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The Colorado Counseling Association is made up of more than 1,400 members throughout the state of Colorado. We are so grateful to serve each member! 
 
The mission of the CCA is to serve its membership by promoting legislative advocacy efforts, education resources, and professional resources offered to its members.
 
 
What's in this newsletter:
  • Legislative Update
  • Accepting Proposals for Annual Conference
  • Professional Counselor Identity
  • Serving the Latinx Community
  • Advocating for Professional Counselor Identity
  • Membership Drive
  • 2024 Annual Conference
 
Please find all of this important information below. If you have any questions, or any information to share, please email us at: info@ColoradoCounselingAssociation.org
 
Thank you from all of us here!

Colorado Counseling Association

www.coloradocounselingassociation.org 

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Changes Are Coming to the LPCC
On February 22nd, Dr. Ryan M. Burkhart testified in support of SB24-115, the Mental Health Professionals Practice Requirements bill. This bill, initially started by the CCA in 2023, became a collaborative effort between the CCA, NASW-CO (Social Workers), the Colorado Psychological Association (Psychologists), and the Marriage and Family Therapist Association, with each respective association cleaning up various aspects of their licensure process. Your membership directly empowers the CCA to accomplish such legislative efforts.
 
The CCA received unanimous support from the Senate Health & Human Services Committee after the testimony of Leanne Rupp, Executive Director of NASW-CO and Dr. Burkhart. Though this is an important first step in the legislative process, their is still much work to do before this bill is signed into law. That being said, the CCA is encouraged by our progress thus far and are optimistic. 
 
CCA members can learn what SB24-115 will accomplish when passed by clicking here.
CCA is grateful for our current Legislative Committee Members: Lisa Whalin, Bethany Wilson, Trever Shirin, Sara Pickup, Tonya Kron, Ry Mittlestadt, Kimberly Logan, Dr. Vasti Holstun, and Dr. Ryan Burkhart, Hannah Reasy, and Dr. Stacy Pinto.

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Colorado Counseling Association is requesting proposals for conference sessions. The 2024 CCA Annual Conference contains two events, both of which are currently accepting proposals.
 
The Foundation Conference for Students and Counselor Educators will be held on August 21st, 2024, at the Keystone Resort. This event specifically targets counselors-in-training enrolled in mental health graduate programs. Event registration is restricted to students and counselor educators. However, there are no restrictions on who may submit a proposal. Proposals should directly support the training, development, and learning of counselors-in-training.
 
The Annual Conference will be held on August 22 – 23, 2024, at the Keystone Resort. This two-day conference is open to all mental professionals to both attend and to present.
 
All session proposals must be submitted by April 15, 2024. However, you are encouraged to submit a proposal ahead of time. By May 15, 2024, the Committee will make a decision on all proposals. The number of accepted proposals is limited to the current available sessions. The Committee will contact the author of each proposal.
 
For more information on how to submit your proposals, click here.

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This article posits that the Professional Counselor identity is at risk of being lost by recent actions designed to expand access for counselors to provide quality mental health care to clients. While this expanded access through programs such as the Interstate Counseling Compact, appear to be good for the profession, the authors express concern that “hard-fought and now well-established strong Counselor licensure laws and training standards” are being threatened and professional standards are being changed, resulting in unintended consequences.
 
The authors cite several areas of concern – the Interstate Counseling Compact, the emergence of alternative credentialing bodies to CACREP accreditation, and states (specifically Florida and Georgia) who have passed legislation that the authors say erode Professional Counselor Identity by changing educational requirements (no counseling degree needed to hold a counselor license, and training requirements for licensure). 
 
In addressing the Compact, the authors call into question three areas. 1) The unintended consequences related to weakening educational requirements in state Counselor licensure laws; 2) Recognizing and granting other professions the privilege to practice as a Professional Counselor via the Counseling Compact; and 3) Subsequent concerning ramifications for the Counseling profession, specifically related to Counselor education and supervision, the regulation of Counseling, and ethical public protection.
 
Regarding counselor education accreditation, the authors said the distinction of counseling from other helping professions was crucial, particularly after psychologists sought to exclude counselors from the psychology profession in the 1960s. They argue that Counselors worked to define counseling as a distinct discipline with a focus on wellness, prevention, and developmental processes. CACREP is being challenged by the Masters in Counseling Accreditation Committee (MCAC), which is an alternative accreditor for master’s level psychology and Counseling programs, only requiring 48 credit hours for accreditation versus 60 credit hours required by CACREP.
 
