MINUTES AUGUST 10 & 11, 2007
LICENSED PROFESSIONAL COUNSELORS BOARD OF EXAMINERS
Approved September 21, 2007
The meeting was called to order by G Bockrath at 9:00 a.m. A roll call was taken and a quorum was present.
Guests:
Julianna Padgett
Gary Grand
Brenda Roberts
Board Attorneys Present:
S Adams
Members present: Staff present:
G Bockrath, Board Chair
R Dufrene, Vice-Chair E Boeneke
L Falcon, Secretary Jennifer Johnson
T Moore
A Williams
A Cole Absent:
L Pearlmutter V Triplett
J Williams
C Gagnon
Agenda
T Moore moved to accept the agenda as amended. Seconded by J Williams. Approved, no abstentions.
Board Minutes
C Gagnon moved to approve the minutes from July 20, 2007, Board meeting as amended. Seconded by A Cole. Approved, no abstentions.
Financial Report
No report this month
Committee on Complaints/Disciplinary Affairs – June Williams, Roxane Dufrene
LPC/LMFT 05/06 -7 Complaint against LPC/LMFT for Unprofessional Conduct. Case is being investigated
LPC/LMFT 06/07-1 Complaint against LPC/LMFT for Unprofessional Conduct. Case is being investigated.
LPC/LMFT 06/07-3 Complaint against LPC/LMFT for Unprofessional Conduct. Case being investigated.
LPC/LMFT PA 06/07-5 Complaint against LPC/LMFT for Unprofessional Conduct. Case is being investigated.
LPC/LMFT PA 06/07-7 Complaint against LPC/LMFT for Unprofessional Conduct. Case being investigated.
LPC/LMFT 06/07-8 Complaint against LPC/LMFT for Unprofessional Conduct. Case is being investigated.
LPC 06/07-9 Complaint against LPC/LMFT for Unprofessional Conduct. Case is being investigated.
LPC/LMFT 06/07-10 Complaint against LPC/LMFT for Unprofessional Conduct. Case is being investigated.
LPC 06/07-11 Complaint against LPC for Unprofessional Conduct. Case is being investigated.
06/07-12 Complaint for Unprofessional Conduct. Case is being investigated.
LMFT 06/07 -13 Complaint against LMFT Unprofessional Conduct. Case is being investigated
R Dufrene moved to open 07/08 – 1, 07/08 – 2 and 07/08 – 3. Approved, no abstentions.
R Dufrene moved to open two more case 07/08 – 4 and PA 07/08 – 5 and to close case
05/06 – 7. Approved, no abstentions.
Committee on Licensure and Supervision - C Gagnon, A Williams, A Cole
A Williams reported that 28 folders were reviewed for LPC
8 Approved for LPC License
13 Registered for Supervision
5 Changing Supervisor
2 Deny Supervision
A Cole reported that 8 folders were reviewed for LMFT
4 Approved for MFT Interns
1 Approved for LMFT Supervisor
2 Approved Grandfathering LMFTs
1 Approved Changing Supervisor
A Williams moved to accept the report on licensure/supervision for LPC/LMFT. Approved, no abstentions.
Committee on Privileging - C Gagnon
None
Committee on Correspondence - L Falcon
The Board reviewed several items of correspondence and directed staff as to appropriate responses.
AdHoc Committee on Rules – A Cole, L Falcon, C Gagnon, T Williams
The Rules Committee is finishing the first promulgation and only making changing related to the new law. This will be sent to the Fiscal Impact Office by August 20, 2007, and then to the Register by September 10, 2007 to be published in the Register September 20, 2007. The second promulgation will include the rest of the rule changes and modifications to the ACA Code of Ethics. The Rules Committee will use email and have meetings as needed.
