Federal Action Alerts!
Bills Introduced in Congress to Ban Conversion Therapy
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Bills were just introduced in Congress that prohibit conversion therapy as an unfair or deceptive act or practice. These bills treat conversion therapy as a fraudulent practice because sexual identity is not a medical problem and it would be fraudulent to treat them as such. The bills bar advertisements for therapies that claim the ability to: (1) change an individual's sexual orientation or gender identity, (2) eliminate or reduce sexual or romantic attractions or feelings toward individuals of the same gender, or (3) be harmless or without risk. Enforcement would be carried out by the Federal Trade Commission. The bills were referred to the House and Senate Commerce Committees.
Mental Health Access Improvement Act of 2019 (Medicare Reimbursement)
The American Counseling Association is seeking Republican members of the
Senate Finance Committee to help push our Medicare bill forward. Currently, the
Mental Health Access Improvement Act of 2019 has 109 cosponsors in the House of Representatives (
H.R. 945) and 30 cosponsors in the Senate (
S. 286). Texas Senator John Cornyn serves on the Senate Finance Committee but is not yet a co-sponsor; neither is Senator Ted Cruz. Only two federal legislators from Texas – Sheila Jackson Lee (Houston) and Lance Gooden (Terrell) – are co-sponsors. If your
federal legislator is not yet a cosponsor of the Mental Health Access Improvement Act of 2019, please contact their office to let them know that their support is vital to the success of this important legislation.
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PGC20 Call for Programs Open Through 4/27
Share your knowledge! Promote your research! Engage with your colleagues!
Submit a proposal to present at our
64th Annual TCA Professional Growth Conference
November 11-14, 2020 in Dallas. Opportunities include 1 Hour Poster Displays, 1.5 hour or 3 hour programs, 6.5 Hour Learning Institutes, and 3.5 Hour Post-Conference Workshops.
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April is Counseling Awareness Month!
TCA is excited to celebrate the amazing work of professional counselors during Counseling Awareness Month in April.
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Know Your TCA Benefits: Educational Endowment Fund (EEF Grants) April 1 Deadline
The TCA Educational Endowment Fund (EEF) provides professional development grants of up to $500 to individuals who have been members of TCA for at least 12 months.
Grants are awarded for:
- Course work toward completion of a graduate degree
- Activities such as original research, conference attendance or specialized study
- Other professional development or continuing education activities
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Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council (BHEC) Meeting
At its March 2nd meeting, the Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council met to finalize their proposed operating rules. TCA was in attendance, along with the other behavioral health associations, and had the opportunity for a dynamic, interactive discussion with BHEC members. Several of our recommendations were incorporated into the proposed rules which will be published in the Texas Register. TCA will send a Call to Action when the comment period opens, along with a summary of the additional changes we are promoting.
The licensing boards continue to operate in the meantime, although they are unable to adopt new rules until BHEC becomes fully operational on September 1, 2020. TCA continues to monitor meetings of the Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors and the Texas State Board of Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists.
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All Texas Access: Community Survey
Texas Health and Human Services Commission is currently seeking feedback on mental health care in rural communities across Texas. This is an opportunity to share your perspective and help HHSC better understand factors that impact rural mental health care and service delivery.
The online survey is open until April 3, 2020.
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Frances Fowler Wallace Memorial Award
From the
Hogg Foundation for Mental Health, this award provides financial assistance to support doctoral students’ dissertation research on “the cause, treatment, cure and prevention of mental disease, mental illness and mental disorders." The annual award provides up to $3,000 for research-related expenses such as mileage from related travel, survey mailings, software, participant stipends and training. Award recipients must provide a copy of the final dissertation to the foundation.
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Community Care Corps Request for Proposals: Innovative Local Models to Provide Non-Medical Assistance to Older Americans, Persons with Disabilities, and Family Caregivers
Community Care Corps seeks proposals for innovative local models in which volunteers assist family caregivers or directly help older adults or adults with disabilities with non-medical assistance in order to maintain their independence. Grants between $30,000 and $250,000 to establish, enhance, or grow volunteer programs will be awarded.
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NHSC Loan Repayment Programs: One Application, Three Programs
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The National Health Service Corps (NHSC) opened its application for three loan repayment programs: the NHSC Loan Repayment Program, the NHSC Substance Use Disorder Workforce Loan Repayment Program and the NHSC Rural Community Loan Repayment Program. NHSC will be hosting a serious of webinars to assist in the application process. Application deadline is April 23 at 7:30 pm.
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School Counselor Resources
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State Board for Educator Certification Meeting
The State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) met on February 21st in Austin. The rule review for the Student Services Certificates (which includes School Counselors) was closed – which means the current School Counselor Certification Standards remain in effect. Kudos to those who submitted comments to support the current standards. SBEC also approved for publication in the Texas Register new rules governing continuing education requirements for principals and school counselors (and others). TCA will send a Call to Action when the comment period opens, along with talking points.
Remember, the
Texas Model for Comprehensive School Counseling Programs is now the standard for all school counseling programs in Texas. Counselor educators, directors of guidance, and individual school counselors should design their programs accordingly.
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High School Counselor Survey from the Texas Education Agency
The Texas Education Agency is gathering information from all counselors at the high school level about the resources, activities, and tools that their teams use to assist students. Although your district’s participation is voluntary, data provided from the perspective of districts will help to inform future guidance provided by TEA.
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School Safety And Victims’ Services Research Survey For Educators Across Texas
Governor Greg Abbott launched a survey emailed to more than 500,000 educators across the state last week. If you received this survey, we encourage you to complete it. The survey will glean information on school preparedness during, before, and after crises such as active shooter situations or natural disasters and will also inform policy makers of ways in which the State of Texas can further support educators' needs regarding safety, mental health, and violence in schools.
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The Texas Model for Comprehensive School Counseling Programs, 5th Edition
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Make sure your school counseling and counselor educator programs align with Texas law!
The Texas Model is now the standard in Texas (HB 18). Make sure your school counseling program aligns with best practices, SBEC standards, and Texas law! Ordering is quick and easy. Discounts available for bulk purchases.
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DISCLAIMER ABOUT PAID ADVERTISEMENTS: Any reference to a product, service, activity, or program in this electronic communication does not imply endorsement by the Texas Counseling Association.
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