The Advocate Magazine Spring 2021 | Page 4

The

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Website : www . amhca . org Phone : 703 / 548 – 6002

The Advocate Magazine is published quarterly by the American Mental Health Counselors Association ( AMHCA ). Issues are posted online at www . amhca . org / advocatemag , where they can be downloaded as PDFs .

45 ^th AMHCA President , 2021 – 2022 Beverly Smith , PhD , LPC , CPCS , NCC , MAC , ACS , CCMHC , NCSC , CFT , BC-TMH , HS-BCP , CCTP

Publisher AMHCA

Consulting Editor Aaron Norton , PhD , LMHC , LMFT , MCAP , CCMHC , CRC , CFMHE AMHCA Southern Region Director

Editor in Chief Whitney Meyerhoeffer

Editor Kathleen McCarthy

Membership in AMHCA is $ 183 / year and gives you access to the archives and any supplemental materials linked in the magazine . Join AMHCA and to get the most out of our many publications !

Disclaimer : Information printed in The Advocate Magazine does not represent an official AMHCA policy or position , and the acceptance of advertising does not constitute endorsement or approval by AMHCA of any advertised service or product . AMHCA reserves the right to edit or reject all copy .

Anti-Discrimination Policy : There shall be no discrimination against any individual on the basis of ethnic group , race , religion , gender , sexual orientation , age , or disability .

Article submission guidelines : Send copy for The Advocate Magazine to AMHCA no later than six weeks prior to issue date . Email copy to Kathleen McCarthy at mccarthy . kathleen @ gmail . com and CC wmeyerhoeffer @ amhca . org .

Address changes : Update your email address at www . amhca . org .

© 2021 , American Mental Health Counselors Association . All rights reserved . No portion of this publication may be reproduced by any means without the written consent of The Advocate Magazine editor or AMHCA ’ s executive director & CEO .

Cover photo : iStock , by gruizza

By Beverly Smith , PhD , LPC , CPCS , NCC , MAC , ACS , CCMHC , NCSC , CFT , BC-TMH , HS-BCP , CCTP 45 ^th AMHCA President , 2021 – 2022

It is an honor to serve as president of our esteemed organization as we begin Reimagining AMHCA in an era of COVID-19 , which abruptly interrupted our personal and professional lives . Some of us found ourselves , families , organizations , and communities in spaces of collective uncertainty , making the year challenging for some and enormously difficult for others . As an organization , we know we need to adapt to the changing needs of those we serve . This realization has made Reimagining AMHCA our top priority for growth and sustainability .

As an expert in clinical mental health and trauma , I am cognizant of the necessity of pivoting AMHCA , which will be multidimensional to fully seize the moment of Reimagining AMH- CA . Thus , I am creating a President ’ s Cabinet that gives members and stakeholders across the country another way to directly engage with AMHCA on a microlevel and macrolevel to help grow and sustain our prestigious organization . The President ’ s Cabinet will not replace an existing internal structure , group , board , or committee . Instead , it will augment the current work with stakeholders ’ contributions as thought leaders , thus increasing AMHCA ’ s visibility as well as enlarging our scope and territory for charitable donors , sponsors , and partners . In addition to creating the President ’ s Cabinet , the three categories below are inclusive of Reimagining AMHCA for growth and sustainability while aligned with our vision and mission :

• Leadership , Advocacy , & Strategic Support ( LASS )

START strategic plan revisions ( Strategically Transform AMHCA with Realistic Timelines ) and conduct AMHCA ’ s SWOT analysis [ A SWOT analysis is a strategic planning technique . The acronym stands for strengths , weaknesses , opportunities , and threats .] Revisit and amend organizational infrastructure Create the Interstate PC Compact Special Committee Strengthen connections with state chapters Conduct a financial audit / financial review Hire a legislative consultant Establish a President ’ s Cabinet representative of all stakeholders Create a Council of Committees ( all committee leads ) Onboard a chief leadership development officer ( volunteerism ) Launch a president ’ s podcast

• Multiculturalism & Social Justice ( MSJ ) Implement a Multicultural and Social Justice Taskforce Onboard a chief equity officer ( volunteerism ) Develop cultural competency standards Implement certificate modules for Traumatology Implement certificate modules for Disaster Clinical Mental Health Implement neuroscience-informed training modules Conduct roundtables with affiliate organizations

• Membership Services Recruitment & Retention ( MSRR ) Commission a Membership Services Implement robust electronic membership marketing strategies Create a member-engagement program ( volunteer program and training ) Introduce recruitment and retention member benefits program Host quarterly town-hall meetings Charter new state chapters

It ’ s time to “ go and grow .” As the only national organization exclusively representing Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselors ( LCMHCs ), we must pivot to remain relevant and financially sound , and to increase our impact . Here ’ s what leaders , staff , and stakeholders can do : Understand the urgency to Reimagining AMHCA , embrace change , plan for success strategically and relentlessly , tend to culture and climate , commit and recommit to the work of AMHCA , do the work of AMHCA , help others to do the work of AMHCA , and promote AMHCA . Let ’ s “ go and grow ” together ! # TeamAMHCA

4 The Advocate Magazine Spring 2021 American Mental Health Counselors Association ( AMHCA ) www . amhca . org