Ohio would merge mental health credentials under one board

In Ohio, the line between recovery support and clinical mental-health work would come under a new state umbrella. The proposal would rename the Chemical Dependency Professionals Board as the Behavioral Health Professionals Board and require it to certify peer supporters and qualified mental health professionals.

A wider board for a wider field

The practical effect is that more of the behavioral-health workforce would be tied to one state regulator. For peer supporters, qualified mental health professionals, employers and the people who rely on these services, the credentialing path would run through a different board with a broader reach.

The measure also says it would make other changes to the laws governing the board and the professionals it regulates. This is not just a new sign on the door. It redraws the legal container around the workers the state chooses to certify.