AMHCA Publications

New Updated AMHCA Standards for the Practice of Clinical Mental Health Counseling

New in the 2021 edition:
The need is expanding for mental health professionals who have advanced, postgraduate training and experience in treating populations with special needs. AMHCA’s Advancement for Clinical Practice Committee (ACPC) has been at the forefront of identifying the knowledge and skills required for members of the clinical mental health counseling profession to become specialists.

The AMHCA board and the ACPC have included two new standards in the 2021 edition:

• Forensic Evaluation Standards and Competencies
• Gender Identity Counseling Standards and Competencies

Other need-based competencies that have been identified as future standards are under development and  include:

• Affectional Identity Counseling,
• Military Counseling,
• Couples and Family Counseling, and
• Developmental and Learning Disabilities Counseling

Second Edition of "Essentials" Released

AMHCA’s Interstate Portability Task Force worked closely on the proposal with the AMHCA Board of Directors over the last six months. The task force members said the leadership and collaboration that went into the effort demonstrates the critical importance for portability of licensure through both endorsement and reciprocity.

The plan integrates two recent licensure portability initiatives developed over the last year to bring about uniformity in portability through endorsement and/or reciprocity developed respectively by the American Association of State Counseling Boards (AASCB) and the Council of State Governments (CSG). Both approaches are mutually compatible.

Updated 'Declaration' Released

What is new in the 2021 updated version of The Declaration?

Two of the individual pledges have added a diversity category and now read (new words in italics):

• Last pledge in the left column: I will recognize and address presumptions related to gender, age, race, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disease, ability, gender identity, creed, nationality, or any other factors so they will not interfere with my duties;
• Last pledge in the right column: I will advocate for the betterment of others, for equality, inclusion, and the intrinsic dignity and the inherent rights of every person, and for the advancement of health and well-being.

Join AMHCA in Declaring with Pride the Values of a Clinical Mental Health Counselor

Make your own video and use the hashtags #AMHCA #CMHCDeclaration #MentalHealthCounselor.

The Relation Between Mindfulness and Posttraumatic Growth: A Study of First Responders to Trauma-Inducing Incidents

Brian Chopko; Robert Schwartz

Journal of Mental Health Counseling (2009) 31 (4): 363–376.

Crisis Counseling for Black Lives Matter Protests

Darius A. Green; Brittany A. Williams; Kyulee Park

Journal of Mental Health Counseling (2021) 43 (3): 198–211.

Appraising Counselor Attendance in Counseling: The Validation and Application of the Revised Fit, Stigma, and Value Scale

Michael T. Kalkbrenner; Edward S. Neukrug; Sandy-Ann M. Griffith

Journal of Mental Health Counseling (2019) 41 (1): 21-35.

Young Adults’ Attitudes About Corporal Punishment: Implications for Mental Health Counseling

Jessica L. Smith; Michael T. Kalkbrenner

Journal of Mental Health Counseling (2020) 42 (3): 251–264.

The Introduction of a Task Model for Crisis Intervention

Rick Myer; J. Lewis; Richard James

Journal of Mental Health Counseling (2013) 35 (2): 95–107.

Member Reflections: What lessons has 2020 taught me? Charmayne Adams

From the President's Perspective: You and AMHCA—Maintaining Excellence in Unusual Times

Counseling Tips: Counseling During a Pandemic 

Aaron Norton

Conference Schedule at-a-Glance

Pre-Conference Workshops