SESSION WATCH
Died SENATE · SESSION 2026

No. SB 866

Health Care Practitioner Maternal Mental Health Continuing Education Requirements
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SPONSOR
Sharief
FILED BY
Barbara Sharief — District 35, Democrat [search donations]
EFFECTIVE
7/1/2026

Filed under Healthcare.

PROVIDED SUMMARY

Health Care Practitioner Maternal Mental Health Continuing Education Requirements; Providing curriculum requirements relating to maternal mental health for the required continuing education hours for licensure renewal; requiring a board, or the Department of Health if there is no board, to periodically update specified curriculum and accept the successful completion of such curriculum as credit toward continuing education requirements, etc.

Full bill text →

Plain English Summary

AI-GENERATED
Requires continuing education on maternal mental health for practitioner renewal.

Continuing education required for health care practitioner license renewal must now cover maternal mental health, including how to screen for it, the range of disorders involved, and evidence-based treatment options.

The curriculum must also teach when an obstetrician or primary care physician should consult a psychiatrist instead of simply referring the patient out, and must stress involving the mother in her own treatment plan.

A board, or the Department of Health if a specialty has no board, must keep this curriculum updated as new research emerges.

Boards must accept completion of this curriculum as continuing education credit for practitioners in pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, psychiatry, and clinical psychology.

KEY PROVISIONS
§ 1 Requires maternal mental health content in required CE majors. 456.63

AIContinuing education hours required for license renewal must include best practices in screening for maternal mental health disorders, the range of those disorders, and evidence-based treatment options.

“Continuing education hours required for licensure renewal for health care practitioners must include all of the following” bill text, line 19 →
§ 2 Requires the curriculum to stay current with new research moderates. 456.63

AIWhichever board oversees a practitioner's license, or the Department of Health if that specialty has no board, must periodically update this curriculum so it reflects new research rather than staying static.

“Periodically update any curriculum developed pursuant to subsection (1) to account for new research.” bill text, line 31 →
§ 3 Requires four specialties' boards to accept it as CE credit moderates. 456.63

AIBoards must accept successful completion of this maternal mental health curriculum as credit toward the continuing education a practitioner needs to renew a license in pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, psychiatry, or clinical psychology.

“Accept the successful completion of the curriculum under subsection (1) as credit toward the continuing education requirements” bill text, line 33 →
§ 4 Requires training on when to consult versus refer moderates. 456.63

AIThe curriculum must specifically teach obstetricians and primary care physicians when a maternal mental health case calls for consulting a psychiatrist rather than referring the patient out entirely.

“When an obstetrician or a primary care physician should consult with a psychiatrist versus making a referral.” bill text, line 28 →
§ 5 Requires teaching on involving the mother in her own care moderates. 456.63

AIThe curriculum on evidence-based treatment options must specifically stress the importance of letting the mother take part in developing her own treatment plan, not just receive one.

“including the importance of allowing a mother to be involved in developing a treatment plan” bill text, line 26 →
TIMELINE
1/6/2026
Withdrawn prior to introduction
1/6/2026
Withdrawn from Health Policy; Appropriations Committee on Health...
12/16/2025
Referred to Health Policy; Appropriations Committee on Health and...
12/10/2025
Filed
STATUTES IT CHANGES
s. 456.63
+157 / −0