Aug 2016 fmhca newsletter

Your Organization

Newsletter Date Volume 1, Issue 1

Welcome to FMHCA! Hello and welcome! I am so excited to report that we have been busy, busy, busy over the summer months and we already have so many new changes to be thankful for!

Newsletter August 2016 Issue 167

First and foremost, I want to extend a heartfelt thanks to each and every one of you who have reached out to volunteer on FMHCA's Committees this year. Wow, what a response we have had! I have said it before and I will say it again - FMHCA can only be as strong as its membership. Thankfully, we have some pretty strong members! Thanks to our new and improved website, you can now view a complete list of FMCHA Committees, their descriptions, goals, and members.

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Did you catch that part about our new and improved website? That's right - the world is constantly changing and FMHCA strives to change right along with it. Many long hours have gone into making a more appealing, easier to navigate website for FMHCA members to enjoy. I want to thank the team who worked so hard on this project - I love the results and I hope that you will as well!

President’s Corner :“Where there is unity there is always victory” Publilius Syrus ...... 4

So it's that time of year again - time to start planning next year's Annual FMHCA Conference! Believe it or not the process is already underway.

We're also excited to announce so amazing preconference breakout sessions including: Qualified Supervisor Training (QST) - February 2nd, 2017 8:00am -5:00pm &

Market Yourself to EvidenceBased, Integrated Medicine Settings ................................ 2

August Free Webinar ... 8 General Information Regarding 2016 State Election………………..10 Preparing Students For Cultural Diversity……..13

February 3rd, 2017 8:00 am-12:00 pm

Winner for Cuba Scholarship: Mc Sonchar “Maco”

Dr. Stephen Guinta & Dr. Vehec 12 Clock Hours Cost: $240.00

Monthervil………..17

EMDR Level 1 Training- February 2nd & 3rd, 2017 8:00am-5:00pm

Member Mental Health Professionals Apps ……27

Dr. Benjamin B. Keyes 16 Clock Hours Cost: $200.00 A brain-based (NeuroTechnic) intervention to take your clients literally & Update Client’s Models of the World. Hypnosis Training-February 2nd, 2017 8:30am-5:00pm Elvis Lester 6.5 Clock Hours Cost: $99.00 Forensic Mental Health Evaluators Training-February 2nd, 2017 8:00am -5:00pm National Board of Forensic Evaluators Required State of Florida CEUs for Re-Licensure - February 2nd, 2017 8:00am-5:00pm Bob Decker & Michael Holler Cost $75.00 Early Rate (until November 14, 2016) | $110.00 Regular Rate Update for Licensed Provider Ethics 3 Clock Hours | Medical Errors 2 Clock Hours | Laws & Rules 3 Clock Hours Integrated Medicine Skill Training Session February 2nd, 2017 9:00am-4:00 pm Dr. Jim Messina 6 Clock Hours Cost: $99.00 8 Hours Laws and Rules February 2nd, 2017 8:00am-5:00 pm Michael Holler 8 Clock Hours Cost $75.00 Early Rate (until November 14, 2016) | $110.00 Regular Rate Seats are filling up and I encourage you to take avenge of the early bird rate. Register today by CLICKING HERE.

Darlene Silvernail PhD, LMHC, CAP, DCMHS Executive Director

CONTACT US Florida Mental Health Counselors Association 2101 Vista Parkway, Suite 265 West Palm Beach, FL 33411 Phone: 561-575-9519 Website: FLMHCA.ORG E-mail: office@flmhca.org

MARKET YOURSELF TO EVIDENCE-BASED, INTEGRATED MEDICINE SETTINGS Clinical mental health counselors may be surprised how easily their skills, knowledge, and abilities translate into an integrated medicine setting. They have the experience and perspective to be able to help patients and staff work more effectively and productively to increase the health of the patients in these settings. It just takes good marketing to get the word out that CMHCs would be a perfect fit as behavioral health consultants in a medical setting.

Here are just some of the qualities CMHCs bring to the integrated medical setting: Knowledge of human development and the psychosocial issues entailed in patients’ abilities to be compliant and cooperative with the medical directives they receive from their primary medical team.

Ability to conduct psychoeducation programming, either individually or in groups, to help patients to learn the methodologies and techniques they need to improve the quality of their lives; to lessen the impact of stress in their lives; to cease out-of-control behaviors such as smoking, binge eating, and avoiding of any level of physical exercise.

Ability to use evidence-based practices to treat the patients with co-occurring mental health disorders related to their medical conditions.

Skills to empathize with the patients and their emotional concerns about their medical conditions so that they can become more relaxed and more able to accept the directives given to them by the medical team.

The Importance of Evidence-Based Treatment Clinical mental health counselors who work as part of an integrated medical team are officially referred to as behavioral health consultants (BCHs), and they are expected to use evidence-based practices (EBPs) to treat the mental health disorders that the medical team will encounter. Embracing EBPs within integrated medical settings is effective, efficient, and ethical—not only for BHCs. The reality is that all physicians, nurses, rehabilitation therapists, and other personnel on medical intervention teams utilize only evidence-based medical treatments when treating patients. EBPs are an inherent part of “the medical model,” which involves: Identifying the target medical condition the patient has brought to the table; identifying the evidence-based treatment that has a proven track record in treating this medical condition; and Following the rubric of the EBP Based Treatment to ensure accuracy and accountability with both the patient and the medical organizations treating the patient.

Many CMHCs already use evidence-based treatments with their counseling clients. For guidelines on EBP for mental health disorders, see the adjacent box.

