Florida HB 873: Health Care Practitioner Maternal Mental Health Continuing Education Requirements

Bill Text

HB 873 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb873-00
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to health care practitioner maternal 2
mental health continuing education requirements; 3
creating s. 456.63, F.S.; providing curriculum 4
requirements relating to maternal mental health for 5
the required continuing education hours for licensure 6
renewal; requiring a board, or the Department of 7
Health if there is no board, to periodically update 8
specified curriculum and accept, as credit toward 9
continuing education requirements, the successful 10
completion of such curriculum; providing an effective 11
date. 12
13
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 14
15
Section 1. Section 456.63, Florida Statutes, is created to 16
read: 17
456.63 Continuing education on maternal mental health.- 18
(1) Continuing education hours required for licensure 19
renewal for health care practitioners shall include all of the 20
following: 21
(a) The best practices in screening for maternal mental 22
health disorders. 23
(b) The range of maternal mental health disorders. 24
(c) The range of evidence-based treatment options, 25

HB 873 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb873-00
Page 2 of 2
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

including the importance of allowing a mother to be involved in 26
developing a treatment plan. 27
(d) When an obstetrician or a primary care physician 28
should consult with a psychiatrist versus making a referral. 29
(2) A board, or the department when there is no board, 30
shall: 31
(a) Periodically update any curriculum developed pursuant 32
to subsection (1) to account for new research. 33
(b) Accept, as credit toward the continuing education 34
requirements for renewal of a license, the successful completion 35
of the curriculum under subsection (1) by a health care 36
practitioner who practices in the specialty of: 37
1. Pediatrics; 38
2. Obstetrics and gynecology; 39
3. Psychiatry; or 40
4. Clinical psychology. 41
Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026. 42