North Carolina directs mental health commission to expand staff definitions for community college graduates

Original title: Budget Technical Corrections Modifications.

Last action · August 11, 2026: Ch. SL 2026-58Sponsors: Grant Campbell and 14 others

Bill progressHistory & official text ↓

Introduced

Committee

Floor Vote

Passed

Law

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What This Bill Would Do

The North Carolina General Assembly directs the Commission for Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse Services to amend its staff definition rules to allow community college graduates with human services associate degrees to qualify as associate professionals, s, and qualified substance abuse prevention professionals.

Why it matters

Changes credentialing standards for mental health and substance abuse services staff across the state, creating new employment pathways for community college graduates with associate degrees.

Who It Would Affect

Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

Community college human services graduates

Graduates with an associate degree in human services gain new qualification pathways for professional roles in mental health and substance abuse services.

Directly affected

Commission for Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse Services

The Commission is mandated to engage in expedited rulemaking and implement interim staff definition standards.

Key Facts

Associate Professionals (AP) may now include graduates of a community college with an associate degree in a human services field with less than two years of experience with the population served.
Qualified Professionals may now be community college graduates with an associate degree in a human services field and two years of full-time or accumulated supervised experience in mental health, developmental disabilities, and substance abuse services.
Qualified Substance Abuse Prevention Professionals (QSAPP) may now be community college graduates with an associate degree in human services and two years of experience in addictions and recovery prevention.
The Commission must adopt a rule substantively identical to the provisions of subsections (c) and (d) without being subject to certain standard legislative review procedures under Part 3 of Article 2A of Chapter 150B.

Show all 5 facts

The act takes effect when it becomes law and expires when the permanent rules adopted under the act become effective.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who does this bill affect?

It affects community college graduates with human services associate degrees seeking to work as associate professionals, s, or qualified substance abuse prevention professionals in North Carolina.

What is required of the Commission for Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse Services?

The Commission is required to immediately implement interim staff definitions and adopt permanent rules amending 10A NCAC 27G .0104 to include the new community college qualification pathways.

What else do you want to know?

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Where This Stands

Currently passed both. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Law.

Procedural history

41 actions

Aug 4, 2026House
Ordered Enrolled
Aug 4, 2026House
Conf Report Adopted
Jul 30, 2026House
Placed On Cal For 08/04/2026
Jul 30, 2026House
Cal Pursuant Rule 44(d)
Jul 30, 2026House
Conf Com Reported
Jul 29, 2026Senate
Conf Report Adopted

Show 35 earlier actions

Jul 28, 2026Senate
Placed On Cal For 07/29/2026
Jul 28, 2026Senate
Conf Com Reported
Jul 28, 2026Senate
Conf Com Appointed
Jul 1, 2026House
Conf Com Appointed
Apr 21, 2026House
Failed Concur In S Com Sub
Apr 21, 2026House
Added to Calendar
Apr 21, 2026House
Withdrawn From Com
Apr 21, 2026House
Serial Referral To Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House Stricken
Sep 22, 2025House
Re-ref to the Com on Appropriations, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
Sep 22, 2025House
Special Message Received For Concurrence in S Com Sub
Sep 22, 2025Senate
Special Message Sent To House
Sep 22, 2025Senate
Passed 3rd Reading
Sep 22, 2025Senate
Passed 2nd Reading
Sep 22, 2025Senate
Amend Tabled A1
Sep 22, 2025Senate
Placed on Today's Calendar
Sep 22, 2025Senate
Com Substitute Adopted
Sep 22, 2025Senate
Reptd Fav Com Substitute
Sep 22, 2025Senate
Re-ref Com On Appropriations/Base Budget
Sep 22, 2025Senate
Withdrawn From Com
May 19, 2025Senate
Re-ref to Health Care. If fav, re-ref to Rules and Operations of the Senate
May 19, 2025Senate
Withdrawn From Com
May 7, 2025Senate
Ref To Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate
May 7, 2025Senate
Passed 1st Reading
May 7, 2025Senate
Regular Message Received From House
May 7, 2025House
Regular Message Sent To Senate
May 6, 2025House
Passed 3rd Reading
May 6, 2025House
Passed 2nd Reading
May 1, 2025House
Placed On Cal For 05/06/2025
May 1, 2025House
Cal Pursuant Rule 36(b)
May 1, 2025House
Reptd Fav
Apr 30, 2025House
Re-ref Com On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
Apr 30, 2025House
Reptd Fav
Mar 31, 2025House
Ref to the Com on Health, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
Mar 31, 2025House
Passed 1st Reading
Mar 27, 2025HouseIntroduced
Filed

Version history

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