Urgent licensing information

[Guest guest]

CATs

Please muddle through this long email--it is an urgent call to action!

There is to be a voting on new legislation to try and remedy the problems many

are having with getting their hours towards licensing approved. As has been

successful in the past, the bill is from the perspective of the consumer: if

our sites are not approved for us to accrue hours they are also not LEGALLY

ALLOWED TO PROVIDE PSYCHOTHERAPY. To keep services available the following has

been presented by the social worker profession (thank you to our more powerful

sisters and brothers):

> Legislation (A.8897S.5921) prevents the disruption of psychotherapy services

to the public, in the professions of licensed master social work, licensed

clinical social work, licensed mental health counseling, licensed marriage and

family therapy, licensed creative arts therapy, licensed psychoanalysis, and

licensed psychology; by creating an exemption from corporate practice

prohibitions for not-for-profit corporations, education corporations, firms,

business corporations, and other business entities that provide professional

services, in these professions.

>

>

> This legislation would require that such entities register with the State

Education Department. Upon registration, the bill would permit these entities to

employ licensed professionals or contract with professional business entities to

provide psychotherapy services. For our purposes particularly, this legislation

would recognize work experience gained by individuals employed by such entities

and would permit such individuals to apply this experience towards the

experience

qualifications for professional licensure.

>

> (The bill can be found at google: www.New York State Assembly . Use bill

number

>

> A. 8897.)

WHAT YOU can DO to help is to email/mail/call the list of assemblypeople and

senators below ASAP. I do not know when voting will occur. Here is a sample

email to suggest what should be included. PLEASE TAKE ACTION. I have seen many

emails and heard from many individuals struggling to get their licenses...this

is something you can do to help change the nightmare and make it better for

those who come after. I realize it is a holiday for many, however as soon as

possible, please get this out and send to anyone you know who is not on these

egroups.

(SAMPLE)

Dear Senator/Assemblyman/woman _________,

I am emailing you on a matter of great urgency. I am a

(insert your particular field of licensing) and I am looking to you for

leadership in managing a potential crisis in the provision of critical mental

health services.

(Insert something about yourself, what you do and where you work)

> As you may be aware, in 2002 and again in 2004, the State’s

laws governing the mental health professions were

dramatically changed. Two licenses - - licensed master social worker (LMSW)

and licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) - - were created from what had been

only a certification and 4 additional mental health licenses were established

(licensed psychoanalyst, licensed creative arts

therapist, licensed mental health counselor, and licensed marriage and family

counselor). For a number of reasons, these changes have not been implemented

smoothly and have created many barriers for the acceptance of required

professional experience and the provision of mental health services.

> Among other difficulties, the new laws created conditions in which many

corporate and community-based organizations which have provided vital mental

health services for decades, often to New York's most vulnerable populations,

are now considered to be operating illegally.

The State Education Department has worked with all interested parties to craft

an effective solution which is set out in A.8897S.5921. Legislation

(A.8897S.5921) prevents the disruption of psychotherapy services to the public,

in the professions of licensed master social work, licensed clinical social

work, licensed mental health counseling, licensed marriage and family therapy,

licensed creative arts therapy, licensed

psychoanalysis, and licensed psychology; by creating an exemption from corporate

practice prohibitions for not-for-profit corporations, education corporations,

firms, business corporations,and other business entities that provide

professional services, in these professions.

This legislation would require that such entities register with the State

Education Department. Upon registration, the bill would permit these entities to

employ licensed professionals or contract with professional business entities to

provide psychotherapy services. For our purposes particularly, this legislation

would recognize work experience gained by individuals employed by such entities

and would permit such individuals to apply this experience towards the

experience qualifications for

professional licensing

Will you support the enactment of A.8897S.5921? Without

this solution immediately in place, significant workforce and service delivery

consequences will likely threaten the mental health service system across NY

State.

Thank you for your consideration of this important matter.

>> Speaker Sheldon Silver

>> 932 Legislative Office Bldg

>> Albany, New York 12248

>> speaker@...

>> Assemblywoman Deborah Glick

>> 717 Legislative Office Building

>> Albany, New York 12248

>> glickd@...

>> Assemblyman J. Pretlow

>> 845 Legislative Office Building

>> Albany, New York 12248

>> pretloj@...

>> Senator Carl Kruger

>> 913 Legislative Office Building

>> Albany, New York 12247

>> kruger@...

>> Senator Toby Ann Stavisky

>> 509 Legislative Office Building

>> Albany, New York 12247

>> stavisky@...

>> Senator Sampson

>> 409 Legislative Office Building

>> Albany, New York 12247

>> sampson@...

Thank you for your time!

Gail Elkin-

ATR-BC, LCAT, LP

gail@...