| |
President Signs Opioid Legislation
|
|
| |
On Oct. 24, President Trump signed the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment for Patients and Communities (SUPPORT) Act into law. The legislation contains multiple measures that NBCC supported, including a loan repayment program for  counselors and grants for the creation of Comprehensive Opioid Recovery Centers.
With the legislation signed, the federal government's focus will turn to implementation. There are several new programs and millions of dollars to manage, and federal agencies will likely engage with external stakeholders for guidance. NBCC's Government Affairs team will continue to monitor this process and offer support where necessary. |
|
|
Top
|
| |
NBCC's Legislative Priorities Unchanged for Next Congress
|
|
| |
With midterm elections underway, national attention is turning toward the next Congress. NBCC's focus, however, remains unchanged. Our Government Affairs team will continue to push for federal priorities such as  Medicare, federal funding for the counseling profession, and Defense and Veterans' Affairs issues.
Health care is still a primary concern for many Americans, and with a new Congress arriving in January, a number of legislative proposals could be considered. The opioid crisis also remains on the agenda as legislators look for new ways to expand treatment. A vehicle for our Medicare legislation could be developed in response to these issues, and NBCC will be pursuing any and all opportunities to have a bill passed.
A new Congress also means a new start to the federal appropriations process. NBCC will advocate for increased funding for the Minority Fellowship Program, the Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training (BHWET) Program, and others that provide funds to counselors across the country.
Stay up to date on these and all of NBCC's other government affairs efforts by regularly checking our Grassroots Action Center! Also be sure to take action on the items we send to you and the rest of the members of the Counselor Advocacy Network! |
|
|
Top
|
| |
Virginia NCLEP Update
|
|
| |
During the month of October, Virginia counselors voiced their opinions about including the National Counselor Licensure Endorsement Process (NCLEP) in counselor licensure rules. The public comment period closed on Oct. 22, and the Virginia Board of Counseling will consider the petition and comments at its Nov. 2 board meeting.
Dr. Rip McAdams, a counselor educator at William and Mary and former state board member, submitted a Petition for Rulemaking  to adopt the NCLEP, which would pave the way for a simple, clear, and reasonable portability path for counselors in Virginia. NBCC encourages all board certified counselors and grassroots activists to explore Petition for Rulemaking as a vehicle to portability in their respective states.
The NCLEP (www.nbcc.org/Assets/Portability/Portability-Statement-Endorsement-Process.pdf), proposed jointly by NBCC, the American Association of State Counseling Boards (AASCB), the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES), and the American Mental Health Counselors Association (AMHCA), is a portability process to promote uniform licensure endorsement standards across the states. The NCLEP balances the need for public protection and uniform training and education standards.
State adoption of the NCLEP would allow counselors who meet required standards to easily begin practice in different states and help alleviate mental health needs nationwide. We will report on the Virginia outcome in the next issue of CAN. |
|
|
Top
|
|
Medicare
H.R. 3032: Mental Health Access Improvement Act of 2017
S. 1879: Seniors Mental Health Access Improvement Act of 2017
HR 5531: Opioid Emergency Response Act
Veterans' Affairs
H.R. 3158: Better Workforce for Veterans Act of 2017
S. 1557: Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2018
S. 1325: Better Workforce for Veterans Act of 2017
Federal Occupational Classification
HR 5895: Energy and Water, Legislative Branch, and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act, 2019
Federal Grants and Scholarship Funding
HR 6597: Mental Health Professionals Workforce Shortage Loan Repayment Act of 2018
H.R. 5102: Substance Use Disorder Workforce Loan Repayment Act of 2018
HR 6470: Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2019
S 3158: Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2019
Military
S. 1519: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018
H.R. 2810: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018
|
|
|
