1. Professionalism and Beyond as Clinical Mental Health Counselors Presented by: Jim Messina, Ph.D., NCC, CCMHC Assistant Professor: Troy University Tampa Bay Site Website: www.coping.us

2. From Dream to Reality in 1976 On an impulsive whim Nancy and Jim: Coined term Mental Health Counselor Coined Association Title: The American Mental Health Counselors Association As the process caught fire Established the Profession of Mental Health Counseling Set out to create its Hallmarks of a Profession

3. What are the Hallmarks of a Profession? 1.Professional Membership Organization 2.Code of Ethics 3.Accreditation 4.Certification and Licensure 5.Research into Effectiveness of Service Deliver y

4. History Timeline of Creation of Mental Health Counseling Profession 1976 – Coining of term Mental Health Counselor and formation of American Mental Health Counselors Association as Division of ACA 1979 – Creation of the National Academy of Certified Clinical Mental Health Counselors 1981 – First State Law to license Mental Health Counselors put into effect in Florida 1985 – AMHCA had over 12,000 members 2011 – AMHCA put out its newest Standards of Practice in Mental Health Counseling-Helping to put Health back into Clinical Mental Health Counseling 2013 – AMHCA has over 7,000 members

5. The National Professional Association of Mental Health Counselors American Mental Health Counselors Association Founded in 1976 when term Mental Health Counselor was coined

6. Suncoast Chapter of FMHCA Florida Chapter of AMHCA

7. Association AMHCA Belongs to American Counseling Association Was known as APGA-American Personnel and Guidance Association in1976 and in 1983 as AACD American Association of Counseling and Development until 1992 when it changed to ACA

8. CODES OF ETHICS Governing Mental Health Counselors

9. Research in the field is Reported in AMHCAs Journal

10. AMHCAs Online Newsletter

11. Accreditation: Standards for Training of CMHC CACREP (The Council for Accreditation of Counseling & Related Educational Programs) 1988 CACREP set out its first Standards for accreditation of CMHC Programs using 60 hour requirement put out in 1979 by AMHCA – But it also had Community Counseling Programs with up to 48 hours – Most went Community Counseling 2009 CACREP adopted standards for CMHC which included 60 hour requirement

12. 2009 CACREP Standards for CMHC Required both core CACREP areas & specialized training in clinical mental health Core CACREP areas include: 1.Professional Orientation and Ethical Practice 2.Social and Cultural Diversity 3.Human Growth and Development across the lifespan 4.Career Development 5.Helping Relationships 6.Group Work 7.Assessment 8.Research and Program Evaluation

13. 2009 CACREP Standards for CMHC Specialized CMHC Training: 1.Ethical, Legal & Practice Foundations of CMHC 2.Prevention & Clinical Intervention 3.Clinical Assessment 4.Diagnosis & Treatment of Mental Disorders 5.Diversity & Advocacy in Clinical Mental Health Counseling 6.Clinical Mental Health Counseling Research & Outcome Evaluation These areas of CMHC preparation address clinical mental health needs across the lifespan (children, adolescents, adults and older adults) & across socially & culturally diverse populations.

14. AMHCA 2011 Standard Additional Requirement for CMHC Training The 2011 AMHCA standards also recommend these additional areas of training for CMHC Training programs: 1.Biological Bases of Behavior (including psychopathology and psychopharmacology) 2.Specialized Clinical Assessment 3.Trauma 4.Co-Occurring Disorders (mental disorders and substance abuse)

15. Implications of AMHCAs 2011 Expanded Clinical Standards for Training of CMHCs 1.Evidenced-Based Practices a.Diagnosis and Treatment Planning using EBPs b.Diagnosis of Co-Occurring Disorders & Trauma 2.Biological Basis of Behaviors a.Knowledge of Central Nervous System b.Lifespan Plasticity of the Brain 3.Psychopharmacology 4.Behavioral Medicine a.Neurobiology of Thinking, Emotion & Memory b.Neurobiology of mental health disorders (mood, anxiety, psychosis) over life span c.Promotion of optimal mental health over the lifespan

16. Accreditation-CACREP 74 Graduate Programs in the USA are CACREP approved in Clinical Mental Health Counseling In Florida they are: 1.Argosy Sarasota 2.Barry University 3.Florida Atlantic University 4.Florida Gulf Coast University 5.Florida International University 6.Florida State University 7.Rollins College 8.Troy University Southeast Region: Orlando, Tampa, Ft. Walton Beach, Panama City & Pensacola 9.University of Central Florida 10.University of Florida 11.University of North Florida 12.University of South Florida Online: 1.Cappella University 2.Walden University

17. National Certification

18. Two National Certifications NCC: National Certified Counselor – Over 48,000 CCMHC: Certified Clinical Mental Health Counselor – Over 1,000 are CCMHCs

19. State Licensure-FL 491License Board In Florida 7,784 Licensed Mental Health Counselors 1,545 Licensed Marriage & Family Therapists 10,070 Licensed Social Workers

20. State Licensure for Counselors and Related Fields In USA 120,429 Licensed Professional Counselors 54,785 Licensed Marriage & Family Therapists 202,924 Licensed Social Workers All 50 States have Licensed Professional Counselors but only 15 have Mental Health Counseling in their Title (Major way of taking Health out of Clinical Mental Health Counseling!)

