Rule-Making Notices (Hearing Notices)

The professions had previously been regulated by the Department of Health and Family Services who delegated that function to the Wisconsin Certification Board. The Legislative Audit Bureau performed a limited review of the Wisconsin Certification Board and issued a report on May 11, 2005.

The rules proposed represent a re-codification of existing standards for certification developed by the Wisconsin Certification Board. The legislature, under 2005 Wisconsin Act 25 and later amended by 2005 Wisconsin Act 407, set the statutory requirements for the new levels of licensure and mandated that the Department of Regulation and Licensing draft language for certification and regulation of substance abuse professionals.

To assist in promulgation of the rules, the department has held monthly meetings with the Substance Abuse Counselors Advisory Committee for recommendations and development of the draft rules.

Analysis and supporting documents used to determine effect on small business or in preparation of economic impact report: The Department of Regulation and Licensing, based upon the advice of the advisory committee is proposing changes to the existing standards of certification and regulation of substance abuse professionals. The department, to minimize impact on the profession, and preserve the experiential pathway into the profession, has attempted to minimize drastic changes, and make changes only where the advice of the committee and the protection of the public are preserved.

These rules will affect the existing 2,495 active certificate holders (from active database count provided to the department by the Wisconsin Certification Board, July, 2006) who may transfer to the department as of December 15, 2006. The certificate holders may operate at state departmental locations (e.g. Department of Corrections) as well as state certified AODA treatment clinics under ch. HFS 75. An unknown number of certificate holders are likely to be operating in public, not-for-profit private treatment centers and for-profit treatment centers.

There are significant “grandparenting" provisions within the statutes that will ensure that existing (active and renewal) certificate holders will not lose their certification upon transfer if they do not meet the requirements for the new certificate (e.g. higher educational requirements). The grandparenting provisions do not apply for new applicants after December 15, 2006. Additionally, the department has instituted 12 month grace periods for supervision of substance abuse counselors which would allow clinics one year's time for the supervisors to attain appropriate credentials required for supervision in their clinics.

The department is proposing changes as follows:

Educational Standards:

The proposed rules require a minimum of an associate's degree in a behavior science to qualify for the clinical level counselor, and by requirement, qualification for supervisory certification. This is an increase in educational requirements; however, an underlying degree is often a standard for professional requirements. This may prevent existing non-clinical substance abuse counselors from accessing higher levels of credentials until they achieve the underlying degree; however, the advisory committee has recommended that for protection of the public, a minimum of an associate's degree in a related behavioral science should be instituted.

The proposed rules reduce the required level of continuing education from 48 hours in the biennium to 40 for both substance abuse counselors and clinical substance abuse counselors. This is a reduction for applicable credential holders.

The proposed rules eliminate the existing system of pre-certification education and training from multiple and separate sources, including Wisconsin Certification Board accredited programs, endorsed trainings, seminars and home study, and require that the core training for the effective treatment of substance abuse and substance use disorder treatment be obtained from comprehensive and cohesive programs. The seminar, training and home study providers will still have access to the certificate holders through offering of continuing education programs required for recertification.

Practice Restrictions. The proposed rules contain scope of practice and restrictions which include:

Restrictions on the practice of substance abuse counselors-in-training: This credential does not assure competency; therefore, a clinical supervisor will be required to authorize the in-training counselor to provide functions when adequately trained.

The supervision of in-training counselors may not be done by clinical supervisors-in-training.

Clinical supervisors will be legally and ethically responsible for the practice of their supervisees, shall have the authority and responsibility to provide emergency consultation, interrupt/stop unsafe practice and to terminate the supervised relationship if necessary.

New definitions of who may provide supervision or qualify as a clinical supervisor: Supervision may only be provided by those with exemptions under the statutes (psychologists, psychiatrists, clinical substance abuse supervisors, or ch. 457, Stats., credential holders who have obtained a clinical supervision certification via their specialty AODA certification under s. MPSW 1.09).

These changes may affect small business; however, where standards were increased, the department is proposing grace periods for these requirements. Additionally, these changes were seen as necessary to achieve the minimal competency required for safe practice and protection of the public.

Section 227.137, Stats., requires an “agency" to prepare an economic impact report before submitting the proposed rule-making order to the Wisconsin Legislative Council. The Department of Regulation and Licensing is not included as an “agency" in this section.

Anticipated costs incurred by private sector:

The department finds that this rule has no significant fiscal effect on the private sector.

Fiscal Estimate

The Department estimates that this rule will require staff time in the Divisions of Management Services, Professional Credentialing, Office of Legal Counsel and Office of Examinations. The one-time salary and fringe costs in the Divisions of Professional Credentialing, Office of Legal Counsel and Office of Examinations are estimated at $22,900. The on-going salary, fringe, supplies and services costs in the Divisions of Professional Credentialing, Division of Board Services and the Office of Examinations are estimated at $77,300.

Effect on small business: These proposed rules will have no significant economic impact on small businesses, as defined in s. 227.114 (1), Stats. The Department's Regulatory Review Coordinator may be contacted by email at [e-mail], or by calling [phone].