CLICK HERE FINISH READING

By James Messina, PhD, CCMHC, NCC, DCMHS Assistant Professor, Troy University Tampa Bay

Thank You to our Sponsor

DEAR FMHCA CHAPTER PRESIDENTS,

Board of Directors 2016 - 2017

With the passing of the Mental Health bill for which Representative Tim Murphy has been advocating many years, momentum for the issues facing mental health counselors is growing. NOW is the time for us to advocate for ourselves, for our clients, and for our profession.

FMHCA has many plans in place to help increase momentum for our profession's recognition with Social Workers, Psychologists, and Psychiatrists.

President Leonel Mesa, PsyD, LMHC lmesa@flmhca.o.rg

1) A Political Action Committee (PAC) has formed. Many wheels are in motion to make this PAC the most viable vehicle possible to advocate on all of the issues facing our profession.

President-Elect Louise Sutherland-Hoyt, LMHC lsutherland@flmhca.org Treasurer Jim Messina, PhD, CCMHC, NCC, DCMHS jmessina@flmhca.org

2) A Legislative Day is in the planning stages for sometime in the spring probably April. Keep watching for more information about this.

Secretary Kathie Erwin, Ed.D, LMHC, NCC, NCGC kerwin@flmhca.org Parliamentarian Frank Hannah, MS, LMHC fhannah@flmhca.org Member-at-Large Joe Skelly, MS, LMHC jskelly@flmhca.org Member-at-Large Erica Whitfield ebuabua@gmail.com Member-at-Large Hassiem Kambui, PhD, LMHC hkambui@flmhca.org Member-at-Large Judith L. Roberts JRoberts@flmhca.org Executive Director Darlene Silvernail, PhD, LMHC, CAP, DCMHS dsilvernail@flmhca.org Administrative Coordinator Diana Huambachano (Proscia) office@flmhca.org

3) Working with our local chapters NOW to devise plans for contacting our local legislators is of utmost importance. Please take an inventory of your chapters committees and see where the contacts in your area are strong and where they need to be strengthened. Working together we can have a good, solid showing at the Legislative Day and allow our State Legislators to put faces with the FMHCA name (as well as your local chapters). When Legislators can connect with the people behind the organizations, they are more likely to be connected to the issues for which we advocate.

4) Plans are also forming for ways that our local chapters can become advocates at the Federal Level. Here in Florida, as you are all aware, we have many retired people who rely on Medicare for their health care benefits. Working together for Medicare Provider Status for our profession at the Federal level is important to each of us and to our profession.

There is a wave of energy sweeping our Country now that we are behooved to connect with. Adding our voices to those of the American people that we are tired of learning another mentally ill person has committed a grievous act against humanity because they could not find adequate mental health care. Let's join with our clients, with their families, and with our fellow professionals and increase the wave of energy to a tsunami!

All the best, Kay E. Kay Nowak, MA Registered Mental Health Counselor Intern Owner, Embrace Life Counseling, LLC Florida Mental Health Counselors Association's Government Relations Committee Communications Representative Space Coast Mental Health Counselor's Association's Legislative Chair

PRESIDENT’S CORNER :“WHERE THERE IS UNITY THERE IS ALWAYS VICTORY” PUBLILIUS SYRUS “

Greetings to my FMHCA family! During this month I had the privilege of participating in AMHCA’s Leadership Conference in New Orleans. It was fantastic! I had the opportunity of meeting State Chapter Leaders throughout our nation to discuss current legislative initiatives, share innovative ideas while underscoring our commitment to membership and professional advocacy.

Additionally, during the AMHCA Conference two members of our FMHCA family were recognized for their outstanding contributions to our profession. Please join me in congratulating both Lorie McCann who was awarded the 2016 AMHCA Advocate Award and Aaron Norton as the 2016 Counselor of the Year Award. We are so proud of you!

This month we will be hosting our Leadership Retreat in Lake Mary where our Board will be reviewing and discussing several initiatives that will serve to strengthen our organization by expanding FMHCA’s mission message to underserved and rural communities, agencies and community organizations, and to offer a proactive organizational platform with the purpose of expanding our outreach to all LMHC’s throughout our State.

During my tenure as your President, one of my many priorities is to attend your Local Chapter meetings. I’m very enthusiastic about meeting and learning about your many local accomplishments and your thoughts and suggestions to help grow and strengthen our FMHCA family. Each of you serves a vital role to FMHCA, your Local Chapter and our profession. We thank you for all that you do! This month I will be attending the Northeast Florida Mental Health Association Chapter Meeting in Jacksonville on August the 25th. Looking forward to meeting you all!

We feel confident and grateful that because of your continued efforts, enthusiasm, perseverance, dedication and involvement with our FMHCA family we will continue to stand together sharing one common voice, message and purpose.

Once again, I thank you for your many contributions.

Have a wonderful month!

Leonel “Dr. Leo” Mesa, Jr., Psy.D., LMHC, CAP, CEAP FMHCA President

NOTEWORTHY DATES

August Leadership Retreat Date:05 Aug 2016 - 06 Aug 2016 Click Here For Details

Annual Conference 2017 Date:02 Feb 2017 - 04 Feb 2017 Click Here For Details

REQUIREMENT FOR FLORIDA CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKERS, MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPISTS AND MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELORS:

The Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling has made a change to the requirements for the CE course required to meet the qualifications for a qualified supervisor. Previously, the requirement was that the course must be 16 hours, but that has now been reduced to 12 hours.

64B4-6.0025 Approved Continuing Education Course for Supervisory Training.