21. 15 States with MHCs in Title Delaware-License Professional Counselor of Mental Health (LPCMH) Florida-Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) First Licensed 1981 Hawaii-Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) Indiana-Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) Iowa-Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) Massachusetts-Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) Nebraska-Licensed Independent Mental Health Practitioner (LMHP) New Hampshire- Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LCMHC) New Mexico-Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) New York-Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) Rhode Island-Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LCMHC) South Dakota-Licensed Professional Counselor-Mental Health (LP-MH) Tennessee-Licensed Professional Counselor-Mental Health Service Provider (LPC/MHSP) Utah-Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselors (LCMHC) as of 2012 Vermont-Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LCMHC) Washington-Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC)

22. Major Recommendation to Promote Professional Identity of CMHCs Given only 15 out 50 states licensed CMHCs, it is imperative that we who have LMHC licensure encourage the LPCs in the other 35 states to gain Certified Clinical Mental Health Counselor (CCMHC) status through the NBCC which would be a clear way of putting HEALTH into Clinical Mental Health Counseling and a way to get counselors in all 50 states enabled to call themselves Clinical Mental Health Counselor

23. The Growth of Mental Health Counseling as a Profession In 2008, according to US Department of Labor: 120,000 Mental Health Counselors were employed & only 6.7% of them were self-employed By 2018 43,000 jobs will be added (for a for a total of 163,000), representing a 36.3% growth Median annual wages in 2008 for Mental Health Counselors was $38,150. This is High when compared to other jobs.

24. Parity with the Other Mental Health Professions The median reimbursable fee for service: Clinical Mental Health Counselors is $63 Psychologists is $75 for psychologists Clinical Social Workers & Marriage and Family Therapists is $60 (January 2006 study by Psychotherapy Finances)

25. SO! What do Mental Health Counselors Currently Do? Mental Health Counselors offer full range of services: Assessment & diagnosis Treatment planning and utilization review Psychotherapy Brief and solution-focused therapy Alcoholism and substance abuse treatment Psycho-educational & prevention programs Crisis management Trauma Intervention

26. ACAs 20/20 Commissions Definition of Counseling Counseling is a professional relationship that empowers diverse individuals, families and groups to accomplish mental health, wellness, education and career goals They also established: The counseling profession shall establish uniform licensing standards with LPC as an entry-level title for counselor licensure.

27. What Skills Do Mental Health Counselors Need? Ability to understand dynamics of Human Development to capture good psychosocial history of clients Diagnosis of and treatment for behavioral pathology Evidenced based practices in psychotherapy to provide credible treatment to clients Understanding of basic neuroscience of brain and nervous system to understand roots of emotional responses to lifes stressors Understanding of psychopharmacological treatment of psychopathology

28. What are the future prospects for the profession? Recognized for VA Positions in VA Hospitals and Field Agencies Approved for TRICARE-for military and their families AMHCA hopes to soon be recognized for Medicare Services Increased work in Behavioral Medicine in Hospitals, Rehab Centers & Primary Care Physicians Offices Increased work in Substance Abuse & Alcohol Treatment Facilities

29. Potential Clinical Setting Openings for CMHCs with ACA Implementation Clinical Mental Health Counselors will be ideally situated to provide Behavioral Medical Interventions based on their expanded training and implementation of AMHCAs Clinical Standards. They will then need to promote themselves in the following settings: General Practice: Family Practice & Internal Medicine Clinics Rehabilitation In-patient and out-patient Centers General and Specialized Hospitals Senior Citizens Independent housing, Assisted Living & Nursing Homes

30. Mental Health Needs of OEF & OIF Vets The invisible wounds which our OIF and OEF vets return with are staggering PTSD and TBI along with Combat Depression are staggering disorders which are impacting from 1/3 to 2/3s of these vets. The Mental Health system over the next 5 to 10 years will become overwhelmed in meeting their individual as well as marital and family needs. CMHCs need to be ready to serve this population

31. Baby Boomer Generation are Aging The increase in Boomers aging and their impact on the medical and mental health field cannot be ignored or underestimated It is imperative that CMHCs be armed with Behavioral Medicine techniques to address the needs of this geriatric population to address their chronic health issues, disabilities and cognitive decline needs

32. Continuing Education Tools Needed by Clinical Mental Health Counselors 1.Evidenced Based Practices 2.Neuroscience 3.Psychopharmacology 4.Behavioral Medicine 5.Use of Telehealth Apps with Clients 6.Military Focused Materials 7.Multicultural Perspective as a Mental Health Counselors

33. Get Professionally Active! Join AMHCA Join FMHCA Join SMHCA Get Certified as NCC and CCMHC by NBCC Get Licensed in State of Florida as LMHC Continue to expand competencies by Continuing Education Programming