Washington Professional Counselors Association News!

BizFair 2010!

Tim Livingston — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 01:04:54 GMT

The Washington Small Business Fair is Saturday, September 25, 2010, from 8:00am - 3:30pm. It's being held at Renton Technical College.

CLICK HERE to visit the website.

Find us on FACEBOOK and follow us on TWITTER!

Tim Livingston — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 11:43:49 GMT

Now you can follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

Online 'Membership Directory' Testing Complete. Coming soon!

Tim Livingston — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 07:46:22 GMT

I'm pleased to announce that the testing of our online Membership Directory is complete.

All current members, in good standing, will have their profiles updated over the next few weeks. Those members will receive an individual email with their website sign-in and online profile instructions.

I greatly appreciate your patience, as this latest website functionality is rolled out for our members.

Please email me with any questions that you may have.

July 2010 - The New Credential!

Tim Livingston — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 07:37:45 GMT

As most of you know, July 1st was the official start date of the new certified counseling credentials in the State of Washington.

CONGRATULATIONS!!! ...to all newly credentialed counselors.

In order to ensure that you are practicing with the guidelines of your new credential, please be certain that you have the appropriate consultant or supervisor declaration document filed with the WA State Dept. of Health. More information will be included in our Newsletter. Please be sure to sign-up for our Newsletter at any one of the designated links on our website.

Again, Congratulations!

WAPROCA Email Listserv Sign-up

Tim Livingston — Sat, 29 May 2010 21:48:01 GMT

Hello,

Join our email listserv to receive updated news, training course offerings, and legislative updates by clicking on the link below.

JOIN NOW!

Important Update For Registered Counselors Applying Under Alt. C

Tim Livingston — Mon, 24 May 2010 20:21:18 GMT

This important update has been communicated, by the Dept. of Health:

The following blurb has will be added to the Professions in Mental Health
website http://www.doh.wa.gov/hsqa/Counseling/Default.htm and the
Certified Counselor website
http://www.doh.wa.gov/hsqa/CertCounselor/Default.htm

* Important Update For Registered Counselors Applying For
Certified Counselor Under Alternative C

This notice applies only to registered counselors applying for certified
counselor under Alternative C. Applicants using this alternative must
have an active registered counselor credential and have had it for at
least five years.

The counseling-related degree requirement for certified counselor
applicants may be waived until June 30, 2010. Applicants must submit
applications and meet other requirements by June 30, 2010. The only
exception is the examination for certified counselor. Applicants have
until September 30, 2010 to complete and pass the examination.

Failure to submit the application and meet requirements by June 30 and
pass the examination by September 30 will disqualify applicants for the
degree waiver.

Note: Anyone providing counseling in Washington must have an active
credential. The above policy does not change this requirement.
Registered counselors who do not have a new credential by July 1, 2010
must stop practicing.

Create your Webassessor account today.

Tim Livingston — Thu, 20 May 2010 18:37:45 GMT

Certified Counselor and Certified Advisor testing facilities are located in the following cities, in Washington State. The specific locations, dates, and times available for testing are provided to you - upon approval by the Dept. of Health to schedule your exam.

If you have not submitted your application, or recently submitted it, please be sure to create your Webassessor account today, so that it’s available for the department to ‘approve’ you for scheduling your exam. If you are not approved to take the exam, you will notice that Webassessor will tell you that a ‘pre-requisite’ has not been met.

Go here to read more about setting up your Webassessor account: http://www.doh.wa.gov/hsqa/Counseling/Exam.htm

Redmond, WA
Bellingham, WA
Ellensburg, WA
Lacey, WA
Richland, WA
Spokane, WA
Tacoma, WA

Updates, from the Department of Health.

Tim Livingston — Fri, 14 May 2010 22:18:55 GMT

Two new updates have been communicated by the Dept. of Health.

The initial three (3) week re-examination process has been changed to a one (1) week waiting period, prior to retaking the exam. This is for those who may not pass the examination the first time.
Wording on the Certified Counselor/Certified Advisor Application has been updated, to reflect the correct process for applying under Alternative C. In order to apply for the new credential under Alternative C, all requirements must be met prior to June 30, 2010. Those applying after June 30, 2010 must apply under Alternative A or Alternative B, and are required to have a supervisory agreement.

