Critical Issues Facing the Counseling Profession and State

Critical Issues Facing the Counseling Profession and State Counseling Boards www. counseling. org/kaplan

David Kaplan ACA Chief Professional Officer dkaplan@counseling. org Scott Mac. Conomy ACA State Legislative Representative smacconomy@counseling. org 2018 AASCB conference

Two Critical Areas • Licensure Portability • Licensing board consolidation and elimination

Salvador Minuchin 1921 -2017

Reparative Therapy/Conversion Therapy/SOCE as a Significant and Serious Violation of the ACA Code of Ethics Passed by the ACA Governing Council December 19, 2017

Promoting, conducting, engaging in or referring for reparative therapy/ conversion therapy/SOCE is a significant and serious violation of the ACA Code of Ethics

Conducting reparative/conversion therapy/SOCE is a breach of the mandates to: • Do no harm • Avoid the imposition of the counselor’s personal values, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors. • Practice within the boundaries of professional competence. • Avoid discrimination based on sexual orientation and/or gender identification.

LICENSURE PORTABILITY

LICENSING BOARD CONSOLIDATION AND ELIMINATION

Federal Agenda • Affordable Care Act • Mental Health Parity • Medicare Reimbursement for Counselors

Medicare Legislation • Bipartisan legislation to cover LPCs and MFTs under Medicare so they can be reimbursed. • S. 1879 sponsored by Senators John Barrasso (R-WY) and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI). • H. R. 3032 sponsored by Congressman John Katco (R-NY). • Would cover LPCs and MFTs at same reimbursement rates as clinical social workers (75% of MDs).

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)

Support Medicare Legislation • Ask your Senators and Representatives to support legislation this year. • This is bipartisan, low-cost legislation which has been passed twice by both the Senate and House, but has not yet become law. • Congress may be looking to help seniors as the November election approaches.

Licensure and the FTC The Federal Trade Commission is looking at ways to reduce noncompetitive outcomes of licensure The Economic Liberty Task Force has held two roundtables on the effects of licensure on competition, consumers, and the workforce. “Although licensing can confer certain consumer benefits, licensing requirements also impose costs on anyone who wants to enter or continue an occupation. ”

State Initiatives • Add Diagnosis to the definition of counseling in New York. • Work with Tennessee counselors and others to keep a strong code of ethics in place. • Work with state counseling groups on effective advocacy at the state level.

Iowa • The Governor proposed to eliminate licensure and instead have people register with state agencies. • ACA found members who could go to Des Moines and advocate against this legislation on short notice. • Working with NASW and other groups, we showed overwhelming opposition to this bill at the initial hearing. • The subcommittee chairman understood the bills effects and the opposition, and killed it that day.

How ACA can help you keep up with current and counseling events • Read Counseling Today • Read CT online www. ct. counseling. org • Read Counseling Insider at counseling. org/publications • Subscribe to the ACA government affairs blog: counseling. org/news/aca- blogs/aca-government-affairs-blog

• Visit the ACA Facebook page • Follow ACA on Twitter: • @Amercan. Counseling. Association • Use Google alerts • Ask Scott and David

Let’s schmooze!

Critical Issues Facing the Counseling Profession and State Counseling Boards www. counseling. org/kaplan