by ashley.marzullo | Apr 14, 2021 | Front Page, Press Release
https://www.fsmb.org/siteassets/advocacy/pdf/states-waiving-licensure-requirements-for-telehealth-in-response-to-covid-19.pdf U.S. States and Territories Modifying Requirements for Telehealth in Response to COVID-19 Last Updated: March 31, 2021 States with Waivers: 41 + GU + CNMI + PR States with Waivers, not allowing new applications: 1 States without Waivers (or waivers closed): 6 + DC + USVI 3 • Status – Active, temporary licenses are valid until June 6, 2020, and can be renewed for 2 months by the Board, and will be inactivated once the PHE has ended (currently scheduled to expire May 28, 2021, per 3/29 announcement.) California...
by ashley.marzullo | Mar 25, 2021 | Front Page, Press Release, Uncategorized
Action Alert Help Pass Senate Bill 591 To Increase Behavioral Health Provider Reimbursement What You Can Do: Read below for background about this important bill and spread the word to your staff, colleagues, and clients.Prepare your testimony now in case we get short notice of the hearing (see below for tips for testimony). You do not need to send your testimony until the hearing date has been posted. We will keep you posted.Recruit consumers to testify. Consumer voices are powerful and carry a lot of weight. About This Bill: Senate Bill 591: http://webserver.rilin.state.ri.us/BillText/BillText21/SenateText21/S0591.pdf The Mental Health Association has partnered with Senator Miller to introduce Senate Bill 591, legislation to incrementally increase reimbursement rates to behavioral health providers over five years. It also requires OHIC to examine rates annually after the initial five year period. The aim is to achieve reimbursement parity between behavioral health providers and their counterparts on the medical side of insurance plans. The lack of pay parity, as it currently exists, is a violation of mental health parity law. This legislation would affect public (Medicaid) and private (commercial) insurers and therefore carries a fiscal note for the State, who contributes toward Medicaid claims. Opposition to payment parity has historically come from the insurance industry and the small business lobby–both powerful influencers on the House side. We are hoping that the pandemic and its documented toll on mental health has raised awareness about the importance of access to early treatment. Representative Craven introduced similar legislation on the House side. His version of the legislation is slightly different and had less community input. We had very short notice...
by ashley.marzullo | Dec 20, 2020 | Front Page, Press Release
Welcome to RIMHCA! When I stepped in as President, we were busy planning educational and networking opportunities for local clinical mental health counselors and others working in the helping professions. That quickly changed beginning in February of 2020. With the COVID-19 pandemic, we realized quickly that there were many processes and procedures that needed adjustment and I began to advocate to legislators and state leaders to make important changes to “business as usual”. This is the essence of organizations such as ours–work diligently to advocate for our clients and our profession. We aim to provide our members and visitors with updated and current information, as well as present transparency of what we are able to do versus other state agencies. As you review our website, note the following features: Find a counselor: RIMHCA members are able to register with their areas of specialization and a link to their website. Visitors to the site will be able to review the information provided and locate a therapist who will meet their needs. Classified ads: Community members and agencies are able to advertise office space for rent, post questions to see what is available for space, or to list clinical employment opportunities (ads free of charge for RIMHCA members). Upcoming trainings and seminars: RIMHCA members are eligible for CEUS at no additional cost or a reduced rate (attendees must pay registration fees). Networking: Counselors have the opportunity to meet, share resources, and provide support to each other. These are just a few of the things that we offer to members and visitors. I am privileged to work with a group of professionals...
by ashley.marzullo | Jul 14, 2020 | Front Page, Press Release
Live AMHCA WebinarThe Impact of the Medicare Coverage Gap on Clinical Mental Health Counselors Thursday, July 23, 20201:30 – 2:30 PM EasternParticipants will learn:Participants will review the primary ways in which a lack of Medicare reimbursement hinders access to mental health care.Participants will learn about recent developments related to Medicare reimbursement advocacy & Medicare mental health policy.Participants will develop strategies for their own Medicare reimbursement advocacy, including partnering with efforts made by counseling professionalorganizations. This Webinar is Free REGISTERPresented by:Matthew Fullen, PhD, MDiv, LPCC (OH)Assistant Professor of Counselor EducationVirginia Tech UniversityMatthew Fullen is an Assistant Professor of Counselor Education at Virginia Tech, as well as an affiliate faculty for the Virginia Tech Center for Gerontology. He has worked with older adults since 2005, first in the affordable senior housing industry, and then as a licensed professional clinical counselor. He has worked as a mental health professional in diverse settings, including long-term care, adult day, and private practice contexts. Fullen is one of those most active gerontology scholars within the counseling profession, and his work has been funded by federal, private non-profit, and university-based grants. Dr. Fullen’s research agenda focuses on three distinct areas: 1) Developing and implementing counseling interventions that focus on wellness and resilience in older adulthood, 2) Expanding older adults’ access to mental health services, specifically through expansion of Medicare-eligible services, and 3) Preventing suicide through community-based prevention frameworks. He has contributed to more than 90 peer-reviewed or invited conference presentations and published numerous scholarly publications in academic journals across the counseling and gerontology disciplines. AMHCA.orgTerms and ConditionsPrivacy Policy© 2020 | American Mental Health Counselors Association107 S. West Street, Suite 779, Alexandria, VA,...
by ashley.marzullo | May 19, 2020 | Front Page, Press Release
The House released its fifth COVID-19 relief package on Tuesday and counselor Medicare language was not included. While this is a setback, we still have the opportunity to pass of our legislation. At the direction of our congressional champions, AMHCA is now shifting our grassroots advocacy to the Senate. We are urging counselors to take up the charge and contact your Senator to add S. 286 into its COVID-19 package. The Senate timeline is unclear, but they appear on a slower track than the House so there remains time to influence the process. As previously reported, AMHCA is working closely with our allied organizations from counseling, MFT, and behavioral health clinics to add our language to this upcoming COVID bill. We will not be included in the Senate COVID legislation if U.S. Senators don’t hear from you about the importance of S. 286. We urge you to contact your two Senators and ask them to include our Medicare bill in their stimulus package. Contact your Senators today! Use the link below to find your Senator with email and phone numbers: Find my Senator (top left corner) Sample message for call or email [please fill in bracketed sections]: I am a mental health counselor from [city/state]. I urge Senator [___] to include S. 286 in the COVID-19 relief bill currently under development. This legislation authorizes licensed mental health counselors to provide mental health and addiction services to Medicare beneficiaries. Research shows the COVID-19 pandemic is likely to create a behavioral health crisis and there are not enough mental health professionals to meet the needs of the Medicare population. I urge Senator [____]...
