Michigan Mental Health Counselors Assoc Image
Life Lines                                                  September 2019
Urgent Action Needed!
James Blundo MMHCA Executive Director
Napoleon Harrington MMHCA President
MMHCA Public Policy Committee
Acuitas LLC, the MMHCA Retained Lobbyist
 
THERE IS AN EMERGENCY WHICH THREATENS
OUR ABILITY TO PRACTICE and YOUR ACTION IS NEEDED!!
 
The Department of Licensing and Regulation (LARA) is moving forward with a proposed Scope of Practice Rules change which will put us out of practice, even though our legislative House Bill 4325 is moving along through the tedious legislative process that would update our bill, resolving the LARA issues. 
 
The Rules change could be in effect as early as November resulting in your inability to be reimbursed by insurance companies and other restrictions.
 
Please read the Acuitas article which spells out specific threats to our profession.
A hearing will be held on these proposed Rules on October 4, 2019 at 9 am at the G. Mennen Williams Building Auditorium, 525 W. Ottawa Street, Lansing, MI 48893.
 
IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU ARE PRESENT TO TESTIFY AGAINST THESE RULES!!!
 
IF IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR YOU TO BE PRESENT, PLEASE SEND WRITTEN TESTIMONY. Written comments must be submitted by 5:00 pm on October 4th to the following email:  BPL-BoardSupport@Michigan.gov   Tell them how this will hurt your clients, and the financial crises this will cause you.
 
OUR ABILITY TO PRACTICE OUR PROFESSION IS AT STAKE!
 
Please join MMHCA, donate to the lobbying effort.
Go to our mobile friendly website to donate and join. www.mmhca.org .
You can connect with me directly at: jamesblundo@att.net
James Blundo, LPC
MMHCA Executive Director

Next MMHCA Board Meeting 
MMHCA Members are invited to attend the next MMHCA Board meeting on Friday, September 20th, at 10:00 am. Location is Ashland Theological Seminary in Southfield. Guest speaker includes Andrea Cascarilla from Acuitas LLC. Must RSVP to attend, contact jamesblundo@att.net.
 
Fast Moving LPC Rule Changes Severely Limit Counselors' Scope and Violate Ethical Standards
by  
MMHCA Retained Lobbyist 
Andrea Cascarilla
Legislative Director 
 
Michigan's Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC) should take notice of the proposed LPC rules changes formally submitted by the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) this summer as they have significant consequences and threaten the livelihood of all counselors in the state.
 
To be clear, some of the rule changes are not contentious and make necessary and appropriate updates. Others, however, are a cause for serious concern to not only those in the counseling profession, but the general public as well.
 
Despite the unanimous objections of the Board of Counseling Rules Committee, LARA is recommending the repeal of virtually all the rules that define an LPC's scope of practice under R338.1751. These are rules that have been recognized as part of our scope since they were first promulgated after the passage of our Licensed Professional Counselor statute in 1988. Instead the department insists these definitions should apply only to the educational preparation of counselors and not to counseling practice.   
 
Included in this repeal is the practice of "counseling techniques" and the related ability to "diagnose and identify the problem". Without these and numerous other definitions, the counseling scope of practice is severely limited. Restricting scope in this way will most certainly reduce the availability of mental health professionals in Michigan and at a time when there is growing demand for these services.   
 
These changes in scope would also put Michigan's LPCs in violation of the American Counseling Association's Code of Ethics (E.5.a. Proper Diagnosis), which requires the proper diagnosis of a client's mental disorder before treatment, and could subject them to permanent expulsion from the profession. Additionally, insurance companies will likely stop reimbursing for the services of LPCs due to the significant limits on scope these rule changes would impose.
 
LARA is also pursuing the repeal of the rules identifying the requirements for providing counseling supervision (R338.1757), one of which is specific training in supervision. This training is a national standard for professional counseling.   
 
Again, if this rule is rescinded, counselors who provide supervision without training would be practicing in violation of the ACA's Code of Ethics (F.2.a Supervisor Preparation). Furthermore, LPCs who received their supervision in Michigan may not be eligible for licensure in other states because their supervisor would not be qualified in the state to which the counselor is moving.
 
