Qualified Mental Health Professional
State-licensed mental health practitioner.
How the laws define this
Both provisions establish that a qualified mental health professional must be legally authorized or licensed to deliver mental health services under Tennessee law. The shared core anchors this status to professional standards governed by state statutory authority, particularly Tennessee Title 33. However, the descriptions diverge in their scope and functional context. One statutory context frames the designation around general legal and ethical authorization established across Tennessee Code Annotated Titles 33, 47, and 63, specifically applying these credentials to prevent artificial intelligence from falsely claiming them. In contrast, the definition grounded directly in Tennessee Title 33 details an explicit list of state-licensed professions required to meet the definition. These enumerated roles include psychiatrists, psychologists, licensed clinical social workers, marital and family therapists, professional counselors, and psychiatric nurses holding specific master's degrees. Consequently, the provisions diverge between a broad standard designed to protect against deceptive AI credentialing and a specific list of licensed practitioner categories.
Synthesised from the 2 statutory definitions below. Each one is quoted in full, with its source.
What it triggers
- In Tennessee, AI systems are prohibited from being advertised or represented as qualified mental health professionals.source
- Under Tennessee SB 1580, AI is prevented from falsely claiming to be qualified mental health professionals.
Definitions (2)
Refers to individuals legally and ethically authorized to provide mental health care, whose standards are established in Tennessee Code Annotated Titles 33, 47, and 63. The bill prevents AI from falsely claiming these credentials.
As defined by Tennessee Title 33, these are individuals licensed in the state for their profession, including psychiatrists, psychologists, licensed clinical social workers, marital and family therapists, professional counselors, and psychiatric nurses with specific master's degrees.
Questions and answers
What professions count as qualified mental health professionals in Tennessee?
Individuals licensed in Tennessee, including psychiatrists, psychologists, licensed clinical social workers, marital and family therapists, professional counselors, and psychiatric nurses with specific master's degrees.
Can AI claim to be a qualified mental health professional in Tennessee?
No, Tennessee SB 1580 prohibits AI systems from being advertised or represented as qualified mental health professionals to protect public trust. The bill also prevents AI from falsely claiming these credentials.
What is the purpose of Tennessee's regulation on AI and qualified mental health professionals?
The regulation aims to protect public trust by ensuring AI does not misrepresent itself as having the credentials of licensed mental health professionals whose standards are set in Tennessee Code Annotated Titles 33, 47, and 63.