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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>Tracy Leinbaugh, PhD, NCC, PCC-S<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>Associate Professor and Chair, Department of Counseling and Higher Education<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>Ohio University<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>The Gladys W. and David H. Patton College of Education and Human Services<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>205 McCracken Hall<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>Athens, OH 45701<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'> </span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>Phone: 740-593-0846<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>E-mail: <a href="mailto:leinbaug@ohio.edu">leinbaug@ohio.edu</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN style='color:black'>Show, by your actions, that you choose peace over war, freedom over oppression, voice over silence, service over self-interest, respect over advantage, cooperation over competition, action over passivity, diversity over uniformity, and justice over all. </span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> AMHCA Legislative Alert [mailto:AMHCA_Legislative_Alert@mail.vresp.com] <br><b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, January 03, 2012 1:52 PM<br><b>To:</b> Leinbaugh, Tracy<br><b>Subject:</b> Major News: TRICARE Rules Authorize Independent Practice for "CMHCs"<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width="100%" style='width:100.0%;background:#CCCCCC'><tr style='height:9.0pt'><td style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:9.0pt'></td></tr><tr><td valign=top style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><div align=center><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width=680 style='width:510.0pt;background:white'><tr><td style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellpadding=0 width=680 style='width:510.0pt'><tr><td valign=top style='background:white;padding:7.5pt 7.5pt 7.5pt 7.5pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:.25in'><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75" coordsize="21600,21600" o:spt="75" o:preferrelative="t" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" filled="f" stroked="f">
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</v:shapetype><v:shape id="_x0000_s1026" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="AMHCA" style='position:absolute;margin-left:0;margin-top:0;width:52.5pt;height:71.25pt;z-index:251658240;mso-wrap-distance-left:7.5pt;mso-wrap-distance-top:0;mso-wrap-distance-right:7.5pt;mso-wrap-distance-bottom:0;mso-position-horizontal:left;mso-position-horizontal-relative:text;mso-position-vertical-relative:line' o:allowoverlap="f">
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</v:shape><![endif]--><![if !vml]><img width=70 height=95 src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/3/0/b/30b9f94140/a46c8d7dad/604ed6a12e/library/AMHCA_Logo.jpg" align=left hspace=10 alt=AMHCA v:shapes="_x0000_s1026"><![endif]><b><span style='font-size:24.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:navy'>LEGISLATIVE ALERT<br></span></b><span style='font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:navy'>American Mental Health Counselors Association<br>801 N. Fairfax Street, Ste. 304<br>Alexandria, VA 22314</span><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#CD0000'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#CD0000'>Major Advance for the Profession!<br></span><b><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#CD0000'>TRICARE Rules Released Authorizing Independent Practice for "CMHCs" </span></b><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#CD0000'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:navy'>Washington, DC – December 27, 2011 – Long-awaited TRICARE rules authorizing independent practice for "Certified Mental Health Counselors" (CMHCs) were released in today's <a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?AmericanMentalHealth/a46c8d7dad/68010ebac2/1e4d4dc278">Federal Register, December 27, 2011, 32 CFR Part 199</a>. The new rules advance mental health counselor provider participation requirements from working under the supervision and referral of a physician to autonomous practice and third-party reimbursement.<br><br>The rule, released in interim final form, establishes a transition period to phase out the requirement for physician referral and supervision for mental health counselors and creates a new category of allied health professional known as "certified mental health counselors" (CMHCs). Once phased in, CMHCs will be the only authorized mental health counselors to participate under TRICARE. The provider standards will be fully in force on January 1, 2015, meaning that all CMHCs that want to serve TRICARE beneficiaries must qualify under the new rules by December 31, 2014. The new rules include a critical grandfather provision for current practitioners, and also rapidly accelerate national movement toward CACREP accreditation for clinical mental health counseling programs.