The continuing education course required to meet the qualifications for a qualified supervisor pursuant to Section 491.005, F.S., and subparagraphs 64B4-11.007(3) (b)2., paragraph 64B4-21.007(3)(b), and subparagraph 64B4-31.007(2)(b)2., F.A.C., must be offered by a Board approved provider of continuing education and consist of the following: (1) It must meet all the requirements of subparagraphs 64B4-6.004(2)(a)1.-5., F.A.C. (2) It must be 12 clock hours of in person didactic and interactional instruction (3) Must contain content that satisfies the following learning objectives. The participant will: (a) Become familiar with the major models of supervision for clinical social work, marriage and family therapy or mental health counseling; (b) Gain skills to develop a personal model of supervision, drawn from existing models of supervision and from preferred styles of therapy; (c) Understand the co-evolving dynamics of therapist-client and supervisortherapist-client relationships; (d) Explore distinctive issues that arise in supervision; (e) Address the contextual variables in practice such as culture, gender, ethnicity, power and economics; (f) Become familiar with the ethical, legal and regulatory issues of supervision; (g) Review the Florida laws and the board rules governing interns and supervision; and, (h) Understand the role of evaluation in supervision.

AUGUST FREE WEBINAR SESSION 7:

About the Presenter:

Best Practices in Clinical Supervision

Richard Chapman is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in the state of Florida. He is a doctoral student in counseling education and supervision.

His clinical interests include PTSD and counseling individuals with disabilities. He also has professional interests in clinical supervision and in selfadvocacy and self-determination of individuals with disabilities. Richard has been actively involved in the disability rights movement in the state of Florida. He regularly writes about counseling and self-advocacy. He is actively involved in several professional organizations related to counseling.

He was on the revisions committee for the 2015 update of the American Mental Health Counselors Association code of ethics, which included an update on clinical supervision.

Date: Friday, 8/12/16, 2:00-4:00 pm Presenter: Richard Chapman, LMHC Description: The purpose of this webinar is to provide an update regarding the subject of clinical supervision. This webinar is geared towards qualified supervisors and new mental health counseling professionals. How to structure a clinical supervision session, ethical issues faced by clinical supervisors and a 491 update regarding changes in supervision regulations will be discussed.

Link to Register: https:// attendee.gotowebinar.com/ register/1233442409926276610 CE Broker Tracking #: 20-529900, Publishing #: 10-1752036

Up Coming August WEBINAR OFFERED

BY FMHCA

Learning Objectives: Participants will be provided with an overview of supervision theory

Date: Friday, 9/9/16, 2:00-4:00 pm

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Participants will be educated on the 2015 ethical standards for clinical supervisors.

Topic: Florida Legislative Policy Discussion:

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Participant will be provided with an overview of and federal mental health policy, currently filed emergent issues clinical supervision.

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Participants will be provided with the 491 rules concerning qualified supervisors.

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Presenter: Corinne Mixon, DPL Grassroots involvement, interactions between state

bills, and the state of the LMHC scope of practice in Florida

ANNOUNCEMENT Have you missed one of our Webinars?

Don't worry now you have the chance to view a recording of the webinar on FMHCA's YouTubechannel at by clicking

here.

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQS)

MEMBERSHIP PERKS!

National Board of Forensic Evaluators

What is a PAC? A Political Action Committee (PAC) is a term given to a committee organized by like-minded people, like mental health counselors, for the purpose of raising and spending money to elect and defeat candidates. PAC money comes from voluntary contributions by members. PACs represent business, labor or ideological interests. PACs can give to a candidate or committee each election cycle (primary, general, run-off or special). In Florida, the maximum campaign contribution per statewide candidate is $1,000. In short, PACs give professional associations a legal avenue for financially supporting candidates that will be helpful to their industry.

Why is the PAC necessary?

Elections are more expensive than ever. In addition, Florida has strict term limits. No legislator can serve for more than 8 years in the Florida House or Senate. For this reason, candidates are constantly running for office.

Candidates tend to always appreciate professional the groups that helped them get elected and they never forget those that contributed to their campaigns early in their political careers.

How will my contribution be used?

FMHCA member contributions are used to elect pro-mental health counseling/health policy candidates running in the State of Florida. The FMHCA lobbyists and FMHCA leadership will thoroughly examine candidates before recommending them. The FMHCA PAC trustees welcome suggestions from any contributing PAC member when deciding which candidates to support.

Is the FMHCA PAC affiliated with a certain party?

The FMHCA PAC is neither a Republican nor a Democratic organization.

Your contribution to the PAC will help elect candidates that are likely to support FMHCA’s priorities. FMHCA will pick candidates that have a chance to win their respective seat, regardless of political party affiliation.

NBFE is proud to be a professional partner with FMHCA. Because of our professional partnership, NBFE Offers discounts, benefits and free CEUs to our professional partners members.

If you hold a current professional membership in any of the following associations, you will be eligible to receive a 15% discount towards the NBFE credential and homestudy programs. FREE 2 contact hour programs offered to all CFMHE and all of our Professional Partners. Offerings are posted during the year and only available to NBFE's Professional Partners.

NBFE Certified Forensic Mental Health Evaluators (CFMHE) American Mental Health Counselors Association (AMHCA) Florida Mental Health Counselors Association (FMHCA) Licensed Professional Counselors Association of Georgia (LPCA-Georgia) Utah Mental Health Counselors Association (UMHCA) Washington Mental Health Counselors Association WMHCA) ___________________

What do I get for contributing?