Another challenge to CACREP is the Masters in Psychology and Counseling Accreditation Council (MPCAC). MPCAC identifies accreditation of counseling psychology programs, applied psychology programs, clinical psychology programs, and some clinical mental health counseling and school counseling programs. The authors state “MPCAC Standards for all the aforementioned programs are the same, with no differentiated requirements for programs to meet specialized standards for the varying professional specializations accredited (i.e., school counseling or applied clinical psychology)”. The authors also state MPCAC has not been vetted by the Counseling profession.
 
The authors are concerned that the effort, perseverance and time it has taken for Counselors to establish the hallmarks of the Counseling profession - Counselor certification and licensure, Counselor Education accreditation - will be lost. The authors expressed: “Without informed action to prevent it, history may repeat itself. Indeed, Counselors are moving closer to new barriers that can prevent them from practicing distinctively as Counselors while other mental health specialty licenses remain closed to Counselors”.
 
Therefore, given the potential for the Counseling profession to lose its identity, the authors urge Professional Counselors to advocate for the profession by staying informed of state laws which can adversely affect the integrity of the profession, and helping legislators understand the need for counselor-specific education, training and licensure as an ethics issue and for public protection. Professional organizations such as ACES and CSI, (as well as the Colorado Counseling Association) are advocating for the integrity of the Professional Counselor. In addition, the authors say, “Counselor researchers and scholars have a critical role in examining the impact of Professional Counselor Identity (including Counselor training and credentialing, specifically) upon clinical outcomes in the field – critically looking at how Counselors practice and the effectiveness of our unique Professional Counselor Identity in clinical practice” and to demonstrate why Counselor training and credentialing make a difference in clinical practice.
 
To read the complete article and to learn more about how you can get involved: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/2326716X.2023.2178985
 
Hartwig Moorhead, H.J.. Duncan, K. & Fernandez, M.S. (2023) The critical need for professional advocacy: A call to the counseling profession to value professional counselor identity, Journal of Counselor Leadership and Advocacy, 10(1), 3-17, DOI: 10.1080/2326716X.2023.2178985

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As a mental health therapist in Colorado primarily serving the Latinx community for 10 years, I have experienced challenges when providing services. This includes limited options for specialty referrals, clients not being able to afford services due to lack of insurance or financial means, stigma, as well as language barriers. I have often experienced feeling frustrated as I hear clients suffering the separation from their family and primary support system and mental health services being limited to them in a moment of such great need.
 
I began to hear from clients their hesitation to seek services due to the impact of paying out of pocket for mental health services. Another side of the story are clients’ hesitations due to fear of their records being connected to the state and thus feeling at risk of deportation. Clients will come to services with significant clinical issues such as those caused by the trauma of crossing the border, and of being separated from their primary support system, others talked about the impact of fleeing their country due to violence.
 
For many years I searched and attempted to refer clients to someone who specialized in a specific area such as trauma or eating disorders, and with the provider needing to be bilingual and offer low-cost services so the patients could afford the service. As you can imagine, this brought another level of frustration. Quickly I realized clients were not able to afford the fees, nor did they know how to navigate phone calls, locating the business or perhaps understanding the importance of someone “specialized” in trauma supporting them. As providers, we are aware of some of the challenges our state faces with access to some mental health services, even if the client has insurance coverage and has an understanding on how to navigate the system.
 
So as a therapist, what are we to do? What are the community resources we can connect these clients to and what services might facilitate improving their wellbeing and provide a sense of community as they adjust to daily stressors? Here are some well known resources to mental health providers who work primarily with the Latinx community and have proven to be accessible to clients who are primarily Spanish speaking. Reach out to them for your Spanish speaking clients.
 
