INSIDE AMHCA
Aah — In Person at Last , and Savoring the Connections at AMHCA ’ s 2022 Annual Conference in Las Vegas
AMHCA News
Visit www . amhca . org / about / news for the latest news about :
• AMHCA ’ s official statement on the U . S . Supreme Court ’ s decision to overturn Roe v . Wade , and
• Georgia ’ s recognition of AMHCA Past President and Interim CEO / ED Dr . Beverly Smith for her service in mental healthcare .
Third time ’ s the charm : After the pandemic pressed pause on holding the conference in Las Vegas in 2020 and 2021 , more than 500 attendees met there in June to learn , connect , and re-charge . Above left : AMHCA President Dr . Fred Dombrowski is flanked by two representatives from NAADAC , the Association for Addiction Professionals : NAA- DAC President Dr . Mita Johnson ( left of photo ) and Executive Director Cynthia Moreno Tuohy . Above right : AMHCA Immediate Past President and Interim CEO / ED Dr . Beverly Smith ( left ) meets with two members of the North Carolina Board of Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselors : Executive Director Melonie Davis and Ethics Chair Charles Wentz . ( See more photos at timestamp 4:30 in youtu . be / 8wcR _ -MTrx8 .)
For the latest on the Counseling Compact and licensure reciprocity , visit counselingcompact . org .
DSM-5-TR : What ’ s New ?
Read the analysis in the next issue of The Advocate Magazine , when Gary Gintner , PhD , LPC-S , NCC , writes about the rationale for the changes , as well as their clinical impact on everyday counseling practice .
TO : AMHCA Members / FROM : Angele Moss – Baker , 44th President , 2020 – 2021
It has been an honor serving the American Mental Health Counselors Association over the last three years .
I want to thank the AMHCA board of directors and our standing committees for all of their work . A special thanks to the Portability Task Force ( 2020 – 2021 ) for their hard work and due diligence on the CLIPER Plan , which supported reciprocity and endorsement as a means to advance licensure portability . Their early efforts to reach out to state licensure boards and spearhead campaigns for licensure portability laid the important groundwork for AMHCA chapters to advocate for the Counseling Compact , which has now passed in 16 states . ( For more information , visit counselingcompact . org .)
Thanks also to the Advancement for Clinical Practice Committee ( ACPC ) for its hard work finalizing two new clinical standards — the Gender Identity Standard and the Affectional Identity Standard . The work of two people in particular — Joni McLeod , LMHC , who coauthored the Affectional Identity Standard along with Cole Timonere , JD , NCC , who wrote the Gender Identity Standard included in the 2021 AMHCA Standards — has helped advance the clinical competency of the clinical mental health profession . We look forward to the developing clinical specialty certifications for both standards . ( Download the AMHCA Standards , free , at www . amhca . org / publications / standards .)
Congratulations to every AMHCA member for your continued support of AMHCA and the work we do to advance our profession . The clinical mental health counseling profession has undergone some significant changes over the past two years . It has forced us to adjust to a new normal in the delivery of quality clinical mental health services and prioritize our own personal goals . What have you prioritized in your life due to the pandemic ?
A huge thank you to the AMHCA staff for their hard work and continued support . In 2020 , the AMHCA staff shifted gears to plan and successfully execute AMHCA ’ s inaugural virtual 2020 Annual Conference , which was virtual again in 2021 . Today , we are ecstatic to have been able to meet in-person for the 2022 Annual Conference … Viva Las Vegas !
I have really enjoyed meeting so many AMHCA members and thank you for your support . I plan to continue serving AMHCA as an active member and hope to meet more of you at future events .
Angele Moss-Baker , LPC , LMFT , MAC , SAP , CMHS-COD
44 th President , 2020 – 2021
6 The Advocate Magazine 2022 , Issue # 2 American Mental Health Counselors Association ( AMHCA ) www . amhca . org