“Take It From The Top” Yearly CAMFT Update Summary - 2012

Speaker: Jill Epstein, JD

Summary:

Ms. Epstein updated attendees on the priorities of CAMFT for the upcoming year and legislative changes that pertain to the field of family therapy.

Objectives:

1. Gain an overview of efforts currently receiving focus and energies of CAMFT

2. Gain an understanding of how you might participate directly in CAMFT.

3. Use this event as an opportunity to directly tell the management of CAMFT your concerns as an LMFT.

4. Take this excellent opportunity to listen to and interface directly with Jill Epstein, the Executive Director of CAMFT.

Bio:

Jill Epstein, J.D., Executive Director of CAMFT, is characterized as creative, adaptable, and enthusiastic in her role as CEO of CAMFT. She has a unique background working with members from the medical, finance, senior citizen, and healing arts communities. Jill and her family relocated to San Diego in 2010 and she is happy to trade the brutal Chicago winters for the wonderful all-round fantastic weather of Southern CA. More info about her appears on the CAMFT.ORG website. As CAMFT CEO, Jill leads this professional, statewide organization representing the interests of 30,000 licensed and pre-licensed marriage and family therapists--almost one therapist for every ten, or so, CA families in distress. As CAMFT CEO, Jill Epstein oversees daily operations for a $4 million budget, coordinates and implements industry advocacy efforts, including representing CAMFT before state and federal regulatory agencies and legislators, cultivates and manages state and federal PACs, fosters alliances with other mental health organizations, and serves as editor of "The Therapist", which entails writing, editing, and approving articles for publication.

Take it from the Top:   2012 Annual CAMFT Update Synopsis

We had the pleasure of hearing from the Executive Director of CAMFT, Jill Epstein. As the Executive Director of CAMFT, Jill oversees daily operations for a $4 million budget; coordinates and implements industry advocacy efforts, including representing CAMFT before state and federal regulatory agencies and legislators; cultivates and manages state and federal PAC’s; fosters alliances with other mental health organizations; and serves as editor of “The Therapist.”

We were grateful that Jill was able to take time out of her busy schedule to speak to us about the efforts currently receiving focus and energies of CAMFT, as well as give IE CAMFT members a chance to voice their concerns and opinions about being an LMFT. Jill discussed the state and federal level legislation that CAMFT supports and advocates. This legislation has a major impact on LMFTs, making them important for us individual LMFTs to be aware of and to support.

The following legislation was discussed: State Level Legislation:

 *AB367- BBS Reporting: BBS was not on the list of organizations that were required to report persons whose license have been revoked, suspended, surrendered, or made inactive by the licensee in order to prevent state reimbursement (i.e. Med-Cal) for services provided after the cancellation of a license. This bill would, on and after July 1, 2015, make that reporting requirement applicable to the Board of Behavioral Sciences. This will help BBS in the regulation of LMFT’s.

*SB1134- Dangerous Patient: This bill would change the language from “duty to warn and protect” to “duty to protect” regarding Tarasoff mandated reporting. The primary reason why it is important to correctly name the duty is so that there is no confusion as to what the actual duty is under these dangerous patient situations. This bill will in no way changes the actual duty therapists must adhere to; it simply changes the language to make it less confusing. IE-CAMFT Meeting April 27, 2012, Continued-1

*AB1785- Medi-Cal Federally Qualified Health Centers: Current law provides that federally qualified health center services and rural health clinic services, as defined, are covered benefits under the Medi-Cal program to be reimbursed, to the extent that federal financial participation is obtained, to providers on a per-visit basis. This bill would include marriage and family therapists within those health care professionals covered under that definition, as they are not currently included.

*AB2007- Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors: Under current law, the State Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs determines the qualifications, including the appropriate skills, education, training, and experience of personnel working within alcoholism or drug abuse recovery and treatment programs, as specified. Upon the elimination of the State Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs, this bill would require the State Public Health Officer to adopt regulations relating to the licensure and certification of alcohol and drug abuse counselors. Federal Level Legislations: Medicare: This bill would allow LMFT’s and LPCC’s to be on the list of qualified providers to receive reimbursement from Medicare. The argument is that if LMFT’s and LPCC’s are on this list of qualified providers, it will save money in the long run because patients on Medicare would no longer need to go through their primary care provider to receive mental health services.

We would like to thank Jill Epstein again for taking time out of her busy schedule to speak to us at IE CAMFT! If you are interested in finding out more about any of the legislation mentioned above, legislation not mentioned, as well as the current updates, visit www.CAMFT.org and look under the Advocacy column at the top of the page.