Texas · State research dossier
Texas centralizes counselor, marriage and family therapy, social work, and psychology administration in BHEC while retaining separate member boards and rules. Behavior analysts are regulated outside BHEC by TDLR, and telehealth, entities, privacy, breach reporting, facilities, and monthly Medicaid policy require independent analysis.
Scope before answers
Practice owners, operations leaders, supervisors, and clinicians evaluating work in Texas.
Current and future authority
Future-effective, proposed, and conflicting sources are labeled instead of being blended into current requirements.
Chapter 121 changes posted in June 2026 remain proposed until TDLR publishes final adoption.
Texas has PSYPACT, but the cited counseling and social work proposals do not create current compact practice authority.
Regulator and credential map
Each dossier keeps credential, supervision, cross-border, entity, client, records, renewal, and discipline research tied to the correct authority.
LPC Associate · LPC · LPC Supervisor
Texas licenses LPC Associates for supervised practice and LPCs for independent practice through the counselor member board within BHEC.
LMFT Associate · LMFT · LMFT Supervisor · Temporary LMFT
Texas uses a separate MFT member board and credential ladder; LMFT Associate practice is supervised, while a narrow temporary-license route may apply to some out-of-state independent licensees.
LBSW · LMSW · LCSW · Independent Practice Recognition · Board-approved Supervisor
Texas licenses bachelor, master, and clinical social workers and uses separate recognitions for some independent nonclinical practice and supervision.
Licensed Psychologist · Licensed Psychological Associate · School Psychologist · LPA Independent Practice Authority
Texas licenses psychologists and psychological associates, requires separate approval for LPA independent practice, and participates in PSYPACT.
Licensed Behavior Analyst · Licensed Assistant Behavior Analyst
Texas behavior analysts are licensed by TDLR, not BHEC; both independent and assistant credentials rely on qualifying national certification and statutory conditions.
Entity · workforce · privacy · payer · facility
Texas professional authority is only one launch layer; the practice must also resolve professional entity ownership, client-location telehealth, broader state health privacy, breach clocks, workforce, locality, facility, and payer rules.
State launch checklist
Public worksheets
Print a blank copy or check items locally in this browser. No worksheet information is submitted to the site.
Sequence authority, credential, entity, payer, facility, privacy, and locality checks before opening.
Track verification, renewal, continuing education, audits, inactive status, and reinstatement.
Document the client location, practitioner authority, registration or privilege, consent, emergency plan, and payer rule.
Review entity form, ownership, naming, registration, referrals, and fee-sharing boundaries.
Collect credential evidence and document role, supervision, setting, hours, reporting, and payer enrollment.
Map state privacy, HIPAA, retention, access, security, breach, closure, and continuity duties.
Determine whether a private office is also a regulated program or facility and confirm payer enrollment and billing routes.
Source inspector and freshness ledger
Open any record to inspect its authority type, identifier, effective date, verification date, next review, and direct official link.
Recent changes
Unresolved
Monitoring