Mental Health Day on the Hill will take place March 5.The day is sponsored by the Mental Health Legislative Network.There is a briefing at 10 am at ChristChurch, a rally at the rotunda at noon, and then on to meet with legislators.You can find more specific information at http://www.mentalhealthmn.org/.We have the conference room in the cafeteria of the state office building reserved as a place for MFT’s to gather.The room is reserved from 1 pm to 3:30 pm.
In addition to presenting information to legislators on mental health policy, we will also be presenting information on the legislation we are trying to pass this session. Talking points and handouts will be provided.
During a year when we have legislation it is important for us to have representation at this day. If you are interested and cannot attend the entire day, please try to arrange to come to the capital and meet with your legislator.
Allison Benz and Katie Kussard have agreed to help organize this event. If you are interested in attending please contact Allison @ allison.benz@gmail.com or Katie @ katie@kentecircle.com. Katie and Allison can help you find out who your elected representatives are and help you to set up appointments with them for this day.
What’s and MFT? It is a question we all have heard. How do you respond and let them know what you do? How often do people assume that you only work couples or families?
What is the difference between an MFT, psychologist, psychiatrist and social worker?
In the future this may include “Are you a licensed professional counselor?”
The answer to these questions sums up our legislative strategy.
Elected officials are often confused and unaware of whom we are because we have been one of the smaller players in the mental health field. As our field continues to grow, we will need to find ways to tell the story of what we do to elected officials and to the public.
In age when resources seem to be shrinking and change happens quickly, it will be even more important that we are a known quantity at the state capital. In the coming years the legislative committee will be focusing it efforts and building a strong grassroots network that will hopefully allow us to increase our visibility in the state legislature. Expect to be hearing from MAMFT and the legislative committee about coordinating a meeting with your legislator during the summer.
The 2008 Legislative Session
Imagine that you have a client that commits a violent act that generates widespread media coverage, and as a clinician you did not diagnose or predict that violence.An example of this might be you are treating an individual who is involved in a school shooting.Under current case law and statutory law, you could be sued and found liable for not predicting that violence.Although there may be case law protections and it may not be likely you would be found liable, as an MFT you are not given specific statutory protection for failing to predict your client’s violence.
If, however, you are a Licensed Psychologist or Licensed Social Worker and you fail to predict those violent acts, your liability is limited by state statute.We intend to find a sponsor to introduce legislation that would give us that same protection.
I expect the change to generate little controversy as it is another legislative oversight that needs to be corrected.It exemplifies how Minnesota status in the mental health field results in MFTs being excluded from legislation that applies to other mental health professionals. Thankfully, one of our members made us aware that we are not afforded this important protection.In addition, the legislative committee will soon be investigating whether or not there are other oversights that need to be corrected.
Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor Legislation Signed by Governor
Minnesotans will soon have another choice to make when selecting a provider for mental health services. On May 24, Governor Pawlenty signed legislation that creates a new license that will be administered by the Board of Behavioral Health and Therapy (BBHT): Licensed Professional Clinical Counselors (LPCC). Currently, this board oversees and licenses alcohol and drug counselors as well as Licensed Professional Counselors.
This legislation has been in the works over the last three years with several starts and stops along the way. Many of you may recall reading or hearing about a DHS Task Force Report on Licensing Standards, in which MAMFT participated. Many of the recommendations of that report were used in designing the LPCC legislation.
At the beginning of the session, the bill included an additional provision that would have added LPCC's as mental health professionals in the state of Minnesota. Had that provision of the legislation remained, LPCC's would have been eligible to receive payments from MA and consequently receive reimbursement from insurance companies.
Ultimately, the provision had to be removed as the legislature had already appropriated funds for the health and human services budget. Because the legislation that funds health and human services had been passed, there was no funding to support including LPCC's as mental health professionals.
I expect that in the next legislative session, the BBHT will sponsor legislation that will ask for inclusion as mental health professionals. Whether or not such legislation will pass depend on many variables.
Legislators, the Department of Health and Human Services, consumer advocacy groups and the other mental health professions like to see a track record for
new licenses before deciding to give their approval
to reimburse for their services. Funding needs to be provided for legislation and the legislature's budgeting cycle takes place on an every other year basis. 2007 was a budgeting year. It may not be until 2009 that funding could be included.
An additional obstacle could be that groups representing Psychologists, Social Workers, LMFT's and Licensed Nurse Practitioners could oppose adding more providers. After a good history has been developed for LPCC's, it is unlikely that any of these groups would oppose reimbursement.
As I have talked with representatives of other provider associations, consumer groups and DHS, it seems that many agree there is a shortage of mental health providers in rural Minnesota, that there is an increasing need to serve veterans returning from Iraq, and that there is no sign that mental health needs are decreasing. It would therefore be difficult to present a dissenting argument on this issue that a legislator would see as credible.
If you would like to find out more specific information about the legislation you can go to: www.bbht.state.mn.us. You will find frequently asked questions and the full text of
the legislation.
If you could be involved by just writing a few words, sending a form in the mail, and then cashing a check, I bet most of you would say you can handle giving that amount of time.here is a way you can be involved and it literally only takes a little more than what was described above.A little known program in the State of Minnesota allows citizens to get involved in the political process.An individual can give $50 or a couple can give $100 to a candidate for public oice each year.hey can then send their receipt along with the Minnesota Revenue Political Contribution Refund Application and will receive a check from the state of Minnesota for the amount contributed.he program’s purpose is encouraging small contributions to campaigns and involvement by many citizens rather than a few organized around one or two particular interests.
Please consider utilizing this program and let me know if you are interested.I will assist with the process and would like to know which candidates you are assisting.
By LEGISTLATIVE DIRECTOR