Quarterly Newsletter, September 2007, Vol. 16 No.3

National Board for Certified Counselors Meeting

 On August 14-16, 2007 the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) hosted a state licensure boards meeting in Reno, Nevada. Board members from every state were invited to the meeting and there was good representation from almost every state. The meeting was appropriately held in Nevada because it had just become the 49^th state to enact counselor licensure legislation.

At the beginning of the meeting an NCE update was provided by Dr. Matthew Buckley, Testing Panel Chair, AASCB, and Shawn O’Brien, Director of Assessment & Research, NBCC. Their presentation included a review of the 200 items that are scored on the test. Of the 200 items, only 160 items are scored to determine passing criterion. Other items considered are:

-          64 items are counted as equating blocks – 64 items of one version are compared to another version to predict performance

-          15 items are new

-          81 items are prior form

-          40 items are used for field testing to determine their appropriateness for future use 

A presentation was provided by Steve Addicott, Vice President of Caveon Test Security in which he explained how his company works hand-in-hand with NBCC in identifying test cheating methods. It is surprising how many applicants are willing to disregard the impact of cheating on their careers and to the public at large. He gave us an in-depth look at the ten most prevalent patterns indicative of test fraud. Caveon provides NBCC with internet monitoring for the sale, barter, or other disclosure of test information. Another feature of their company is to provide an in-depth evaluation of the testing program’s security practices and policies (see CAVEON.com for more info).

Topic tables for lunch included exams, legislation, CCE services, licensure portability, violations data bank, and applicant issues. Alan Jamieson, Deputy Chief Executive, British Association for Counseling and Psychotherapy (BACP) presented some issues on credentialing from an international perspective.

 Senator Joseph Heck addressed the representatives from the state licensure boards at a reception in the Prospector’s Club at Harrah’s casino. Senator Heck was instrumental in advocating for mental health services in the state and recently led the efforts to pass legislation to license the clinical professional counselors in Nevada. This leaves California as the last state in the nation without a licensure law.

California Update:  The bill for licensure cleared the assembly but was stopped in the policy committee (Senate). It has been agreed upon to reconsider the bill in January or February of 2009. Five votes are needed to pass the bill. There still remains some opposition from the Board of Behavioral Sciences, MFT’s who have been general practice counselors since 1960, psychologists, and social workers. 

On August 16, 2007, Shirley Jones, JD, MHA, Senior Policy Analysis, Bureau of Health Professions, HRSA provided the group with a presentation on reporting to the Healthcare Integrity and Protection Data Bank (HIPDB), updates, violations, and compliance. She informed the group of the latest practices of the National Practitioners Data Bank.   An NCMHCE Update was presented by Dr. Matthew Buckley, Testing Panel Chair, AASCB and Shawn O’Brien, Director of Assessment & Research, NBCC.

A CACREP update was given by Dr. Carol Bobby, Executive Director, CACREP. One point made during this presentation was that the hourly degree requirements for entry-level degree programs in Clinical Mental Health Counseling are in transition. Beginning in July 1, 2009, all applicant programs must require a minimum of 54 semester credit hours or 81 quarter credit hours of all students. As of July 1, 2013, the applicants must require a minimum of 60 semester credit hours or 90 quarter credit hours required of all students.

A presentation on NBCC’s 25^th anniversary was given by Dr. Linda Foster, Board Chair, NBCC, and Dr. Tom Clawson, President and CEO, NBCC. The two days of presentations were very informative and provided an inside perspective of how NBCC is providing guidance and direction to over 40,000 professional counselors throughout the United States and in more than 40 countries.

INACTIVE LPC LIST AS OF 6/30/07

 James Arey

Wanda Akins

Jay Alvaro

Therese Allen

Karen Benater

Karol Birchfield

Christina Buillard

Mary Butrum

Lynne Bernard

Linda Peace-Buie

Mary Baszile

Robert Bowman

Terry Blackwell

Charmaine Caldwell

Melissa Caruso

Lakechia Cohen

Lynn Cuevas

Joan Dilkey

Jennifer E. Daigle

Lydia Dyckman

Marguerite Demarest

Sadie Dillon

Delini Fernando

Kathryn Farris

Rosabelle Forte

Charles Guess

Eric Green

Christi Habermann

Jennifer Harelson

Leetta Allen-Haynes

Beth Hebert

Sandra Haslauer

Peggy Hollenshead

Sallie Huey

Becky Jeansonne

Julie L. Jones

Calvin Kelly

Cheryl Landry

Joyce Latiolais

N. Joy Ludwig

Merry Lind

Sandra Landry

Tiffany Lopez

Marilyn MacKay

Richard Martin

Edith McCon

Vivian McCollum

Betty J. Manuel

Louis E. McGuire

Rebecca McDowell

Kathy Miller

Nicholaus Montalbano

Theresa Mooney

Tasha Moran

Jonathan Orr

Bobby Pierce

Ana Puig

Melissa Peck

Olga Pettigrew

Susan Patsicostas

Kelly Robertson

Melanie Rose

Robert Rosales

Barbara Sallettes

Crissey Smith

Eva Struve

Ellen Santolucito

Jessie Skipwith

Lois Stansbury

Liza Skipwith

Martha Stephens

Raymond Statham

Craig Taffaro Jr

Susan Taylor

Jessica Venditti

Alesia Williams

Rick Wadsworth

Beatrice Wallace

Janice Whitney

Jeanne Witwicki

Melissa Woodruff

Tamara Walker

Eight complaints have been filed in FY 05/06. One remains under investigation

Sixteen complaints have been filed in FY 06/07.  Thirteen remain under investigation

 Board Meeting Dates for 2007

September 21, 2007

October 19, 2007 

November 9, 2007 

December 14, 2007

2007 LAMFT Sponsored MFT Ethics Blitz

Featuring

 Thorana S. Nelson, Ph.D.

November 15-17, 2007

Metairie, Baton Rouge, Alexandria

and Shreveport

See www.lamft.org for more information and to register.

 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,

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

NCE INFORMATION FOR 2008

 Exam Date                   Deadline to Register      Exam Location

January 19, 2008         November 30, 2007    Metairie  LA

April 12, 2008              February 22, 2008       Metairie/Shreveport

July 19, 2008               May 30, 2008              Metairie

October 18, 2008        August 29, 2008           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