Report of Marriage and Family Therapy Advisory Committee - A Cole
The Rules Committee met at A Coles’s house to discuss changes to Marriage and Family rules. A Cole and T Moore will attend The Association for Marital and Family Therapy Regulatory Boards (AMFTRB) Annual Conference in Atlanta, September 5-6. At the LMFT Advisory Committee meeting on Thursday night, August 9, 2007, the committee answered a questionnaire that AMFTRB sends out every year and publishes for all the states. Letters went out July 30, 2007, to persons who had applied to bypass supervision of supervision to become LMFT Supervisors by documenting the equivalency of a degree in marriage and family therapy but had not completed the application process. These applicants were given a deadline of September 15, 2007, for receiving either a Plan of Supervision-of-Supervision or documentation of 270 clock hours of continuing education in marriage and family therapy.
Report of LAMFT Liaison - L Pearlmutter
A Cole reported:
A Forsyth reported to the Advisory Committee that the letter to reappoint T Moore has been sent to the Governor’s office. Plans for the 2008 LAMFT Conference are going well. LAMFT will sponsor a National MFT Examination preparation workshop in June for anyone in the state who wants to learn more about studying for this examination.
Report of LCA Liaison - J Williams
The main issue is still Trispan denying Medicare coverage of mental health services to some providers; it is not over yet. Mike Gootee spoke with the Louisiana Association for Ambulatory Healthcare (LAAH) and they are expecting a response from Center for Medicare Services (CMS) as a result of a meeting between Senator Breaux and acting CMS director Herb Kuhn this week. The Conference is coming up in October. The Board needs to think about what we are going to do for the Board’s time slot.
Unfinished Business
LPC/LMFT Renewal Report
The 946 renewals were mailed and so for 866 have renewed.
Meeting with LPC/LMFT
T Moore and A Williams met on July 20, 2007 with an LPC/LMFT and the meeting went well and was very relaxed and positive. The LPC/LMFT understood the Board’s concerns and was clear as to the Board’s thoughts. C Gagnon suggested that a summary of the meeting be written to keep on file. C Gagnon made a motion to terminate this issue and that it be finalized upon receipt of the report. Second by T Moore. Approved, no abstentions.
Ad Hoc Committee of Supervision - Supervision Task Force – T Moore, V Triplett, C Gagnon, A Williams, L Pearlmutter
T Moore reported the Supervision Task Force met on Friday, July 20, 2007, after the Board Meeting to work on rule changes M Gootee suggested regarding supervision and submitted them to the rules committee. When the committee finds out when the next promulgation is going to be the committee will meet to work on other rule changes.
Ad Hoc Committee Impaired Professionals – L Pearlmutter, J Williams, S Adams
L Pearmutter will consult with a colleague after the fall semester gets started for some ideas. J Williams will be getting a list of people who want to work on the committee. J Williams suggested we set up a meeting with LCA and LAMFT.
Scanner, Laptop Computer, Calligraphy Machine.
The laptop is in. The Board suggested we purchase an external hard drive to keep the Board data on so the laptop can be take to taken to use with Power Point Presentations and away from the office without having all the board information on the laptop. R Dufrene made a motion for E Boeneke to purchase computer equipment to complement the Board’s needs. Seconded by J Williams. Approved, no abstentions.
Mental Health Consumers Rights
E Boeneke had a sample of the Mental Health Consumers Rights for the Board to look at and E Boeneke will take it to the printer. E Boeneke will order 3500 hundred certificates and envelopes as there are 3200 LPCs and LMFTs combined. This will give us extra for new licensees. The Board discussed the pros and cons as to mailing First Class or Bulk Rate. L Falcon made a motion to mail the certificates first class. Seconded by A Cole. Approved, no abstentions.
Trispan
No additional report, the report was given under the Report of LCA Laison.
PowerPoint - R Dufrene
R Dufrene has the PowerPoint for the Board and we need to send a letter to the schools. E Boeneke will work with G Bockrath on this letter. This will be a good time to get the letter out since the new semester will be starting. G Bockrath suggested the staff will need to be trained to go to the universities to present the PowerPoint presentation and any Board Members are also welcome to present the presentation. E Boeneke will have a list at the next meeting.
Role of a Person on Governing Body Entity
Defer to Topics of Discussion
Ad Hoc Committees
The Ad Hoc Committees would be the Rules, Supervision Task Force and Impaired Professional. The Standing Committees are Licensure/Supervision, Discipline, MFT Advisory (The MFT Advisory Committee is mandated by our law), Personnel/ Finance, Executive, and Committee on Correspondence.
