Quarterly Newsletter, March 2007, Vol. 16 No.1

Louisiana‘s Position on Internet Counseling

For the record, it is the position of this Board that mental health services delivered over the internet are rendered where the patient is situated.

This position is based on assertions that all counselors serving Louisiana residents will be licensed in Louisiana and will otherwise adhere to all applicable state laws relative to the practice of mental health counseling.

LPC License Renewals for 2007

Renewal applications for the June 30, 2007 renewal period will be mailed out the first week of April 2007. Please advise the Board office if you have new address.  You can change your address by e-mailing lpcboard@eatel.net, faxing 225/765-2514, or by calling the Board office 225/765-2515. 

To complete the renewal process complete the renewal form and attach to it any required documentation. You only need to fill out the front page on the renewal form if you did not receive an orange audit slip. If you received an orange audit slip, please complete the back of the form and submit materials verifying your continuing education activities (e.g. certificates, transcripts, letters). As soon as your application is processed, you will receive a renewal card stating your next expiration date of June 30, 2009. In order to be considered on time, all renewals must be postmarked on or before June 30, 2007.   If all materials are not received in the Board office postmarked by June 30, 2007, your license will become inactive. All renewal applications postmarked after this date will be assessed a $50.00 late fee and any application assessed a late fee will be required to include documentation of continuing education. If you have any questions regarding the renewal process, please contact the Board office.

MEDICARE UPDATE

 In response to the many questions regarding the coverage of Medicare services by Licensed Professional Counselors and/or Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist:

It is the opinion of the Louisiana Licensed Professional Counselors Board of Examiners that Licensed Professional Counselors (LPCs) and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFTs) are qualified under the law to render psychotherapeutic services.

The LPC Board and LCA have written letters regarding this issue.

The Louisiana Counseling Association (LCA) and the Louisiana Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (LFMFT) are working to clarify this issue with Medicare.

You may contact them directly at their websites www.lacounseling.org for LCA and www.lamft.org for LAMFT.

You may want to seek legal counsel or talk with your elected representatives.

INACTIVE LMFT List as of 12/31/06

Bonnie Alford

Hunter Alessi

Jaqueline Adamson

Michelle Aldridge

Myrtis Austin

Ronald Ashley

Sandra Armer

Ella Breckenridge

Karen Bounds

Tiffany Bates

Sylvia Burgess

Wanda Ballier

Geraldine Boudreaux

Loree Bohusz

Bonnie Chiasson

Scott Butler

Joel Carr

John Cearley

Laurence Conkecton

Mark Cole

Shermie Clark

Jamison Davis

Karen Downey

Michelle De La Paz

Marna David

Thomas Davis Jr

Peter Emerson

Darla Ferrell

Marilyn Farall

Nivia Fors

Michael Fairchild

Molly Fergurson

Laura Gorum

Allyson Hennen

Carolyn Hargrove

Daniel Harrigan

Joseph Hawkins

Kenneth Harris

Margaret Heard

Sylvia Hodges

Kimberly Jones

Steven Kemp

Angela Ledford

Carol LeBlanc

Judith McCarthy

Leonard McWilliams

Bonny Maise

Daniel Marutte

Dena Moore

Diane Mouk

Judith Meyers

John Marszalek, III

Richard Mathis

Troy Mire

Amy Noll

Meredith Nelson

Randy North

Cirecie Olatunji

Catherine Perry

Deborah Poetevent

Jan Palermo

John Patout

Melissa Peck

Debra Quillman

Cynthia Rice

Jeanne Robertson

Michael Rolland

Pamela Robinson

Cindy Stafford

Charles Schiber

Deborah Steele

Jennifer Stephenson

Joy Sumrall

Jeffrey Sweatt

John Shalett

Craig Taffaro

Linda Towry

Sheryn Villemez

Arthur Wienandt

Lamar Wilkinson

Frances Wood

Ilana Wahlder

Jennifer Wallace

Kendall Williams

LaWanna Williams

L. David Wagner

Thomas Waters

Shane Whiting

Kathryn Zinaman

Board Meeting Dates for 2007

 May 18, 2007

 June 15, 2007

 July 20, 2007

 August 10, 2007

 September 21, 2007

 October 19, 2007

 November 16, 2007

 December 14, 2007

SUPERVISOR’S TRAINING 

For Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC) 

The Schedule is:

May 11-12 and June 23 in Houma at the Terrebonne Parish Library 9AM Daily.

May 19-20 and June 30, 2007 at the Howard Johnson on North Service Road in Ruston 8:30 AM Daily.

Baton Rouge September 7-8 and October 6 at 8:30 AM Daily. (The final session is the Saturday before LCA begins). I have not confirmed a location for this one yet.

Tuition is $295 per person and space is limited.

For more information, call Stan Mahaffey at (318) 237-0711

E Mail Ruin2fun2@hotmail.com

Eight complaints have been filed in FY 05/06.  Two remain under investigation

Seven complaints have been filed in FY 06/07.  Four remain under investigation 

Sean Franklin denied for licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor and his status as a Counselor Intern has been revoked for violation of:  RS 37:1107(A)(2), (3), and (5), RS 37:1110 (A)(3) and (9).  Also for violation of 2101(F)(1), (G)(1) and (2), 2107 (C)(1), (D)(1) and (4) of the Board Rules.  

ADDRESS CHANGES FOR: LPC/COUNSELOR INTERNS/LMFT/MFT INTERNS

Notify the Board in writing of your change of address. Be sure to let us know what address you wish to use for correspondence and what address you wish to use for the website. There is a rule which gives you 30 days to notify the Board of any and all changes in name, address, and phone number. Failure to comply with this rule will result in a $50.00 fine. It is very important that the Board have a current address for all of their licensees especially at renewal time.. Please help us by sending in your changes. You can change your address by e-mailing lpcboard@eatel.net, faxing 225/7652514, or by calling the Board office 225/7652515. mailto:lpcboard@eatel.net,

NCE INFORMATION FOR 2007

Exam Date                   Deadline to Register      Exam Location

July 21, 2007               June 1, 2007                New Orleans

October 20, 2007        August 31, 2007           Baton Rouge/Monroe

Exam registration forms can be obtained by calling the LPC Board office at 225/765-2515.

Fee $120.00 make checks payable to NBCC. 

Questions about the Exam:  Tel: 336/547-0607  FAX:  336/547-0017

E-mail: nbcc@nbcc.org

BOARD MEMBERS AND MFT ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Gloria Bockrath, PhD,  LPC, LMFT

Chair

Roxane L Dufrene, Ph.D., LPC, LMFT

Vice Chair

Lin Falcon, Member At Large

Secretary

June Williams, Ph.D., LPC, LMFT

Board Member

Anthony Williams, MA, LPC, LMFT

Board Member

Anna Cole, MS, LMFT

Board Member

MFT Advisory Committee Chair

Tom Moore, MA, LPC, LMFT

Board Member

MFT Advisory Committee Secretary

Lynn Pearlmutter, Ph.D., LCSW, LMFT

Board Member

MFT Advisory Committee Vice Chair

Charles A. Gagnon, M.Ed., LPC, LMFT

Board Member

Vera Triplett, Ph.D., LPC

Board Member