Between 3,000 and 4,000 bills are introduced each year of the Florida Legislative Session. Elections decide who will be voting on these bills. The FMHCA PAC helps elect the people who write the laws you and your practice must live with. The PAC provides you with the opportunity to have a collective impact on the election of officials who will shape the landscape in which your practice will thrive.

In short, if you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu…

Insurance Discounts for FMHCA Members Savings up to 25% with Van Wagner's Comprehensive Occurrence (Professional and General Liability) InsuranceProgram. http:// go.sterlingrisk.com/VW/ FMHCA ____________________

GENERAL INFORMATION REGARDING 2016 STATE ELECTION This 2016 election for the State House and State Senate is particularly important because all forty seats in the Senate and all one hundred and twenty seats in the house are up for election.

The general election, which will take place on November 8, and could have significant ramifications on the political landscape of the Florida State Legislature. These could be further acerbated because of the unprecedented number of incumbents who are not running for reelection.

Historically, candidates that are incumbents have a high propensity for winning their district especially in the state level elections. For example, since 1972 there has only been one election in which the incumbent reelection rate dipped below 90 percent.

In 2014, the incumbent reelection rate in the state of Florida was 94.5%. Yet, in the 2016 State House election, forty-three of the current incumbents are not running for reelection. Of those incumbents not rerunning, twenty-one were candidates that had reached their term limits. In the 2016 State Senate election, seventeen of the incumbents are not seeking reelection, with five of the incumbents reaching their term limits. This is a noticeable increase.

Despite the unusually high number of incumbents not running for reelection, the election competiveness is still relatively low because of the lack of party competition in a majority of the districts in the state of Florida. In the House election, sixty-three of the elections only have one party running, guaranteeing that twenty-nine will be democrat districts and thirty-four will be republican districts. While in the senate race, twenty-two of the elections only have one major party running, meaning that fifteen of the districts are guaranteed republican and seven are guaranteed democrat.

Further, this election has also been characterized by relatively large amounts of campaign donations.

In the Florida House elections, the total amount of campaign donations so far is $21,168,059.96. Brian

Hodgers, who is running for District 52, has raised over $400,000 for the election. In the Senate election, there has been a total of $21,460,575.97 raised for campaigns. Anitere Flores, who is running for the District 39 Senate seat, has raised an astounding $1,015,519.70.

For these reasons, your campaign involvement, both individually and on behalf of the association, has the potential to make waves in state politics.

Sharing: Candidates are still trying to establish the minutia of their state wide political identity. Although many are vocal on hot-button issues, must of their time is office if they win, will be spent voting on bills that are not only about “hype”. It’s for this reason that now is the time to educate candidates about you profession. Setting up short meetings to brief candidates will have a profound impact on how they form opinions about LMHCs in the future.

Walking: Participation in campaigns is a sure-fire way to establish lasting relationships and a positive image within the Florida Legislature. Yet, not every person will be able to contribute money to statewide candidates. Another engaging way to support a candidate is to take part in a candidate’s weekend walk. The weekend walk consists of going door-to-door in the candidate’s local District trying to increase the public’s awareness of the candidate and knowledge of the candidate’s platform.

Contributing: The facts provided earlier in the article are clear, running for office has become an expensive business. Entities that do not have your best interest in mind are contributing every day.

But to a candidate, $5/ month from a local mental health counselor can mean more than $10,000 from a major corporation. Donate addition dollars to our new FMHCA PAC!

By Corinne Mixon, FMHCA Lobbyist

MENTAL HEALTH ACCESS IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 2015 (S. 1830/H.R. 2759) In July 2015, Senators John Barrasso (R-WY) and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), with Representatives Christopher Gibson (R-NY) and Mike Thompson (D-CA), introduced the Mental Health Access Improvement Act of 2015 (S. 1830/H.R. 2759). This legislation would allow marriage and family therapists (MFTs) and licensed mental health counselors to directly bill Medicare for their services. Currently, these professionals are not permitted to directly bill Medicare, despite the important role they play in delivering services to seniors and people with disabilities, particularly in underserved, rural areas with a mental health workforce shortage. This simple change would immediately increase patients’ access to needed care in their communities. Additionally, the National Council and Hill Day partners support adding language that would ensure patients’ access to counselors who have undergone specialized training, credentialing, and licensure to provide addiction treatment.

WHY DO WE NEED THE MENTAL HEALTH ACCESS IMPROVEMENT ACT?

OLDER AMERICANS HAVE HIGH RATES OF MENTAL ILLNESS AND SUICIDE, YET HAVE LOWER RATES OF TREATMENT OTHERS. Individuals age 65 and older have the highest rates of mental health related hospitalizations and a suicide rate that exceeds the res population. Yet, they are the least likely to receive mental health services, with only one in five receiving needed therapy. Allowing

MFTS AND COUNSELORS PRACTICE IN AREAS WITHOUT ACCESS TO OTHER MEDICARECOVERED PROFESSIONALS. With 77 percent of U.S. counties experiencing a severe shortage of behavioral health professionals, over 80 million Americans live in areas that lack sufficient providers. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, fully half of all U.S. counties have no practicing psychiatrists, psychologists, or social workers. Many of these rural and underserved areas without any current Medicare providers do have practicing MFTs and/or mental health counselors, including counselors who have been trained and licensed to provide addiction services.