Agency Contact

Pamela Haack, Paralegal, Department of Regulation and Licensing, Office of Legal Counsel, 1400 East Washington Avenue, Room 152, P.O. Box 8935, Madison, Wisconsin 53708-8935. Telephone: [phone]. Email: [e-mail].

Place where comments are to be submitted:

Comments may be submitted to Pamela Haack, Paralegal, Department of Regulation and Licensing, 1400 East Washington Avenue, Room 152, P.O. Box 8935, Madison, Wisconsin 53708-8935, or by email at [e-mail].

Notice of Hearing

Workforce Development
(Public Works Construction)

[CR 07-003]

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to ss. 66.0903 (5) and 103.49 (3g), Stats., the Department of Workforce Development proposes to hold a public hearing to consider the amendment of s. DWD 290.155 (1), relating to the adjustment of thresholds for application of prevailing wage rates.

Hearing Information

Monday, February 19, 2007 at 1:30 p.m.

G.E.F. 1 building, B103

201 E. Washington Avenue

Madison

Interested persons are invited to appear at the hearings and will be afforded the opportunity to make an oral presentation of their positions. Persons making oral presentations are requested to submit their facts, views, and suggested rewording in writing.

Visitors to the GEF 1 building are requested to enter through the left East Washington Avenue door and register with the customer service desk. The entrance is accessible via a ramp from the corner of Webster Street and East Washington Avenue. If you have special needs or circumstances regarding communication or accessibility at the hearing, please call [phone] at least 10 days prior to the hearing date. Accommodations such as ASL interpreters, English translators, or materials in audiotape format will be made available on request to the fullest extent possible.

Analysis Prepared by the Department of Workforce Development

Statutory authority: Sections 66.0903 (5), 103.49 (3g), and 227.11, Stats.

Statutes interpreted: Sections 66.0903 (5) and 103.49 (3g), Stats.

Explanation of agency authority. The prevailing wage laws require that when a state agency or local governmental unit contracts for the erection, construction, remodeling, repairing, or demolition of a public works project it must obtain a prevailing wage rate determination from the Department of Workforce Development and require that the contractors and subcontractors on the project pay their employees in accordance with those wage rates. Sections 66.0903 (5) and 103.49 (3g), Stats., set initial estimated project cost thresholds for application of the prevailing wage rate requirements and direct the Department to adjust the thresholds each year in proportion to any change in construction costs since the thresholds were last determined. Pursuant to s. DWD 290.15, the Department adjusts the thresholds based on changes in the construction cost index published in the Engineering News-Record, a national construction trade publication.

Summary of the proposed rule. Section DWD 290.155 (1) currently provides that the prevailing wage rate requirements do not apply to any single-trade public works project for which the estimated cost of completion is below $43,000 and do not apply to any multi-trade public works project for which the estimated cost of completion is below $209,000. This rule adjusts the thresholds from $43,000 to $44,000 for a single-trade project and from $209,000 to $216,000 for a multi-trade project based on a 3.452% increase in the construction cost index between December 2005 and December 2006.

Summary of related federal law. The federal prevailing wage law applies to a federal public works project for which the contract is greater than $2,000. This threshold is in statute and is rarely adjusted.

Comparison with laws in adjacent states. Minnesota has a statutory threshold of $2,500 for a single-trade project and $25,000 for a multi-trade project. Illinois does not have a threshold in its prevailing wage law. The law covers public works projects and defines public works projects as projects financed under various other specified laws. Michigan does not have a threshold in its prevailing wage law. The law covers projects that must be bid and relies on other agencies to determine the thresholds for what projects must be bid. Iowa does not have a prevailing wage law.

Summary of factual data and analytical methodologies. The thresholds are increased based on the national inflation rate in the construction industry. The Department uses the construction cost index in the Engineering News-Record, a national construction trade publication, to determine the inflation rate.

Effect on small business. The proposed rule does not affect small businesses. The department's small business regulatory coordinator is Jennifer Jirschele, [phone], [e-mail].

Fiscal Impact

Under the proposed and emergency rules, a state agency or local governmental unit contracting for the construction of a single-trade public works project that costs more than $43,000 but less than $44,000 or a multi-trade project that costs more than $209,000 but less than $216,000 will not be covered by the prevailing wage requirement.

Contact Information

The proposed rules are available at the web site http://adminrules.wisconsin.gov by typing “prevailing wage" in the search engine. This site allows you to view documents associated with this rule's promulgation, register to receive email notification whenever the Department posts new information about this rulemaking order, and submit comments and view comments by others during the public comment period. You may receive a paper copy of the rule by contacting:

Elaine Pridgen

Office of Legal Counsel

Dept. of Workforce Development

P.O. Box 7946

Madison, WI 53707-7946

[phone]

[e-mail]

Written comments. Written comments on the proposed rules received at the above address, email, or through the http://adminrules.wisconsin.gov web site no later than February 19, 2007, will be given the same consideration as testimony presented at the hearing.