a field of mental health, and have completed said requirements in paragraph (b) of this Section within three years of obtaining the professional license in a field of mental health.

SECTION 2. Section 165A of said Chapter 112, is hereby amended by striking Clause (b) in its entirety and inserting in place thereof the following:- 

“(b) The board shall issue a certification to an applicant as an adoption specialist; provided, however, that each such applicant shall provide satisfactory evidence to the board that such applicant: (1) is of good moral character; (2) has not engaged or is not engaging in any practice or conduct which would be grounds for refusing to issue a certification under section one hundred and sixty-nine; (3) demonstrates to the board, the successful completion of 1,200 hours of direct clinical experience with adoptive parents, adopted children, foster parents, foster children, kinship placements, step families; (4) demonstrates to the board, the successful completion of 30 hours of direct supervision by a certified adoption specialist; (5) demonstrates to the board, the successful completion of 30 Continuing Education Units (credits or hours) from seminars, conferences, etc on research or clinically based topics related to adoption, foster care, kinship placement, step families with at least 15 of the Continuing Education Units being on topics directly related to issues affecting adoptive families.”

SECTION 3.  Section 168 of said Chapter 112, is hereby amended by inserting after the word: “first” in line 11, the following words:--- “Each applicant for the renewal of a certification as an adoption specialist shall provide satisfactory evidence to the board that such applicant: demonstrates to the board, the successful completion of 16 continuing education units per year on topics related to adoption, foster care, kinship placement, step families with at least 8 being on topics directly related to issues affecting adoptive families.”

SECTION 4. Section 47B of Chapter 175 of the General Laws as appearing in the 2006 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the words “health counselor,” in line 111, the following words:-- “a certified adoption specialist,”.

SECTION 5.  Section 8A of Chapter 176A of the General Laws as appearing in the 2006 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the words “health counselor,” in line 110, the following words:-- “a certified adoption specialist,”.

SECTION 6. Section 4A of Chapter 176B of the General Laws as appearing in the 2006 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the words “health counselor,” in line 113, the following words:-- “a certified adoption specialist,”.

SECTION 7. Section 4M of Chapter 176G of the General Laws as appearing in the 2006 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the words “health counselor,” in line 111, the following words:-- “a certified adoption specialist,”.

SECTION 8. Section 22 of Chapter 32A of the General Laws as appearing in the 2006 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the words “health counselor,” in line 108, the following words:-- “a certified adoption specialist,”.

SECTION 9. Section 10A of Chapter 118E of the General Laws as appearing in the 2006 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following paragraph at the end thereof:--Additionally, the division shall provide coverage for services provided by a certified adoption specialist in cases where such services are deemed appropriate by the division for children with reactive attachment disorder.

SECTION 10.  Section 1 of this Act shall take effect upon enactment.

SECTION 11.  Section 2 shall take effect 1 year following enactment.