From the Interim CEO / ED
By Beverly Smith , PhD , LPC , NCC , CCMHC , ACS , NCSC , CFT , HS-BCP , BCC , MAC , CPCS , BC-TMH , CCTP , BCPCC AMHCA Past President , 2022 – 2023 , and Interim CEO / ED
Growing AMHCA — and the Counseling Profession
AMHCA is honored to have been voted an ex-officio member organization of the Counseling Compact . We and other elected ex-officio organizations ( American Counseling Association — ACA , National Board for Certified Counselors — NBCC , and American Association of State Counseling Boards — AASCB ) will help guide and support the commission . Remember , we are not yet able to provide mental health counseling services across states lines . Many thanks to AMHCA state chapters and members , ACA , and the Council of State Governments for helping to advance the Compact . ( See also counselingcompact . org .)
Among other items on AMHCA ’ s fall legislative agenda , our advocacy for Medicare coverage for Licensed Professional Counselors , Licensed Mental Health Counselors , and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists ( see page 6 ) has proven effective , as the Ways and Means Committee voted to send our bill to the House of Representatives , after which the Senate will vote on it . We ask that you continue to participate in the grassroot efforts . Recently , I and representatives from NBCC and ACA collaborated on a grassroots campaign that called our members to ask their legislators to co-sponsor HR 432 / S 828 . I encourage members to continue contacting their legislator . ( See www . amhca . org / medicare .)
Other AMHCA legislative agenda items include advocacy for the Suicide Prevention Lifeline Improvement Act , the Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Through Campus Planning Act , and the Stop Online Suicide Assistance Forum Act . As many of you are aware , we had a very successful AMHCA National Suicide Prevention & Awareness Day . Our guest presenters were national and international experts , such as Brandon Johnson , MHS , MCHES ( Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration ; Janel Cubbage , LPC , MPH , ( Strategic Partnership and Equity Program Manager of Johns Hopkins University ); Johnathan Singer , PhD , LCSW ( Loyola University ); and Lena Heilmann , PhD , MNM ( Sibling Suicide Loss Survivor and Suicide Prevention Strategies Manager , Colorado ).
I have also strengthened our governmental and legislative efforts . I am grateful to have been among the 10 or so behavioral healthcare leaders invided by U . S . Secretary of Labor Martin J . Walsh to discuss our mental healthcare priorities . Additionally , Jennifer Mathis — deputy aassistant attorney general in the U . S . Department of Justice ( DoJ ) Civil Rights Division — honored AMHCA by including me in the DoJ listening session in response to the Executive Order President Biden signed in May 2022 on “ Advancing Effective , Accountable Policing and Criminal Justice Practices to Enhance Public Trust and Public Safety .” Section 14 —“ Promoting Comprehensive and Collaborative Responses to Persons in Behavioral or Mental Health Crisis ”— requires the attorney general and the secretary of Health and Human Services to consult with stakeholders ( such as AMHCA ) on best practices for responding to calls and interacting with persons in behavioral or mental health crisis or persons who have a disability . The section further requires that this assessment consider :
• co-responder models that pair law enforcement with health or social work professionals ;
• alternative responder models , such as mobile crisis-response teams ;
• community-based crisis centers and post-crisis support services ;
• the risks associated with administering drugs such as ketamine outside a hospital to subdue individuals in behavioral or mental health crisis ; and
• federal resources , including Medicaid , available to implement identified best practices .
As we advocate for the profession , we advocate for appropriate , quality mental health services as well as equity in access to mental health services . Thanks to our partners , members , and collaborators for helping us to help the greater community . We are truly thankful for you . Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours !
AMHCA Board of Directors
President , 2022 – 2023 Fredrick Dombrowski president @ amhca . org
President-Elect Deirdra Sanders-Burnett presidentelect @ amhca . org
Past President & Interim CEO / ED Beverly Smith pastpresident @ amhca . org
Secretary Marianne Marlow secretary @ amhca . org
Treasurer G . Michael Pilcher treasurer @ amhca . org
Director-at-Large Luis Charles Hines directoratlarge @ amhca . org
North Atlantic Region Director Cynthia L . Jamison northatlanticregiondirector @ amhca . org
Southern Region Director Aaron Norton southernregiondirector @ amhca . org
Midwest Region Director vacant midwestregiondirector @ amhca . org
Western Region Director Karen Langer westernregiondirector @ amhca . org
Graduate Student Representative Rebecca Perry counselingchoicesllc @ gmail . com
AASCB Rep . ( ex-officio ) Joseph Weeks josephrweeks @ yahoo . com
AMHCA Staff
• Chief Strategic Officer , Director of Communications & Chapter Relations Whitney Meyerhoeffer wmeyerhoeffer @ amhca . org
• Director of Finance , Operations , & Membership Management Melissa McShepard mmcshepard @ amhca . org
• Director , Office of Credentialing and Continuing Education , Director of Events Rebecca Woodson rwoodson @ amhca . org
The Advocate Magazine 2022 , Issue # 3 American Mental Health Counselors Association ( AMHCA ) www . amhca . org 55