With LARA's recently filed Regulatory Impact Statement , the clock is quickly ticking on the repeal of these rules and the detrimental impacts they will have on the counseling profession. In fact, the required public hearing on the proposed ruleshas just been scheduled for October 4. After this public hearing, the rules can be certified and a report submitted to the Joint Committee on Legislative Rules (JCAR).  
 
JCAR, a legislative body, has just 15 session days to review the rules. Their only course of action if they object is to introduce legislation within another 15 days to repeal them. Given session is generally scheduled every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, it may only take five weeks before this 15-sessionday deadline is met. After that point, the LARA Director could adopt the rules and have them become effective immediately upon filing. All said and done these proposed rule changes could be in effect as early as November of this year!   
 
Michigan LPCs should not only actively oppose these rule changes at the forthcoming public hearing, but also immediately urge the legislature to instead pass HB 4325 , introduced by Rep. Aaron Miller (RSturgis), which would negate the need for LARA's rule changes altogether.   
 
Counselors are encouraged to contact MMHCA with any questions they may have regarding the proposed rules repeal or MMHCA's legislative efforts.
   
 
MMHCA CONFERENCE:
Fundamentals of the Trauma Model
October 12, 2019 in Lansing
Lansing Community College
West Campus (Delta Township)
5708 Cornerstone Dr. , Lansing, MI 48917
Registration: 8:30 am - 9:00 am
Workshop: 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
FREE PARKING! Lunch Provided!
 
Keynote Presenter: Dr. Colin Ross, M.D,
Second Presenter: Melissa Caldwell Engle, LPC, ATR
Third Presenter: Kenneth W. Schmidt, MA, LPC, NCC
 
 
Course Objectives
1. Describe the core principles and strategies for the Trauma Model including: including; the problem of attachment to the perpetrator; and the locus of control shift.
2. To explain additional principles of the TMT including: the problem is not the problem; just say 'no' to drugs; addiction is the opposite of desensitization; and the victim-rescuer-perpetrator triangle.
3. To explain the Spectrum of Emotions.
4. To review the Integrated Addiction Model.
5. To illustrate techniques through role play.
6. To understand the role of forgiveness in trauma recovery.
 
Course Description:
In this full-day conference, Dr. Ross will explain the core principles and techniques of the Trauma Model Therapy (TMT), which is suitable for a wide range of mental disorders and addictions including PTSD, Borderline personality disorder, depression, dissociative disorders, and addictions. Next, Melissa Engle will then review the "Spectrum of Emotions, a conceptual tool that helps clients to understand the difference between healthy and unhealthy emotional expression and the corresponding consequences on their physical and mental health. She will also review her Integrated Addiction Model and its application with dual diagnosis. Dr. Ross and Mrs. Engle will illustrate some of their treatment techniques through a role play. And lastly, Ken Schmidt will discuss the role of forgiveness as a component of trauma resolution and recovery. Attendees are encouraged to ask for case consultation on specific treatment problems.
This program is offered for 6 NBCC Hours
Approved Credit: 6 NBCC HOURS
"MMHCA has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider,
ACEP No. 2064. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified.
MMHCA is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs."
Approved Credit: 6 MCBAP HOURS
This course is approved by Michigan Certification Board for Addiction Professionals.
Approved Credit: 6 CE SW HOURS
Course approval #011018-02 - If you wish to report a problem
with this training, please contact swcollaborative@gmail.com .
 
1)    MMHCA and Allied Health Members: $200.00                    
2)    Non-Members: $280.00
3)    Students: $150.00
* No refunds after October 5th

Sign Up Now for Next MMHCA Sponsored Supervisor Training
   
  Now Through September 20, 2019, YOU CAN REGISTER FOR THE NEXT SUPERVISOR TRAINING PROGRAM which will BEGIN ON September 24, 2019. To register, visit www.TheMentoringInst.com for details.  

