Sex Offender Treatment Board Sets Initial Standards for Therapist Certification

Interested parties and the public are allowed opportunity to comment on the proposed rules, including temporary rules, before final adoption.

Oregon Attorney General Hardy Meyers, left, called the creation of the Sex Offender Treatment Board. Photo courtesy: State of Oregon Attorney General's Office

(SALEM, Ore.) - The Oregon Health Licensing Agency(OHLA), in consultation with the newly established Sex Offender Treatment Board, recently filed temporary operating administrative rules on definitions, fee structure, requirements for application and certification for sex offender therapists.

Those rules, filed on March 14th and effective for 180 days, are subject to public review before permanent rules become effective in September of this year.

OHLA/SOTB are also filing proposed rules to establish statewide standards. These standards include:

• Supervisory requirements
• Continuing education and CE audits
• Code of professional conduct, including standards of practice, professional conduct and client relationships, communications with other professionals, mandatory reporting, client confidentiality / disclosure and informed consent, and client records
• Discipline and compliance

"I applaud the diligence and commitment of SOTB members and OHLA staff in drafting professional standards for this newly regulated profession," says OHLA Director Susan K. Wilson. "We look forward to hearing from the many and varied stakeholders involved in sex offender treatment."

OHLA has posted the temporary / proposed rules on its Web site at oregon.gov/OHLA/SOTB and distributed copies to key stakeholder groups in mental health, corrections, law enforcement and victims' advocacy.

Interested parties and the public are allowed opportunity to comment on the proposed rules, including temporary rules, before final adoption.

OHLA / SOTB will hold a public hearing on Friday, April 25th, 9:00 AM at OHLA in Salem to accept public comment on the rules. OHLA is accepting written comment on the proposed rules via e-mail at ohla.info@state.or.us or through postal mail.

Interested parties may also email or call the agency at 503-378-8667 to be placed on a notification mailing list.