Florida Senate - 2026                                     SB 866
       
       
        
       By Senator Sharief
       
       
       
       
       
       35-01559-26                                            2026866__
    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 the successful
   10         completion of such curriculum as credit toward
   11         continuing education requirements; providing an
   12         effective date.
   13          
   14  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   15  
   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 must 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 should
   29  consult with a psychiatrist versus making a referral.
   30         (2) A board, or the department if there is no board, shall:
   31         (a) Periodically update any curriculum developed pursuant
   32  to subsection (1) to account for new research.
   33         (b) Accept the successful completion of the curriculum
   34  under subsection (1) as credit toward the continuing education
   35  requirements for renewal of a license by a health care
   36  practitioner who practices in the specialty of:
   37         1. Pediatrics;
   38         2. Obstetrics and gynecology;
   39         3. Psychiatry; or
   40         4. Clinical psychology.
   41         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.