THE BILL ITSELF
HB 873
Health Care Practitioner Maternal Mental Health Continuing Education Requirements
1
A bill to be entitled
2
An act relating to health care practitioner maternal
3
mental health continuing education requirements;
4
creating s. 456.63, F.S.; providing curriculum
5
requirements relating to maternal mental health for
6
the required continuing education hours for licensure
7
renewal; requiring a board, or the Department of
8
Health if there is no board, to periodically update
9
specified curriculum and accept, as credit toward
10
continuing education requirements, the successful
11
completion of such curriculum; providing an effective
12
date.
14
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
16
Section 1. Section 456.63, Florida Statutes, is created to
17
read:
18
456.63 Continuing education on maternal mental health.-
19
(1) Continuing education hours required for licensure
20
renewal for health care practitioners shall include all of the
21
following:
22
(a) The best practices in screening for maternal mental
23
health disorders.
24
(b) The range of maternal mental health disorders.
25
(c) The range of evidence-based treatment options,
26
including the importance of allowing a mother to be involved in
27
developing a treatment plan.
28
(d) When an obstetrician or a primary care physician
29
should consult with a psychiatrist versus making a referral.
30
(2) A board, or the department when there is no board,
31
shall:
32
(a) Periodically update any curriculum developed pursuant
33
to subsection (1) to account for new research.
34
(b) Accept, as credit toward the continuing education
35
requirements for renewal of a license, the successful completion
36
of the curriculum under subsection (1) by a health care
37
practitioner who practices in the specialty of:
38
1. Pediatrics;
39
2. Obstetrics and gynecology;
40
3. Psychiatry; or
41
4. Clinical psychology.
42
Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.