Overworked Board Members and Staff
Defer to Topics of Discussion at afternoon meeting
New Business
September Newsletter
NBCC – A Williams
AMFTRB – A Cole
LMFT Exam – A Cole
Website
There are still some problems with the website. The Board will talk about this at September meeting and have S Moore come to the October meeting.
ACA Conference
The American Counseling Association (ACA) Conference is in Hawaii this year. Anyone interested should register by August 31, 2007 to get the early bird conference rate.
RETREAT MEETING – TOPICS OF DISCUSSION
To be included in the afternoon meeting will be topics concerning mission statement, rules, technology, policies and procedures, board member job descriptions, need for clear lines of communication, long range planning, overworked board and staff and role of a person on governing body entity. This discussion will be facilitated by Julianna D.
Padgett, Ph.D., LCSW.
Mission Statement for LPC Board of Examiners
Our Mission is to protect the public interest by regulating the practice of mental health counseling and the use of the titles of Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Licensed Professional Counselor.
Vision of the Board
The Board discussed what would be a three-year vision. This vision includes a high level of integrity, competency, commitment, a model of a composite board with ways of preserving the uniqueness of the two professions, efficient structure that supports the work of the Board, resources to licensees, collaboration with other boards and technology programs.
What does the LPC Board Provide and the Values of the Board
The LPC Board provides services to the public, consumer, and licensees: the promulgation (development) of rules, licensing, the complaint/discipline process and education/information.
The Board endeavors to uphold a high level of integrity and competency of itself so that the public trust is promoted and preserved.
Efficient Structure
The Board discussed ways to have a more efficient structure with reference to board meetings, timelines, staff and ability to help board members, time for committees to meet goals (policy and procedures), clear communication lines, technology.
One topic of discussion was that some board members think that the Rules process is taking too long. The Rules are pressing but not getting done because the Rules Committee members live so far apart and do not get to meet as often as they would like and need a process for completing the rules. T Moore made a motion for the rules committee to create a process for completion of promulgation of the rules and create a timeline of that completion and report that to the Board next month. Seconded by L Falcon. Approved, no abstention.
One solution for a more efficient structure in the Board Office would be a paradigm shift in work: The staff would take on more duties and the Executive Director would have more authority in managing the office and delegating work. The Board would like the Executive Director to be supported by additional staff if needed and the Board would like the Executive Director to attend some training seminars or join Executive Directors organizations. It was decided that M Crayton would be working with the Discipline Committee and will help with the Marriage and Family folders until we get J Johnson trained. The Board discussed the reinstatement of the Personal Committee. C Gagnon made a motion to reinstate the Personal Committee. Seconded by T Moore. Approved, no abstentions. C Gagnon will be Chairman of the Personal Committee, members will be G Bockrath and G Grand.
Some changes were made in the Board Meeting procedures with the goal of the Board having more efficient and productive meetings. A solution was proposed for the Board to change the structure in the meeting by having the committees meet in the morning and have the Board Meeting in the afternoon. The Board will evaluate the meeting restructuring in January. Another suggestion was to prioritize agenda items, have committees provide brief written reports to help provide better oversight, and staff to give reminders of Board tasks to be done. The staff will continue to review application folders and flag concerns for the Licensure/Supervision Committee. The Committee would like the staff make a list of all applicants for licensure/supervision to include university attended, what degree and if they have taken the test. Each committee was asked to complete task descriptions and email these to E Boeneke. The staff will remind Board members of task to be done.
Overall board members thought the retreat was a success and that a lot of good ideas and accomplishments were achieved with the help of Dr. Julianna Padgett. The next thing the Board would like to work on is to update the Policy and Procedure Manual in a follow-up retreat.
J Williams made a motion that the meeting be adjourned. Seconded by T Moore. Approved by the Board.
Adjourned 11:30 Saturday, August 11, 2007. Calendar: Next meeting will be September 21, 2007, 1:00pm at the Board office. Committees will meet Thursday night and Friday morning.
Respectfully submitted by
Lin Falcon (signature on file)
Secretary, Licensed Professional Counselors Board