The application can be found by clicking on this link: http://www.doh.wa.gov/hsqa/CertCounselor/Forms.htm

DOH Newsroom Update : Registered Counselors.

Tim Livingston — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 22:21:39 GMT

Counsel for counselors: Get a new credential by July 1 or stop practicing - 4/15/2010 - Washington State Department of Health"Counsel for counselors: Get a new credential by July 1 or stop practicing. Law abolishes registered counselor category; thousands haven’t turned in applications yet"

"More than 10,000 counselors may not be able to practice in Washington after June 30. Many people who work as registered counselors haven’t taken the necessary steps to stay in practice, and the time for them to act is growing short."

Read the full story here:
http://www.doh.wa.gov/Publicat/2010_news/10-063.htm

Exam Prep Training Comes to Spokane, WA.

Tim Livingston — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 21:17:20 GMT

The Certified Counselor Exam Prep Course is coming to Spokane, WA. Please click here to register for the course.

If you have any questions, please email me at tim@waproca.org.

Thank you,
Tim

Certified Counselor Information Updates from the Department of Health.

Tim Livingston — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 04:04:46 GMT

Hello,

This message was posted to the Registered Counselors Listserv, today, from the WA State Dept. of Health.

"Good afternoon.

The certified counselor application has been updated to add clarity http://www.doh.wa.gov/hsqa/CertCounselor/Forms.htm.

If you have not yet applied for the certified counselor credential, please use the updated application. If you have already submitted an application, you do not need to submit another one.

If you have questions regarding the certified counselor exam, please review the exam frequently asked questions document for answers regarding the six hour course dates and entities offering the course, study references for the exam, etc. http://www.doh.wa.gov/hsqa/Counseling/TestFAQs.htm

Thank you.

http://www.doh.wa.gov/hsqa/Counseling/Default.htm"

If you are not on the listserv, you may wish to sign-up, in order to get the latest updates from the department. Here is the direct link: http://listserv.wa.gov/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=registered-counselors&A=1

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Tim Livingston — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 05:56:51 GMT

Congratulations!!! ...to our newly credentialed members, as Washington State Certified Counselors.

Our 'Links' page has been updated!

Tim Livingston — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 08:00:38 GMT

Our 'Links' page has been updated to include information on where to find the new laws and rules, and a PDF chart called "What Credential Do I Qualify For?". Check them out by clicking HERE.

February 'General Meeting' @ North Seattle Community College!

Tim Livingston — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:20:34 GMT

Our February General Meeting will be Thursday, February 11, 2010, at North Seattle Community College.

Additional details can be found by Clicking Here.

We hope to see you there!

Certified Counselor and Certified Advisor Exam Information Updated by D.O.H.

Tim Livingston — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 23:58:08 GMT

The Exam Information page has been updated by the Washington State Dept. of Health. CLICK HERE to read more.

Dept. of Health Processing Time for Applications.

Tim Livingston — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 23:56:13 GMT

The Dept. of Health has added a helpful link for applications that are now being processed. Read more about it by CLICKING HERE.

Course Registration is Live!

Tim Livingston — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 23:47:25 GMT

Online registration is now available for the Certified Counselor Exam Preparation Course.

February 20 - 21, 2010 Seattle, WA
March 6 - 7, 2010 Seattle, WA
March 20 - 21, 2010 Seattle, WA

You may register now by CLICKING HERE

(Check back frequently for additional dates and locations)

We are planning to offer this course in Olympia, Spokane, and Bellingham, if we receive enough interest in those areas. If you are interested in attending this training in one of those areas, please send me a message (tim@waproca.org) and let me know that you are interested. Based on your responses, I will schedule in order of most interest. Those courses may be available as early as April.

If travel is an option for you, we recommend considering one of the Seattle courses listed, as dates and locations have not yet been set for other cities.

Sample Exam Questions Posted by Dept. of Health.

