Pennsylvania Counseling Association
Government Relations
One of the Pennsylvania Counseling Association's key objectives is to engage with Pennsylvania state legislators and staff people to amend, introduce, support, and/or oppose laws and regulations which impact professional counselors in PA and the clients they serve. This process of legislative advocacy is aimed at uplifting the counseling profession and promoting the wellness of clients. The PCA Government Relations Committee is PCA’s vehicle for this work. We are committed to a strong, unified professional counselor identity in order to enhance the mental and emotional health of Pennsylvanians through the critical services we provide.
GET IN TOUCH WITH US!
To learn how you can support the GRC’s efforts, contact the PCA Government Relations Committee at advocacy.pca@gmail.com.
You may also submit your concerns related to legislative issues directly to the GRC by completing the PCA GRC Legislative Needs Survey.
Are you a counselor looking to get your clients involved in legislative advocacy on their own behalf? Contact the GRC, and our PA Outreach subcommittee can help you develop these resources!
Take Action: Contact Your Legislators
PA Legislation Tracker
This tracking spreadsheet contains all current counseling-related legislation moving through the Pennsylvania General Assembly. Access this resource to learn about current issues facing you and your clients. The GRC updates this at least three times per month.
Contact your PA Legislator
Use this legislator resource on the PA General Assembly’s website to locate the names and contact information for your specific Representatives and Senators.
Then, use the GRC’s advocacy letter template to ask your legislators to support or oppose House or Senate bills moving through the General Assembly.
Current Advocacy Priorities
PA’s New Professional Counseling License:
Licensed Associate Professional Counselor (LAPC)
In March 2024, the Pennsylvania General Assembly signed into law the creation of a new professional counseling license in PA, which is a first-tier, dependent license called the Associate Professional Counselor license (LAPC). The LAPC creates a state-issued license for previously pre-licensed professional counselors which allows these professionals to adhere to PA insurance laws requiring that professionals hold a license in order to obtain insurance billing opportunities. LAPCs will hold this license for the duration of the time it takes them to work toward their 3,000 supervised hours to obtain PA’s second-tier, independent license, the Professional Counselor license (LPC). The GRC, insurance representatives, and legislative allies in the General Assembly worked tirelessly to pass this bill, and we are excited this pathway for licensure is now available for previously pre-licensed counselors!
Qualifications to obtain the LAPC include a 60-credit hour master’s degree in one of the fields required for independent licensure as an LPC, a $75 application fee, a job description, and a supervision plan. Applicants should use the Pennsylvania Licensing System (PALS) and contact the PA Board of Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists, and Professional Counselors (phone: 717.783.1389) with questions.
PCA Members: The GRC hosted a Town Hall Meeting on Wednesday, July 31, 2024, regarding the LAPC. You may access the recorded event via your Members-Only page on this website.
The Interstate Counseling Compact:
PA’s Status and Next Steps
In May 2024, Pennsylvania introduced the required legislation in the General Assembly (House Bill 2300) to become one of the more than 30 states to join the Interstate Counseling Compact which would provide a pathway for independently licensed professional counselors (i.e., LPCs) to obtain the privilege to practice counseling in other Compact member states (including Ohio, West Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, and Delaware).
However, until recently, a law related to FBI background checks required for licensure was holding PA back from passing its law to join the Compact. But due to the concerted efforts of PCA GRC and PA legislators, this law was amended and signed into law by the Governor in July 2024. This means that, during the upcoming new legislative session beginning in 2025, the GRC can work with Compact champions Rep. Jen O’Mara (D - Delaware County) and Senator Lisa Boscola (D - Lehigh and Northamptom Counties) to re-introduce PA’s Compact bill and advocate for its passage into law.
Here’s what you can do to help: Contact your legislators to let them know you want them to SUPPORT introduction of PA’s Interstate Counseling Compact Bill in the 2025 legislative session. Legislators who serve on the PA House of Representatives’ Professional Licensure committee and PA Senate’s Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure committee are key players in this effort.
Legislative Win: Governor Shapiro
State Boards Adopt Policies to Oppose Conversion Therapy on Minors
Thanks in part to the advocacy efforts of PCA members, the Shapiro administration announced in mid-2024 that five state licensure boards, including the PA Board of Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists, and Professional Counselors, voted to adopt new Statements of Policy which oppose the use of conversion therapy with minors in PA. This is an issue that the PCA GRC has worked hard to impact over the last several years, and we are pleased that Governor Shapiro and other helping professionals in the Commonwealth have chosen to affirm its support of Pennsylvanians in the LGBTQIA+ community.
Read more about the decision here at PA.gov.
Health Insurance Reimbursement Parity:
Small Steps Forward
In September 2024, the White House announced a new rule related to healthcare reimbursement policies which requires health insurance plans to provide the same amount of coverage for mental healthcare as they do for physical healthcare. Healthcare reimbursement parity remains a complex issue at both the state and federal levels, and PCA as well as its parent organization, the American Counseling Association, continues to advocate for legislation which promote reimbursement parity for professional counselors.
The American Counseling Association (ACA) reported on the new rule at counseling.org.
Partnering with ACA to Support Federal Issues
Although PCA is focused on government relations and legislative advocacy within PA state lines, we also work to align our efforts with those of our parent organization, the American Counseling Association (ACA). Learn more about ACA’s Legislative Agenda, current federal issues facing the counseling profession, and how to get involved on ACA’s website.
What’s Next?
Help the GRC determine the issues YOU want us to work on!
Review the GRC Legislation Tracker to find current issues for which you want us to advocate, or share your own ideas based on your experience.
Complete the PCA GRC Legislative Needs Survey.
Legislative Updates
PA ‘MOMNIBUS’ Laws Passed to
Support Maternal Mental and Perinatal Healthcare
In November 2024, two PA MOMNIBUS bills were signed into law by Gov. Josh Shapiro, thanks to the work of the PA Black Maternal Mental Health Caucus:
- HB.2127 (now Act 102 of 2024) directs the state Department of Health to create a public awareness campaign around perinatal and postpartum depression.
- HB.1608 (now Act 115 of 2024) extends Medicaid coverage to doula services and establishes a Doula Advisory Board in PA.
PCA GRC In the News
Erie News Now - April 2024
Duquesne University News & Stories - July 2024