EXPANDING THE WORKFORCE POOL WOULD EXPAND PATIENTS’ ACCESS TO TREATMENT. Allowing previously ineligible providers to directly bill Medicare for their services would immediately alleviate the strain on our nation’s mental health and addiction workforce serving Medicare enrollees. This legislation would not change the Medicare mental health benefit or modify states’ scope of practice laws but would instead allow Medicare enrollees access to medically necessary covered services provided by mental health and addiction professionals who are properly trained and licensed to deliver such services.

COUNSELORS AND MFTS HAVE SIMILAR TRAINING AND LICENSURE STANDARDS TO SIMILAR PROVIDERS ALREADY INCLUDED WITHIN MEDICARE. MFTs and licensed mental health counselors must obtain a master’s or doctoral degree, two years postgraduate supervised experience, and pass a national exam to obtain a state license, requirements comparable those placed on Medicare-covered clinical social workers. Counselors and MFTs can also go through additional training to become certified as addiction specialists. All fifty states license these professionals, and their services are covered by other federal programs like TRICARE and the Veterans Administration.

CONGRESS HAS LONG SUPPORTED THIS CHANGE. Legislation to include MFTs and mental health counselors in Medicare has won bipartisan support over seven past Congresses and was passed in either the full House or Senate on four separate

Continue reading this article, click here

Making Online Therapy Work For You Are you still “on the fence” when it comes to integrating Online Therapy into your private practice? Although the topic itself can be somewhat controversial (from a theoretical perspective), just the idea of doing it might be compelling and yet somewhat overwhelming at the same time.

Here are just a few of the advantages associated with providing Online Therapy as one service you provide within your private practice: 

You can provide services for those who could not otherwise have access to you

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You can expand your market to your entire state of licensure, instead of your local area

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You will have an option for clients who may call at the last minute to cancel because of childcare issues, car problems, or work commitments

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You don’t have to lose a day to inclement weather or when you are not able to get into the office for whatever reason

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You can work from home or when you are away, if you like

First, you’ll need to find out the laws and ethics of Online Therapy (or tele mental health) for your state and your discipline. These parameters are ever changing, so keep up with any new rules as they are set forth. Know when and where you are able to provide online services. Find out the definition of Online Therapy in your state -- Can you just use the phone or do you need to be face-to-face, online? Does the initial assessment have to be face–to -face in the office, or can you do that online as well? Can you provide Online Therapy for someone who is a resident of the state in which you are licensed even if they are temporarily in a different state?

Next, you’ll want to make sure you have the training or experience to provide services via teleconferencing.

Much like reading online is a different ballgame than reading a book, doing counseling online has its nuances as well. You may choose to seek our the DCC (Distance Counseling Credential), or you may be able to get what you need from books or in continuing education classes online.

Next, you’ll have to choose a platform from which to do your Online Therapy. It’s very important that the platform you choose is user-friendly, reliable, and HIPAA compliant. Do your homework and choose the one that seems to work best for your practice. Some practice management systems offer this feature, so you may be able to bundle it all for the best ease of operation and to save money.

You’ll then want to put together the paperwork, policies, and procedures that are necessary to make this work for you and your clients. You should be able to find samples in any training materials you get while you are preparing to take on this new line of business. It’s always a good idea to have your attorney check them over as well.

If it is not already integrated into the platform you choose, find a way to take clients’ payments (again, a HIPAA compliant way). Set your fees. If you take insurance, check with each insurance company to find out the rules and requirements they have with regard to Online Therapy.

Determine how you will market this new service. Will you only offer this as an option for your existing clients? Will you only offer it under certain circumstances? Or, will you use this new service to attract a new following of folks who are specifically seeking it?

Providing Online Therapy can boost your income and your freedom in private practice.

The key is to take the time to prepare BEFORE you start. Then, you just need to keep up with any changes along the way.

Deb Legge, PhD CRC LMHC http://influentialtherapist.com/contact Dr. Deb Legge is known internationally as the Private Practice Mentor. Over the past 21 years she has taught thousands of therapists how to build thriving practices, using the same proven strategies she uses... to attract more private pay clients. She has just released a Free 4-Part online training called: "The Truth About Getting Paid In Private Practice. You can access this new training absolutely FREE for a limited-time, by visiting: http://rapid-referrals.com/privatepay

Preparing Students For Cultural Diversity Though many believe that opening the door for immigration can be good for a country in terms of development. In the United States the massive presence of foreign individuals living and working legally and illegally in this country can divides the opinions of politicians and citizens alike causing domestic intercultural tensions. Since 2001, the number of foreign students on F-1 visas attending the United States colleges and universities has grown enormously, principally from emerging countries. These students naturally arrive with many different cultural backgrounds and educational assumptions, thus presenting a great challenge in higher education. Furthermore, recent studies have been shown that approximately 45 percent of foreign student graduates extend their visas to work in the United States, often where they studied. Later, many of these new workers will become American citizens.

Therefore, new models of identity and strategies for participation need to be developed for a more multicultural society replacing the current “top-down” nationalistic point of view. Universities should look carefully at the social, cultural and educational impact of international students on domestic students and vice versa in order to create better strategies for multicultural integration on campus. Well-educated, multicultural students, no matter they country of origin, will become engaged citizens. In this context, it is thus essential to have a multicultural understanding of human processes, especially in the counseling setting. Counselors in the United States have to be capable in effectively articulating and appreciating many key cultural elements in their counseling practice with any population. In fact, getting a multicultural education while engaged in graduate counseling programs can help students build their personal and professional identity that will serve them well in today’s complex multicultural society.