Community Reach Center: https://www.communityreachcenter.org/
Aurora Mental Health Center: https://www.auroramhr.org/
Jefferson Center for Mental Health: https://www.jcmh.org/
Mental Health Partners: https://www.mhpcolorado.org/
El Consultorio: All therapists are Bilingual (Spanish/English). https://el-consultorio.com/
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The authors of the article “The Criticial Need for Professional Advocacy” suggest that many counselors recognize the significance of Professional Counselor Identity yet fail to understand its connection to daily work and client protection.  Counselors are encouraged to prioritize professional advocacy in three key ways:
  • Be Informed
  • Stay updated on state legislation impacting licensed counselors.
  • Utilize resources from professional organizations like ACES, CSI, ACA, and NBCC for advocacy.
  • In Colorado, the CCA leads the way in advocating for Professional Counselors and is the first source to keep counselors informed.
  • Utilize Accessible Resources
  • Access ready-made resources from professional counseling organizations.
  • Participate in advocacy campaigns and alert organizations about additional resource needs.
  • Intentionally Demonstrate a Clear Professional Counselor Identity
  • Work towards protecting and promoting Professional Counselor Identity.
  • Engage in multi-disciplinary efforts while emphasizing unique counselor strengths.
  • Counselor educators and researchers play a pivotal role in supporting Professional Counselor Identity through curriculum and research.
  • Advocate for the inclusion of quality research in advocacy resources to illustrate the importance of Professional Counselor Identity.
  • Upholding Professional Counselor Identity
    • Counselors must actively advocate for licensure laws and rules reflecting Professional Counselor Identity.
    • Advocate for clear, universal licensure requirements nationwide.
    • Clarify the distinction between job titles (therapist) and the counseling profession.
    • Promote counselors' unique contributions to mental health services in integrated behavioral healthcare settings.
Through intentional advocacy and demonstration of Professional Counselor Identity, counselors can strengthen their profession and ensure quality client care.
 
To read the complete article and to learn more about how you can get involved: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/2326716X.2023.2178985
 
Hartwig Moorhead, H.J.. Duncan, K. & Fernandez, M.S. (2023) The critical need for professional advocacy: A call to the counseling profession to value professional counselor identity, Journal of Counselor Leadership and Advocacy, 10(1), 3-17, DOI: 10.1080/2326716X.2023.2178985
 
Summary written by Kimberly Anderson

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Refer New Members to the CCA and Get Rewarded for It!
 
The CCA is running a special membership drive that rewards you for referring a new member and reward the new member for joining! Here’s how the program works.
  • Tell your counselor friends and colleagues about the CCA and why it’s important that they become members too. Some of the benefits are:
    • We are your voice and advocate in both the State Legislature’s legislative process and with DORA. The CCA has a lobbying firm who works behind the scenes with state representatives to get bills that affect the practice of counseling sponsored and then ensures they continue through the legislative process.
    • The CCA meets with DORA on a regular basis and gives valuable input on rules and regulations and implementation of laws passed by the State Legislature, and always acts on behalf of CCA members.
    • Training and information are a key benefit. The CCA newsletter, website, social media posts and emails are designed to keep you up-to-date on information you need to know. The CCA provides training on a variety of topics such as Medicaid and supervisor training, and keeps you informed about the important issues facing counselors in Colorado.
    • The CCA Annual Conference continues to grow and provide members not only with great information and education, but you receive educational credits toward your Professional Development Hours as well as networking opportunities with counselors from around the state.
    • CCA membership is very affordable. The cost for LPCC New Professionals who are within 12 months of receiving their LPCC license is just $55 and for all other professionals, LPCCs with more than 12 months and LPCs, the cost is just $90.
  • When you refer a new member, you will receive 10% off your membership dues at renewal. Plus, for each new member you refer, your name will go into a drawing for a free registration for the 2024 Annual Conference (we’re giving away three free registrations), a free membership, or free CASE trainings. The therapist you refer must put your name and your email address into the referral line on their online membership application.
  • Your referral member will also receive 10% off their membership application. This discount applies to LPCC and LPC referrals only.
  • This special promotion is effective January 31, 2024 – March 31, 2024.
To find out more about joining the CCA, click here

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Mark your calendars now to attend the 2024 Annual Conference in beautiful Keystone! The student conference is Wednesday, August 21, followed by the general conference Thursday and Friday August 22 and 23. You can early register now for the conference.
 
In addition, we are seeking volunteers to help with the conference as well as help with other aspects of the CCA. If you would like to volunteer for the conference or to help with other CCA events, please complete this form
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