Licensure portability has long been a goal for licensed clinical mental health counselors ( LCMHCs ). Thanks in part to the efforts of AMHCA ’ s Georgia chapter — the Licensed Professional Counselors Association of Georgia — Georgia is the first state to have passed the Professional Counselors Licensure Compact legislation .
CALL TO ACTION
Member Reflections
What is the Counseling Compact ? And Why Should You Care ?
Gale Macke is the executive director and CEO of the LPCA of GA — the Licensed Professional Counselors Association of Georgia , which is celebrating 35 years of service in Georgia as the state ’ s only nonprofit association for licensed clinical mental health counselors . Phone : 770-449-4547 ; http :// www . LPCAGA . org
The “ Counseling Compact ” legislation allows fully licensed professional counselors ( those licensed at the highest level in their state ) who gain the Counseling Compact license to practice therapy , in person or via telehealth , in their home state and in all other Counseling Compact member states . In other words , they do not have to apply for a license in other states they wish to practice in .
The Counseling Compact will take effect only after 10 states pass the Counseling Compact legislation , according to the reciprocity proposal for counselors created by the Council of State Governments ( CSG ). In addition , the first 10 states to sign on to the Counseling Compact will have a leadership seat on the National Compact Committee . Licensure requirements are aligned in Counseling Compact member states , and all LCMHCs applying for an “ unrestricted or multistate license ” are required to meet the same standards , including submission to federal and state fingerprint-based criminal background checks . If you don ’ t want or need to practice outside your state , you don ’ t have to apply for a Counseling Compact license . Simply keep your current state license .
Since January 2016 , more than 170 separate pieces of licensure compact legislation have been passed by the states , on behalf of several different health-related professionals . Now , with the passage of the Counseling Compact by Georgia , that group includes clinical mental health counselors .
Georgia ’ s House of Representatives passed the Counseling
• The Professional Counselors Licensure Compact is going to be the topic of AMHCA ’ s Virtual Town Hall on Monday , Nov . 10 at 7 p . m . EST . ( See page 6 .)
• Ask your AMHCA state chapter to support efforts to pass the Counseling Compact legislation . Find your chapter contact information at https :// www . amhca . org / about / chapters
• Imitate Success ! Read : “ FMHCA : Strategies for Passing Licensure Portability , by Diana Huambachano , executive director of the Florida Mental Health Counselors Association ( FMHCA ), Winter / Spring 2020 issue on page 20 , https :// bit . ly / 2XWmXfG
• Visit www . amhca . org / advocacy / counselingcompact
Compact by a vote of 133 – 0 on Feb . 26 , 2021 ; the Senate passed the Counseling Compact 53 – 0 a month later , on March 23 . Georgia Gov . Brian Kemp signed the legislation into law May 10 , and it took effect July 1 , 2021 .
Steps to Success : Follow Georgia ’ s Path to Passage of the Counseling Compact
• It is very important to communicate with elected officials year-round , even if you don ’ t have a bill you want passed .
• Every year , we ask our members to fund our Political Action Committee ( PAC ) account , so that we can participate in as many elected officials ’ fundraisers as possible . Arrive early ! The goal is to get recognized quickly , establish common ground for calm discussions ( until COVID that was essential as no one wanted to talk about mental health ), and identify elected officials who would support our cause .
• We worked hard to gain the trust of our bill ’ s sponsors — at least one member of the House of Representatives and one Senator to “ carry ,” or sponsor , the legislation . We encouraged our members to ignore our sponsors ’ political affiliation , and concentrate on how to help get our legislation passed . We invite LPCA GA members to “ Meet ’ n Greet ,” “ non-donation ” events held by those running for office so we can let politicians know who we are and what we do . Always show up . Always be honest and calm . ( Expect to draw on your skills as a counselor .)
• Once our bill had sponsors , we gave them very detailed fact sheets , and let them know that our members would respond to “ calls to action ” to support the sponsors as our bill moved through the legislature .
• Weekly , our lobbyists checked in with our bill ’ s sponsors to see if they needed anything — including support for another piece of legislation they were carrying — or if another legislator had questions about the bill that our sponsors could not answer . Again , the goal was to have open communication during a very intense legislative session . We also reassured the sponsors that once our bill passed , we would will still be there to support them .
We were fortunate in that our main sponsor carried Counseling Compact bills for other professionals last year , so he was very aware of what was needed to ensure passage of our bill . I urge you to take 10 minutes to reach out to your elected officials . Find out where and when their next fundraiser is , ask your colleagues to come with you , and then attend it . It may be a strain in the beginning , but it will become easier over time , and your voice will grow in volume .
2 The Advocate Magazine Summer 2021 American Mental Health Counselors Association ( AMHCA ) www . amhca . org