As a international graduate counseling student, I believe that implementing educational strategies that can give voice to each counseling student’ singularities while learning to activate multicultural counseling techniques for clinical settings can facilitate the development of multicultural competence in counseling. In addition, an intensification of a multicultural rhetoric during the graduate counseling program can ease the appropriation of the multicultural perspective in counseling and improve students’ intercultural relations at the campus and outside world. Then it will not matter where each student is from. There are no borders for a multicultural mind.

Paula Carina Lazarim Marques Mental Health Counseling Graduate Student

Thank You to our Sponsor

BUSY WRITING BILLS The Government Relations Committee is look for a real go getters to Join their team to Chair the Committee.

Join and Help Write Bills Email Diana at Office@flmhca.org

New CE Requirement for Licensure Renewals Within the 30 required renewal CE’s, you must now complete a 3 hour laws and rules update course every third biennium.

Current licensees would need to complete the course by the biennium ending 3/31/19.

Licensees in their first biennium, (which are exempt from CE’s for renewal) would need to meet the requirement by the biennium ending 3/31/21.

For more information on this requirement, please review Rule 64B4-6.001, Florida Administrative Code.

SCHOLARSHIPS FOR CRPS AND CRSS

The Florida Department of Children and Families is continuing to offer scholarships for peer specialists and recovery support specialists. Financial assistance can be requested for certification-related fees for persons seeking certification (application and examination fees), renewal, and reinstatement for lapsed credentials. In early July a new scholarship application will be posted on the FCB website. If you have questions in

Call for Presenters for FMHCA's 2017 Webinar Series Share your knowledge and expertise! FMHCA is looking for presenters for our 2017 "Emerging Issues in Mental Health Counseling" webinar series. This is an excellent opportunity to contribute to the profession, further establish yourself as an expert, promote your practice or agency, share about an area of our profession that you feel passionate about, build your CV, and gain experience in teaching and training. FMHCA hosts monthly webinars that are 2 hours in duration. If you are interested in presenting, please submit a webinar today.

Please submit your proposal by Thursday, August 4th. After submitting your proposal, a member of the Education, Training Standards, & Continuing Education Committee will contact you.

Click Here For Webinar Proposal Application

Thank You to our Sponsor

MEMBERSHIP PERKS! All FMHCA members. PartnerShip works with nationally known carriers to provide unparalleled customer service and significant savings on every shipment. FMHCA members who enroll in the AMHCA Shipping Program receive: Savings of up to 27%* on select FedEx® small package services Savings of at least 70% on standard and guaranteed LTL freight shipments with UPS Freight, YRC Freight, Con-way Freight, and other reputable carriers Savings of 20-40% on your exhibit shipments to and from trade shows and events, backed by an on-time guarantee Competitive pricing on truckload, expedited, and international freight services Specialized services including inbound management, low-cost shipping supplies, freight bill auditing, invoice consolidation, and more Visit PartnerShip.com/ 52AMHCA for complete program details. If you have any questions about FMHCA members using the AMHCA Shipping Program, please call PartnerShip at 800-599-2902, or email sales@PartnerShip.com. * Includes a bonus 5% online processing discount. Full details available at www.PartnerShip.com/52A MHCA/FedExdiscounts _____________________

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Winner for Cuba Scholarship: Mc Sonchar “Maco” Monthervil How a Trip to Cuba Might Provide a Broader Picture of the Challenges that Under-served and Oppressed Communities in Need of Counseling Services Face and how Such Communities Can Be Helped

My name is Mc Sonchar E. Monthervil, and I am called "Maco" by family and friends. I am a recording artist, and have taken the time to pursue a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology at South University, in West Palm Beach, Florida, under the guidance of Dr. Darlene Silvernail, who will lead this delegation to Cuba. I currently work as a Counselor Assistant for the Caron Foundation, which is one of the leading behavioral health treatment agencies in the United States. As I will have completed my degree by the time of this trip, and will be approaching my third year as a professional in this field, I know that I can bring firsthand experience to the delegation. Still, because I am nowhere near being considered a veteran in the field, I know that there is a lot that I can learn as it relates to under-served and oppressed communities in need of counseling services—even if I were a seasoned professional in the field, there would still be a lot to learn.

I think this trip will offer great insight around a reality that is often ignored— that mental health is a concern throughout the world. In many societies, mental healthcare is considered to be a “rich person’s problem”, In other words, many people believe that seeking help for mental issues is a luxury. We know that not only do mental health issues affect people from all walks of life, but that they are very prevalent among immigrant groups and low-income populations. This prevalence is largely due to the stressors that these groups face in their daily struggles for survival. Still, in many societies, and certainly among immigrant groups, seeking professional help for mental issues is taboo. Cultural characteristics play a pivotal role in the lives of immigrants from all different cultural backgrounds. In the case of Afro-Caribbeans (people from places in the West Indies, such as Jamaica, Haiti, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Cuba, St. Lucia, Barbados, St. Vincent, Barbados, and Trinidad), for example, this is evident as they go through the process of immigration to the United States and the subsequent process of acculturation and assimilation that must take place. Although this is a process that this demographic undergoes in search of a better quality of life for themselves and their families, unfortunately, many among this demographic will develop mental illness due to the stressors they must face while trying to succeed in a new and foreign environment.

Sadly, as these mental issues emerge, negative cultural views around seeking help often allow such issues to go untreated and even undiagnosed. When we make trips to such countries, we are very much bridging a gap. Specifically, visiting Cuba will not only allow us to share with them what we have to offer, but, it will also allow us to be immersed in the environment which so many Cuban Americans came from, and will help us better understand their experience during their acculturation process. If we gain a real understanding of what mental health is to Cubans, and how they have addressed it traditionally, we can better understand why a Cuban immigrant in America might be reluctant to seek help, and for those who do seek help, we may better understand what treatment approaches and interventions will work best for them. Spending a week among Cubans will also give us a better idea of the stressors that the Cubans in America have left behind, and will allow us to compare them to the new stressors they face as they adjust to American life.