Tim Livingston — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 22:05:02 GMT

The Dept. of Health has posted sample questions for the Certified Counselor examination. CLICK HERE to see the sample questions.

Soon, you will be able to sign-up for our next Certified Counselor Exam Prep Course. Watch the Recent News updates on our homepage for more information.

Certification, Testing, and Training, for Certified Counselors and Certified Advisors.

Tim Livingston — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 10:26:05 GMT

In our recent communication, with the Washington State Dept. of Health, here is what we have learned about the process for becoming certified:

The rules (WACs) have been signed by Secretary Selecky, though have not yet been posted online.
The DOH has posted information about the test for certified counselors and certified advisers, including how long the test will be and the resources necessary to study for the test. (We are surprised and pleased to see that the DOH is this far along in the process!) -click the link above to learn more.
Listing the DSM-IV as a reference for the test is specifically for learning the GAF - you will only be responsible for the information in the DSM-IV that specifically relates to the GAF itself, and how to use it. It may be wise to access this information online, or through a library before you make a huge investment in a book that is 90% outside our scope of practice. All the rest of the resources listed for the test are free and available online.
The plan is to administer the test through a company that has 8 testing sites throughout Washington. This will give greater flexibility and keep travel distances short. Applicants will be able to take the test as many times as necessary, however, there may be a restriction on how quickly you can retake the test - if you did not pass it the first time.
The application form for CC and CA is already available, and you can go ahead and apply now. If you think you are ready, you can also go ahead and take the test at the earliest opportunity in your area.
The department expects private and non-profit sectors to respond to the need for courses, to help counselors prepare to take the test. DOH will be willing to provide a list of these courses and course providers once they have been identified and that information has been given to the department. WaProCA is currently reviewing course materials and coordinated efforts for providing training in the required areas. If you have expertise in this area, please let us know! Email to: info@waproca.org
If your registration expires before you become certified, you can renew your registration until June 30, 2010. All registrations will expire on June 30, 2010. The renewal fee will not be pro-rated, so you will be charged the full year's renewal fee even if you renew only a month before the end of June. Obviously this makes it very practical to become certified before your current credential expires, if at all possible.

Please check our News section frequently for updates!

2008 Washington State Legislature passes bill

Tim Livingston — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 04:08:38 GMT

Washington Professional Counselors Association is very happy to announce that the 2008 Washington State Legislature passed a good workable bill on counselor regulation.

The bill was signed into law by the Governor on Tuesday, March 25. You can read the final version of 2SHB 2674 on the legislative website at <http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=2674>. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and under "Bill Documents" click on "Bill as passed legislature" to download a pdf version of the bill. We will post more detailed information soon, and in the meantime here is a list of the most important features for currently registered private practice counselors.

Counselors who have been registered for 5 or more years without any unresolved actionable complaints will be able to take classes in ethics, risk assessment and referral and WA State law regarding counselors and then pass a test on these subjects in order to become Certified Counselors. Once certified, they will be required to have a written consultation agreement with a licensed mental health professional and fulfill requirements for continuing education.
Counselors who do not fall in the first category and who want to become Certified Counselors will need to have a bachelor's degree in a counseling related field, take the same courses and pass the same test as the above category, and have a supervision agreement with a DOH qualified supervisor. They will also need to fulfill continuing education requirements.
Certified Counselors will have a clearly defined scope of practice:
1. They do not diagnose and treat the mentally ill and are therefore not reimbursable through insurance.
2. They may counsel and guide a client in adjusting to life situations, developing new skills, and making desired changes as long as the client scores 61 and above on the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) Scale.
3. They must refer clients to licensed medical or mental health professionals for treatment of problems that fall at 60 or below on the GAF Scale, but can continue working with the client as part of their treatment plan, or
4. They can continue to work with a client who states in writing that they do not want licensed medical or mental health treatment as long as the client does not have a GAF score lower than 50.

(left to right) WaProCA members, Kate Abbott, Richard Miles, and Miriam Dyak with Governor Gregoire at the signing of House Bill 2674 on Counselor Regulation.