Complete Story
04/01/2026
April is Advocacy Month. Here’s How to Get Involved
Your legislators need to hear from you. Your voice matters!
Dear PCA Member,
April is Advocacy Month, and the Pennsylvania Counseling Association’s Government Relations Committee is calling on every member to take action. You don’t have to move mountains. You don’t have to be a policy expert. You just have to show up for the profession and the clients who depend on us.
Here’s what we’re asking you to do this month: Contact your state legislators. Call, email, or request a meeting. Let them know who you are, what you do, and why these issues matter.
PCA’s 2026 Legislative Priorities
The Interstate Counseling Compact (HB668 / SB604)
Pennsylvania has an opportunity to join a growing national compact that would allow licensed counselors to practice across state lines. This is a workforce and access issue. Urge your legislators to support HB668 and SB604 by reviewing talking points on this issue.
Insurance Reimbursement for LAPCs
Licensed Associate Professional Counselors should not be invisible to insurance companies. We are pushing for all private insurers to reimburse for LAPC services and to eliminate the credentialing gap between LAPC and LPC status. We are also calling for legislators’ support in LAPCs being credentialed with federal programs such as Medicare and Medicaid.
Protecting LGBTQ+ Pennsylvanians
Anti-LGBTQ+ legislation causes measurable harm to the mental health of our clients and communities. PCA stands firmly in opposition to these efforts and asks members to make that clear to their representatives. See the SAIGE statement on anti-LGBTQ+ legislation for details on this issue.
Funding for Future Counselors
Following the Department of Education’s decision to exclude counseling from professional degree designation, future counselors face serious financial barriers to entering the field. Ask your legislators to champion new and creative funding pathways. See the ACA’s Loan Equity Act resources for talking points.
Healthcare Subsidy Access
The expiration of enhanced federal ACA subsidies at the end of 2025 has already resulted in higher premiums for many Pennsylvanians. Our clients feel this directly. Ask your legislators where they stand on protecting healthcare access. Learn more via ACA’s resource.
Community Safety, Immigrant Rights, and Our Clients
Immigration enforcement is creating real fear and trauma in the communities we serve. We are asking legislators to engage with local law enforcement about their policies, ensure schools remain safe spaces, and make certain that community members and rural workers know their rights. As counselors, we have a responsibility to speak up for the people in our care.
Ready to take action? Visit the PCA Government Relations Committee Webpage for everything you need: a how-to guide on contacting your legislator, talking points, a video walkthrough, and the Legislator Outreach Recap form so we can track our collective impact across the state.
Together, Pennsylvania counselors have a powerful voice. Let’s use it this April.
In advocacy,
The PCA Government Relations Committee