<br><br>During a transition period from today's release date until December 31, 2014, mental health counselors who do not meet the requirements for independent practice as established in the rule may continue to provide services to TRICARE beneficiaries under the requirements of physician referral and ongoing supervision. When the transition period ends on December 31, 2014, all CMHCs who seek to continue providing services under the TRICARE program must have met the independent practice requirements outlined in the rule. After that date, professionals who do not meet the requirements for CMHC participation will no longer be recognized by TRICARE and payment for their services will not be allowed even if they work under the supervision of a physician.<br><br><strong><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>New Provider Participation Standard</span></strong><br><em><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Grandfather Provision</span></em>: To practice independently, CMHCs must meet one of the following two quality standards on or before December 31, 2014:<o:p></o:p></span></p><ol start=1 type=1><li class=MsoNormal style='color:navy;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:12.0pt;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Possess a master's or higher-level degree from a mental health counseling program of education and training accredited by CACREP and must have passed the National Counselor Examination (NCE); or <o:p></o:p></span></li><li class=MsoNormal style='color:navy;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Possess a master's or higher-level degree from a mental health counseling program of education and training from either a CACREP or regionally accredited institution and have passed the NCMHCE. <o:p></o:p></span></li></ol><p class=MsoNormal><em><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:navy'>Required CACREP accreditation and NCMHCE passage after December 31, 2014</span></em><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:navy'>: A CMHC entering the program on or after January 1, 2015: <o:p></o:p></span></p><ol start=1 type=1><li class=MsoNormal style='color:navy;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:12.0pt;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Must pass the National Clinical Mental Health Counselor Examination (NCMHCE) or its successor as determined by TRICARE; and<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class=MsoNormal style='color:navy;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Must possess a master's or higher level degree from a mental health counseling program of education and training accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP)<o:p></o:p></span></li></ol><p><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:navy'>A CMHC must also be licensed for independent practice in mental health counseling by the jurisdiction where practicing. In jurisdictions with two or more licenses allowing for differing scopes of independent practice, the licensed mental health counselor may only practice within the scope of the license he or she possesses. The rules also permit TRICARE to amend or modify their requirements, qualifications or criteria in the future to accommodate professional quality and licensing standards as they may change over time.<br><br><strong><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>AMHCA Supervision Standards Incorporated</span></strong><br>CMHCs must have a minimum of two (2) years of post-master's degree supervised mental health counseling practice, which includes a minimum of 3,000 hours of supervised clinical practice and 100 hours of face-to-face supervision. Required supervision must be provided by a mental health counselor who is licensed for independent practice in mental health counseling in the jurisdiction where practicing and must be conducted in a manner that is consistent with the guidelines for supervision of the <em><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>"American Mental Health Counselors Association."</span></em><br><br><strong><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Background</span></strong><br>In 2010, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommended that independent practice of mental health counselors under TRICARE should occur under certain circumstances. Their recommended provider participation criteria included, "A master's or higher level degree in counseling from a program in mental health counseling or clinical mental health counseling that is accredited by CACREP; a state license in mental health counseling at the clinical or the higher or highest level available in states that have tiered licensing schemes; passage of the NCMHCE; and a well-defined scope of practice for practitioners." The TRICARE rule will implement these standards over time while preserving the requirement for 3,000 hours of supervised clinical practice and 100 hours of face-to-face supervision. The rule also expressed TRICARE's commitment to ensuring that the quality standards recommended by the IOM are adopted by program, but the agency understands that the availability of CACREP accredited mental health counseling training programs and the use of the NCMHCE as a quality standard are not yet widespread in the field.