FMHCA'S MISSION: The mission of the Florida Mental Health Counselors Association is to advance the profession of clinical mental health counseling through intentional and strength-based advocacy, networking, professional development, legislative efforts, public education, and the promotion of positive mental health for our communities.

HOW TO GET INVOLVED WITH FMHCA & LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD The FMHCA Needs You!!! We are searching for volunteers for our 2017 Conference.

Get Involved- Work with your peers and Have an Amazing Time!!!

Contact me atdsilvernail@flmhca.org

Government Relations Committee: Louise Sutherland contact at lsutherland@flmhca.org Research Committee: contact Hassiem Kambui at hkambui@flmhca.org Membership Committee: contact Elif Angel Raynor at membership@flmhca.org Bylaws Committee: contact Frank Hannah at fhannah@flmhca.org

The 2017 Call for Presentations to present at FMHCA's 2017 Annual Conference: Counseling in the Modern Age: What it was & Where we are headed!, being held in Lake Mary, FL at the Orlando Marriott from February 2-4, 2017.

All proposals must be submitted online by August 31, 2016 in order to be considered. The online form allows you to upload all documents required for submission, as well as, complete the application. First round acceptance e-mails will be sent in the beginning of September.

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GOOD NEWS!!

Did you hear the News??? Membership rates are changing to benefit Members! FMHCA has changed their rates! 

Clinical $65.00

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Regular $55.00

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Retired Member $25.00

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Student Free for the first year and there after $20.00

Each rate includes a $5. 00 PAC. What is a PAC? Click Here and Read all about it!

Thank You to our Sponsor

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HELP IS ON THE WAY!!!

Your Senators and Representatives in the United States Congress need to hear from you.

They need to know why it’s important for LMHC’s to be reimbursed for providing care to Medicare recipients. They need to know that the people who elected them are underserved. They need to know that their constituents with mental illness and substance go untreated because providers like us stand to serve ready but cannot treat this population and get paid. We cannot treat this population not because we are not trained to do so but because the current law does not include us as Medicare providers. The law needs to be changed. If we don’t make the case for our profession and those in need who will?

the assistance of our lobbyist will work to set up constituent meetings throughout the state of Florida over the next year. We will guide you through the process. So get ready, get involved.

Stay tuned for the details in the months to come.

Lorraine McCann , LMHC, CT

Yes, the thought of meeting with legislators is a bit daunting. So we’re going to help. The Government Relations committee with

FMHCA LAUNCHES 1ST-EVER STATE CAMPAIGN TO CONVINCE STATE LEGISLATORS TO EMPOWER THEIR CONGRESSMEN We need all the help we can get in our fight for Medicare Provider Status for LMHCs! That is why your Government Relations Committee is asking you to reach out to your state legislators to have them help this endeavor; it is critical to the future of your profession.

Attached you’ll find a letter that your state legislators can use to implore their congressmen to pass this key legislation. Use the link below to find your legislators’ contact information. Reach out to your state senator and house member by writing a note explaining that you need them to impact Congress. Attach the below letter as a guide point for them to use, offer yourself as a resource by providing your phone number and email address and follow up until something happens. It will only take five minutes of your time to email your state legislators.

Better yet, reach out in person! But do something! Your future depends on your actions right here, right now!

CLICK HERE FOR LETTER TO WRITE A LETTER TO OUR CONGRESSMAN TEMPLATE IS ALREADY FILLED OUT

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CALLING FOR STUDENT POSTER SESSIONS FOR 2017 CONFERENCE: COUNSELING IN THE MODERN AGE:

Student Poster Sessions for 2017 Conference February 3rd, 2017 in Lake Mary at the Orlando Marriott

MEMBERSHIP PERKS! Legal Shield $17 monthly includes Unlimited consultation Motor vehicle legal serviceslegal representation in court for speeding tickets nationwide Standard will ,living will power of attorney IRS legal services- 40.6 hrs of legal services 24hr emergency service- if questioned ,detained by law enforcement- night, holiday or removal of child from custody - night, holiday Letters and phone calls on behalf of client Document review- up to 10 pages free others at 25% discount Trial defense- 60hrs of per trial and trial time 25% discount on any other aspects of law.

If 5 people enroll this rate can be 15.95 monthly with the one time enrollment fee of $10 waived Contact Information

PERKS OF PRESENTING POSTER SESSION AT 2017 CONFERENCE:     

Opportunity to share research proposals Great networking opportunities with other students and professionals Expand your resume and Professional Portfolio Strengthen PhD Program Applications Winner receives free scholarship to the 2018 FMHCA Conference All submissions must be made by October 15th, 2016. Click on the link below for poster sessions

Fill-Out Student-Poster Session Application Here & Find Out Details Such As Requirements and Rubric

Myki Mitchell 912-224-9813 www.legalshieldassociate.com/ group/emitchell44 _____________________ CounselingExam.com

$15 off a 1 week subscription, $40 off of all 1 month, 2 month, and 3 month subscriptions, and $44 off of a 6 month subscription. To Receive the and discounted Registration information more informati rate, members must send an email to CrushTheExam@Gmail.com stating that they are a FMHCA member - then, they will receive a reply with instructions on how to proceed. ______________________

CLICK HERE For More information regarding FMHCA Member Discounts Click Here

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Thank You to our Sponsor

WE'RE LOOKING FOR TALENTED WRITERS! FMHCA is seeking Graduate Students and Registered Interns to contribute monthly articles for our newsletter. This is a wonderful opportunity to share your point of view and your journey to licensure with others while getting professional exposure. We're looking specifically for articles that will you're your peers navigate the journey to graduation and licensure - study tips, resources, how-tos... there are so many relevant topics worthy of investigation and discussion. These articles will also help you train yourself on best practices - it's a win-win!

