1. Current Issues Facing the Counseling Profession www. counseling
Current Issues Facing the Counseling Profession

2. David Kaplan ACA Chief Professional Officer dkaplan@counseling
David Kaplan ACA Chief Professional Officer Art Terrazas ACA Director of Government Affairs ACA conference

3. Two Game-Changing Issues
External to the profession
Internal to the profession

4. External to the Profession
LGBT discrimination

5. LGBT Societal Advances
Sex
Adoption
Same-sex marriage
A start to transgender acceptance

6. Condemnation of conversion therapy
And in our world….
Condemnation of conversion therapy

7. 180 Backlashes Anti-transgender legislation
Pro conversion therapy legislation
Religious refusal legislation

8. Tennessee
Legislation offered that allowed LPCs to deny services to clients based on religious beliefs of the LPC, in violation of the ACA Code of Ethics.
Stripped the power of the State board to sanction LPCs.
Passed as part of an effort to attack the ACA and counseling profession.

9. Pathways to Professionalism
Internal to the Profession
Pathways to Professionalism

10. Pathways to Professionalism
Legislative Efforts

11. Strengthening Licensure laws
New York and Diagnosis.
Congruency in laws dealing with scope and practice.
Unification of the profession.
Adoption of the 20/20 project and its outcomes.

12. Federal Agenda School Counseling Funding Medicare
TRICARE- Implementation
Department of Veterans Affairs
School Counseling Funding
Medicare

13. School Counseling Funding
Elementary & Secondary School Counseling Program has been phased-out.
The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) established over $1.6 billion in funding for School Programs and other programs.
School Districts must apply for the grants.

14. The VA “ask”
The VA should add counselors to their training program under the Office of Academic Affiliations. This program is a proven pathway to a career in the VA.
Asking Senators to co-sponsor S which calls on the VA to include counselors in the training program AND allows doctoral degrees to be recognized.
Asking Senators to support ongoing Pilot Program at the VA that creates paid internships for licensed mental health counselors.

15. TRICARE “Final Rule” issued in 2014
Only allowed for a certain segment of the Counseling Profession to become independent practitioners.
Required a certain degree.
Only allowed certain LPCs to be “grandfathered” in if they did not attend a CACREP school.

16. TRICARE Amendment
Will allow LPCs who had a master’s degree in counseling and licensed to become an independent practitioner until 2021.
ACA advocated for it in order to ensure that more LPCs would be able to deliver mental healthcare.

17. S. 1830/H.R. 2759
Bipartisan legislation to cover LPCs and MFTs under Medicare.
S Sponsored by John Barasso (R-WY) and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI).
H.R sponsored by Chris Gibson (R-NY) and Mike Thompson (D-CA).
Covers LPCs and MFTs at same reimbursement rates as clinical social workers (75% of MDs).
2009 CBO Estimate: $100 million over 5 years, $400 million over 10 years.

18. What the debate on Medicare coverage of counselors is about these days
It’s not about policy. Both the House and Senate have passed the bill language twice in the past 10 years (Senate = 2003, 2005; House = 2007, 2009)

19. The “Ask”: Medicare Ask SENATORS to co-sponsor S. 1830.
Ask REPRESENTATIVES to co-sponsor H.R
This is bipartisan, extremely low-cost legislation which has been passed twice by both the Senate and House, but has not yet become law.

20. Pathways to Professionalism
Licensure

21. Pathways to Professionalism
Initial Licensure

22. A movement toward CACREP
Beginning in a degree from a CACREP accredited school is required to obtain a license in Ohio.
Kentucky, New Hampshire, and North Carolina have also introduced CACREP requirements.

23. Delaware now requires the NCC for both initial and reciprocal licensure – a de facto CACREP requirement.
The Virginia Board recently voted to approve a CACREP degree for licensure.

24. On the other hand…..
New Jersey is proposing to remove the licensure requirement that a degree contains the word “counselor” or “counseling”.

25. Pathways to Professionalism
Reciprocity

28. Let’s schmooze!

29. Current Issues Facing the Counseling Profession www. counseling
Current Issues Facing the Counseling Profession