 
Senate Dear Colleague Letter on Medicare Improvements & Call to Action 
Recently, three U.S. Senators -- Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) sent a "Dear Colleague" letter to all Senators encouraging their fellow Senators to significantly modernize, strengthen and add benefits to the traditional Medicare Program. They have described their rationale in their communication and a key legislative piece -- S. 286, the Medicare Mental Health Access Improvement Act -- is one of the bills they are requesting the Senate pass so the Medicare program continues to provide value to current and future enrollees. Senator Stabenow is the co-sponsor of S. 286 with John Barrasso (R-WY).
 
The U.S. Senate will be going back into session after the Labor Day Holiday. This is the time to engage your elected officials. To contact your Senators and request their support for S. 286 -- the Medicare Mental Health Access Improvement Act
Ms. Andrea Cascarilla

Ms. Andrea Cascarilla is Legislative Director at Public Relations firm, Acuitas, LLC in Lansing.  MMHCA hired Acuitas to represent LPC's and LLPC's in our state capital. Her work has been tantamount to our efforts to protect our license in the state. With Guidance from Acuitas, and much hard work by MMHCA's Public Policy Co-Chairs, Sara Schaeffer and Irene Ametrano, as well as Executive Director, Jim Blundo and President, Napoleon Harrington, progress is being made. 




Dr. Colin A. Ross, MD 
 
Dr. Colin Ross, is the Director of hospital-based Trauma Programs in Denton, TX, Torrance, CA and Grand Rapids, MI.  He provides weekly cognitive therapy groups at all three locations, in person in Texas and by video-conference in Michigan and California. He has been running a hospital Trauma Program in the Dallas area since moving to Texas in 1991. He has been a keynote speaker at many different conferences. Dr. Ross has authored 29 books and over 200 professional papers. 
UPCOMING EVENTS
September 27 Networking & Speaker Breakfast in Rochester Hills
October 12 MMHCA Conference: Fundamentals of the Trauma Model in Lansing.
October 25 Networking & Speaker Breakfast in Ann Arbor
November 15 Human Trafficking Workshop in Davison
New Michigan Law Requires Training In Human Trafficking!
Upcoming Human Trafficking Workshops 
November 15    Davison, Michigan 
 
Human Trafficking Information
There has been much confusion regarding the required training standards by the new Michigan Law regarding Human Trafficking.
MMHCA decided to offer the best workshop available based on the laws outlined. We created the best possible training available. Here is how we did it.
Dr. Jeremy Norwood who is on the faculty at Spring Arbor University was approached to develop the workshop. He used the stated language from the bill and developed an outline. We then looked at his extensive knowledge of the topic and decided to have him produce a powerful workshop based on his knowledge and experiences.
In addition to his extensive work in this arena, every year he takes a group of students to Asia to study Human Trafficking. 
Those that have taken the workshop describe it as powerful and intense. They walk away with a greater understanding of the major impact and possible strategies for intervention.
Please consider our offering. It will change your life for the better. In addition, it qualifies for 6 hours of CEU's and a certificate to prove your participation.
We encourage health professionals and graduate students to use our workshops for the best quality training in Michigan.

Michigan Mental Health Counselors Association
Training in Trauma a Must for Professional Counselors
 
A friend and colleague, Colleen Tavor, turned me on to an excellent book recently, It Will Never Happen to Me; Growing Up with Addiction as Youngsters, Adolescents, Adults. Am I the last counselor to read this book? I hope not. It was first published in 1981, second edition in 2001. The statistic I read last night made me rethink what type of books I read right before I try to go to sleep! "Twenty-five million children under the age of eleven live in homes where they are sexually abused. Incest occurs in many  homes and in all socio-economic classes. While research concerning sexual abuse and its relationship to addictive disorders is limited, and varies in its conclusions, a number of studies document that over 50 percent of known incest victims lived in homes where alcohol abuse was a major problem."
 
Twenty-five million children! If you are a professional counselor it is imperative that you add training in the treatment of Trauma to your skill set in order to be prepared to help the adults these children grow up to be when they show up in our counseling offices. MMHCA has put together a Conference  on October 12th covering the Fundamentals of the Trauma Model with three Trauma experts. You can read the details in an article in this newsletter. I hope to see you there.  
 
Newsletter by:
Cindy S. Goldman, MEd, LPC, NCC
MMHCA Member at Large