Please email office@flmhca.org if you're interested in this opportunity.

Be Active in FMHCA - Join A Committee!

Interested in becoming more active with FMHCA but not sure how to get started? Consider joining a committee! Participating in a FMHCA committee allows you to interact with professionals who share your passions while providing a valuable service to FMHCA. Let's face it - change doesn't happen by itself. We need YOU to help us make a difference! There are several opportunities for you to get involved - consider any of the following committees:  Ethics Committee  Membership Committee  Graduate Students & Registered Interns Committee  Chapter Relations Committee  Finance Committee  Nominations & Elections Committee  Governmental Relations Committee  Conference Planning Committee  Education, Training, Standards, & Continuing Education Training Committee  Military Service Committee  Research Committee Feeling especially interested in any of those topics? Consider being a committee chair - you'll be surprised how rewarding it can be to help make things happen! Email office@flmhca.org to express your interest. Thank you!

2967 West Midway Road Fort Pierce, FL 34981 772-461-0863,ext 502

Thank You to our Sponsor

Thank You to our Sponsor

Thank You to our Sponsor

BECOME A FMHCA MEMBER FMHCA invites all mental health professionals to become a part of our organization so your voice can be heard and you can enjoy a strong network of professionals in our state.

Join by Clicking Here! by downloading a membership form and mailing it with your payment, or you may make a payment directly through our website. Keep in mind we have a few membership options: $65.00 Clinical - All LMHC's or CCMHC's $55.00 Regular - All registered interns or non-licensed professionals $25.00 Retired Clinicians - License Retired $Free Student (Free for the first year and there after $20.00) - Full time graduate, post-graduate, or undergraduate student Membership Renewal If your FMHCA membership has expired, we encourage you to and hope you will you to renew today by visiting our FLMHCA.ORG

Thank You to our Amazing Sponsors!

Advertise On Our Website & In Our Newsletter!

Increase your professional exposure by becoming a FMHCA sponsor!

Florida Mental Health Counselors Association 2101 Vista Parkway, Suite 265 West Palm Beach, FL 33411 Phone: 561-575-9519 Website: FLMHCA.ORG E-mail: office@flmhca.org

FMHCA's website gets hundreds of hits a day from members, nonmembers, and prospective members. Becoming a sponsor with FMHCA lets other professionals know that you're out there - it's a terrific way to network and grow as a professional.

There are two ways to becoming a sponsor - you can purchase a flashing banner across the top of our pages or one of the sponsor blocks at the bottom of our website pages. Best of all, you get a full year of sponsorship for one low price!

Artwork must be submitted in one of the following formats: png, jpg, tif, tiff, or psd. After you have completed payment, submit your artwork to us at office@flmhca.org

MEMBER MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS APPS DSM-5 Criteria This is the mobile app for clinicians to utilize in diagnosing their clients. It is an easy to use system which lists the criteria for all of the DSM-5 diagnostic catagories with the criteria listed for each diagnosis (this is not a free app).Read more about this app at: http://www.appi.org/Pages/ DSM5Mobile.aspx ICD-9-CM Codes ICD 9 Consult puts the complete, current ICD9-CM on your iPhone or iPod Touch, instantly smartsearchable and browsable. Read more about it at: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/icd9-consult-2014-free/id358845668?mt=8 ICD-10-CM Codes ICD 10 Helps you to Quickly look up diagnosis codes using the new ICD-10 coding system. All codes are downloaded to your device - no downloading is necessary as you are looking up your code. Read more about it at: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/stat-icd-10-coder/id467916561?mt=8 Provider Resilience Provider Resilience gives health care providers tools to guard against burnout and compassion fatigue as they help their clients be they civilians or service members, veterans, and their families. Providers can take a self assessment to determine if they are at risk and steps they can take to ward off such burnout and fatigue. Read more about it at: https://www.t2health.org/apps/provider-resilience courtesy from Coping.US. com and James Messina

2016 AMHCA FOUNDATION DISSERTATION RESEARCH AWARD WINNER: HANNAH E. ACQUAYE Acquaye’s winning dissertation examines the effect of trauma, religious commitment, and optimism on posttraumatic growth in adult Liberian former refugees and internally displaced persons. Acquaye obtained her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Ghana, West Africa, where her prolonged interaction with adolescents from warring countries sparked her interest in psychotherapeutic interventions for victims of war, school counselor skills for at-risk-youth, and group therapy for trauma. Her dissertation, “Assessing Posttraumatic Growth in Liberian Former Refugees and Displaced Persons,” is the first study to examine posttraumatic growth among war refugees and displaced persons.

The AMHCA Foundation bestows this $1,000 dissertation research scholarship annually to defray the dissertation research costs of doctoral students in accredited counseling programs.

First Runner-Up: Lisa Kruger, doctoral candidate, George Washington University / Kruger’s dissertation explores how combat experiences and attachment-related factors impact the development of moral injury in military service members.

Click Here to Register