<br><br></span><em><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#CD0000'>AMHCA plans to release further analysis and guidance to its members on this important new rule.</span></em><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#CD0000'><br><br></span><strong><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:navy'>Useful Links</span></strong><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:navy'><br><a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?AmericanMentalHealth/a46c8d7dad/68010ebac2/25df213a7d">CACREP Accreditation</a><br><a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?AmericanMentalHealth/a46c8d7dad/68010ebac2/61cdabff0b">NCMHCE and NCE (NBCC)</a><br><a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?AmericanMentalHealth/a46c8d7dad/68010ebac2/b766f6d42a">AMHCA Standards for the Practice of Clinical Mental Health Counseling</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:navy'>Contact James K. Finley, AMHCA Director of Public Policy, at 800-326-2642, X-105, or <a href="mailto:JFinley@amhca.org">via e-mail</a>.<br><br><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:navy'><a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?AmericanMentalHealth/a46c8d7dad/68010ebac2/9c6015bff0"><span style='text-decoration:none'><img border=0 id="_x0000_i1025" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/3/0/b/30b9f94140/a46c8d7dad/604ed6a12e/library/12%20Conference/ConferenceBanner620px.jpg" alt="Join AMHCA in Orlando"></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr><td style='background:white;padding:7.5pt 7.5pt 7.5pt 7.5pt'><p class=MsoNormal><a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?AmericanMentalHealth/a46c8d7dad/68010ebac2/c4270d4f65/sk=wall_admin#!/amhca?sk=wall"></a><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="_x0000_s1027" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="Join the conversation!" href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?AmericanMentalHealth/a46c8d7dad/68010ebac2/c4270d4f65/sk=wall_admin#!/amhca?sk=wall" style='position:absolute;margin-left:56.8pt;margin-top:0;width:108pt;height:33pt;z-index:251659264;mso-wrap-distance-left:3.75pt;mso-wrap-distance-top:0;mso-wrap-distance-right:3.75pt;mso-wrap-distance-bottom:0;mso-position-horizontal:right;mso-position-horizontal-relative:text;mso-position-vertical-relative:line' o:allowoverlap="f" o:button="t">
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</v:shape><![endif]--><![if !vml]><img width=44 height=60 src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/3/0/b/30b9f94140/a46c8d7dad/604ed6a12e/library/AMHCA_Logo60px.jpg" align=left hspace=5 alt=AMHCA v:shapes="_x0000_s1028"><![endif]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:navy'>Thank you for your membership and support of the American Mental Health Counselors Association, the ONLY organization working exclusively for the mental health counseling profession. <i><a href="http://cts.vresp.com/c/?AmericanMentalHealth/a46c8d7dad/68010ebac2/e1dba40c52">www.amhca.org</a></i> </span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr></table></td></tr></table></div></td></tr><tr style='height:9.0pt'><td style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:9.0pt'></td></tr></table><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><br><br clear=all><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><hr size=2 width="100%" align=center></span></div><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width="100%" style='width:100.0%'><tr><td style='padding:3.75pt 3.75pt 3.75pt 3.75pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>This message has been sent by AMHCA to its members. If you do not wish to receive future messages, reply to this message with the subject "Unsubscribe" or simply click: <a href="http://cts.vresp.com/u?a46c8d7dad/68010ebac2/mlpftw">Unsubscribe</a> </span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr></table><div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><hr size=2 width="100%" align=center></span></div><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width="100%" style='width:100.0%'><tr><td style='padding:3.75pt 3.75pt 3.75pt 3.75pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>American Mental Health Counselors Association<br>801 N. Fairfax St. Ste. 304<br>Alexandria, Virginia 22314<br>US<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><a href="http://www.verticalresponse.com/content/pm_policy.html" target="_blank">Read</a> the VerticalResponse marketing policy. <o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td style='padding:3.75pt 3.75pt 3.75pt 3.75pt'><p class=MsoNormal align=right style='text-align:right'><a href="http://www.verticalresponse.com/landing/ef/?mm/a46c8d7dad" target="_blank"><span style='text-decoration:none'><img border=0 id="_x0000_i1028" src="http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/pwrby_vr_logo_120.gif" alt="Try Email Marketing with VerticalResponse!"></span></a><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr></table><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><img border=0 id="_x0000_i1029" src="http://cts.vresp.com/o.gif?a46c8d7dad/68010ebac2/mlpftw"><o:p></o:p></span></p></div></body></html>