38-2115 Mental health practice, defined; limitation on practice. - Nebraska Statutes

38-2115. Mental health practice, defined; limitation on practice.(1) Mental health practice means the provision of treatment, assessment, psychotherapy, counseling, or equivalent activities to individuals, couples, families, or groups for behavioral, cognitive, social, mental, or emotional disorders, including interpersonal or personal situations.(2) Mental health practice does not include:(a) The practice of psychology or medicine;(b) Prescribing drugs or electroconvulsive therapy;(c) Treating physical disease, injury, or deformity;(d) Diagnosing major mental illness or disorder except in consultation with a qualified physician, a psychologist licensed to engage in the practice of psychology as provided in section 38-3111, or a licensed independent mental health practitioner;(e) Measuring personality or intelligence for the purpose of diagnosis or treatment planning;(f) Using psychotherapy with individuals suspected of having major mental or emotional disorders except in consultation with a qualified physician, a licensed psychologist, or a licensed independent mental health practitioner; or(g) Using psychotherapy to treat the concomitants of organic illness except in consultation with a qualified physician or licensed psychologist.(3) Mental health practice includes the initial assessment of organic mental or emotional disorders for the purpose of referral or consultation.(4) Nothing in sections 38-2114, 38-2118, and 38-2119 shall be deemed to constitute authorization to engage in activities beyond those described in this section. Persons certified under the Mental Health Practice Act but not licensed under section 38-2122 shall not engage in mental health practice. SourceLaws 1993, LB 669, § 26; Laws 1994, LB 1210, § 96; R.S.1943, (2003), § 71-1,307; Laws 2007, LB247, § 40; Laws 2007, LB463, § 733; Laws 2008, LB1108, § 2.Operative Date: December 1, 2008