California Legislative and Advocacy Updates
 

The Future of the MFT Profession—Issues, Challenges, and Context

We are offering this web page as a record of communications and concerns related to recent events in California that will impact the MFT profession and license there.  Specifically, the issues and concerns are about counselor licensure, and the positions that have been taken at various times by both CAMFT and AAMFT on this issue, and statements that have been made about counselor licensure and its possible impact on the MFT profession.

Our goal is to provide primary source documentation and data so that MFTs in the state can be informed by them, and by a timeline of events, and will not have to rely on either undocumented assertions from either CAMFT or AAMFT.  Please let us know if you have any questions about any information provided on this page.

"What Can I do Now?"

AAMFT-CA appreciates all efforts and assistance.  If you would like to help, please contact, Olivia Loewy Ph.D. at olivialoewy@aamftca.org

Next week, we will feature "Steps for Writing Your Legislature."
 

 

Important Documents

AAMFT Executive Director Letter- Challenges of the LPC Bill, 4-8-2008

AAMFT Executive Director Letter- LPC Bill and Neutrality, 4-10-2008

AAMFT Executive Director Letter- Credibility vs The Truth, 4-21-2008

Senate Analysis July 9 2007

AAMFT-CA Analysis

Timeline of Events

 
California Updates Email List
Join this list and stay informed about issues in California that concern all Marriage and Family Therapists  Click here to join.
 
Licensure is a foundation, but a profession is much more than a license-as demonstrated by decades of the AAMFT's work and history.
What makes a type of work or a discipline a profession? Who decides when the threshold has been met? What kind of regulation is then implemented, and by whom? What is the role of a professional or trade association in establishing or promoting standards to be used for regulation? If the association related to a discipline exercises control or establishes a regulatory process or standard, the fox guarding the henhouse? On the other hand, if only entities or persons who represent the public interest are involved in regulating a group, how can the very public they are supposed to represent and protect be assured that appropriate knowledge, standards, etc., are being used in the regulation processes? Click here to read the full article.
 
Advocacy Update:  AAMFT-CA Helps Defeat Counselor Licensure Bill
On July 9, 2007, the California Senate Committee on Business, Professions and Economic Development voted to deny passage of AB 1486, the bill to license counselors.  AAMFT-CA appreciates that the committee heard the concerns of the AAMFT-CA, other organizations, and many constituents that this legislation did not adequately protect the public and was not ready for legislative approval.  We respect the committee's decision to maintain the highest standards for psychotherapists in the State of California. 

Due to flaws in the bill, AAMFT-CA opposed AB 1486 from the time it was introduced.  Several other organizations either supported this flawed bill or, like CAMFT, remained neutral.  Even when AB 1486 passed the California Assembly, AAMFT-CA continued to oppose the bill.  Our efforts paid off when the Senate Committee agreed with AAMFT-CA that AB 1486 was a flawed bill and voted 5 to 1 to deny passage.

     
Click here to find out more about the AAMFT-CA and other legislative updates.
     
 

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