We have drafted activity logs to make it easier for you to record your supervised hours toward licensure. The state does not require these logs, nor will you be asked to provide them at any time during your licensure application process. We have created them for you to keep as a record of your clinical experience. There are two forms, one to record your clinical hours and the other to record your supervision hours. Both can be either signed or initialed by your site-supervisor, with copies given to your supervisor for their records.
Contact our office to request these forms as either Word or PDF documents.
NYMHCA: Helping you realize your professional dreams!
CLANY - our NYMHCA PAC!
NYMHCA has established a PAC (politcal action committee) so we can make dontaions to legislators' re-election campaigns and in that way alert legislators to the legislative needs and issues of Mental Health Counselors. All donations to legislative action will go to fund the PAC and help to promote our profession. To make a donation to the PAC, click on "CLANY" on the left side of this page or contact the NYMHCA office.
Information Packet Available to Job Seekers
NYMHCA as made available a packet of material that can assist you in finding a job. Included will be our mental health counselor definition, a comparison between the education of social workers and mental health counselors, a copy of the regulations for the NYS Office of Mental Health that states that mental health counselors are considered qualified providers, and other information that you will find useful. To receive this packet in either a Word format or in PDF, contact our office.
Available from NYMHCA: a Superbill for those in private practice.
A "superbill" is a term for a billing format for the mental health clinician who wants to increase their acceptance by insurance companies and handle billing in a simplified manner. Using this strategy allows the client to submit the bill directly to the insurance company, and often results in the acceptance of LMHC's onto insurance panels or as out-of-network providers. Click on the "Insurance Companies" link on the left side of this page to find more info.
NYMHCA VISA Card!
NYMHCA now has our own Platinum VISA card! Every time you use this card NYMHCA receives a small percentage from Capital One to assist us in our legislative efforts on your behalf. Please consider applying for this card and urge your friends and family to do the same. These and other fundraising efforts allow us to continue to do our work without regularly raising membership, convention and other fees. Having this Capital One card is a painless way to help us...... help you!.
More Jobs for Mental Health Counselors
We have been notified that since last year 10 times more jobs are posted online looking for LMHC's. These jobs are posted on www.Indeed.com. Type in "LMHC" in the job title section and then type in your zip code and it brings up jobs in your neighborhood. It is a meta search engine of job search engines so you get results from hotjobs, career builder, higher ed jobs and a lot of other websites.
Mental Health Counselors Have Job Titles in the VA!
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has issued qualification standards formally recognizing licensed professional counselors as mental health specialists within the Veterans Health Administration. The standards, released internally to VA staff in the late hours of September 28th, and available online, are the culmination of years of work by the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC), the American Counseling Association (ACA) and the American Mental Health Counselors Association (AMHCA) to open up mental health provider jobs within the VA to professional counselors. This is a landmark step forward for the counseling profession as well as an important means of expanding the pool of mental health service providers available to meet the growing treatment needs of our nation's veterans.
The new standards set categories and criteria for employment within the VA. The standards establish several levels of employment within the GS-101 series for counselors–entitled "Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselors" (LPMHC)–similar to and on par with the positions currently in place for clinical social workers:
•GS-9 Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor (Entry Level – for individuals with a graduate degree in counseling but who have not yet become licensed)
•GS-11 Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor
•GS-12 Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor Program Coordinator
•GS-12 Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor Supervisor
•GS-13 Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor Program Manager
•GS-14 LPMHC Program Manager Leadership Assignments
The regulations require counselors to have a master's degree in mental health counseling or a related field from a program accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). Examples of related mental health counseling fields include, but are not limited to addiction counseling; community counseling; gerontology counseling; marital, couple, and family counseling; and marriage and family therapy. A master's degree in mental health counseling is the only degree that will be recognized under the new standards. There are no substitute degrees authorized.
The regulations also contain specific information regarding the employment of counselors who at the time of appointment have not completed all of the requirements to become state licensed. At the time of appointment, the supervisor will provide the unlicensed counselor with the written requirement to obtain licensure, the date by which the license must be acquired and the consequences for not becoming licensed by the deadline. Failure to become licensed within two years from the date of appointment will result in removal from the GS-101 LPMHC series and may result in termination of employment. Once licensed, counselors must maintain a valid and unrestricted license to independently practice mental health counseling, which includes diagnosis and treatment.
These qualification standards are a major accomplishment and a historic step forward in federal recognition of counselors. While it is the last formal step in the VA employment process, it will take time for counselors to be fully integrated into the system.
To find out about (or apply for )jobs for mental health counselors in the VA go to: www.VAcareers.va.gov
NYMHCA is on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn!
2012 Convention Registration!
To see some of what we have planned for the convention, click below. Our convention committee has completed the line-up of workshops! Early registration ends March 9th!!
We are pleased to announce the establishment the membership category of Orgnaizational Membership. This category allows agencies, schools and organizations to become members and support our ongoing advocacy efforts. The membership does not allow for voting or holding office and has an annual fee of $200. The annual membership also includes a membership certificate.
Organizations can join by filling out the online form (link on homepage) or by requesting a PDF version of the form from our office.
Student Representative to the NYMHCA Board of Directors
It's again time to choose another Student Representative who will take their place on the Board of Directors on July 1st. If you are a student and want to apply or know a student who you think would be a good student rep,
At every convention we are pleased to present some of our members with awards that acknowledge their committment to the profession, to NYMHCA and to the education of students. If you know someone who is deserving of such an award, please email us at: nymhca@optonline.net to receive materials about the various awards and the nomination process, The deadline for submission of nomination forms is March 21st.
