Legislative/Public Policy: News from the Capitol

The position for Legislative/Public Policy Chair is open and CCDA is in need of someone who would like to track legislative developments that are relevant to career counselors and career development professionals in California. We thank Susan Zgliczynski for her wonderful work in bringing this vital information to our membership. We would welcome a new volunteer to help produce legislative summaries for CCDA members . . . If you would like to volunteer for this important role, please contact the current CCDA President or email communications@ccdaweb.org.

 

 

Critical Time for Licensing: Career Counselor Support Needed

For a bit of background, this October 2005 excerpt from Susan Zgliczynski's legislative summary is helpful:

There is an actual documented need for more counseling and mental health services in California. AB 63 documents the need and will provide funding for many new and expanded services, including training and preparing California’s workforce for the future. Licensed professionals would provide the services under this funding so it is critical for career counselors to be able to be licensed because we have the expertise needed! This need is also documented in "The Mental Health Workforce: Who's Meeting California's Needs?" published by the Center for Health Professions at UC San Francisco.

A lot of work has been going on behind the scenes getting letters of support of the bill to Jay La Suer’s Sacramento office. If you would like to send a letter of support please send it to Assemblyman Jay La Suer, State Capitol, Sacramento CA 95814. We need letters from career counselors, graduate students in counseling programs, and administrators and community members who support the need for increased counseling services for California. If you would like a sample letter for counselors or for graduate students, please contact me at zglnski@sandiego.edu. You do need to actually mail your letters of support. Email letters are not counted in this legislative process. The Education Committee of the CCCL also is available to do presentations to counselor groups. Email me with info about your group and I will get you a contact in your area who can provide a presentation with handouts.

The national and state career development organizations have been strong supporters of the effort to get the professional counselor licensing bill passed, providing letters of support and monetary contributions. Contribution from NCDA were matched with funds from NBCC, so the coalition was appreciative of the national support from career counselors. CCDA has been one of the strongest supporters of professional counselor licensing for many years and the Coalition wants to commend the present and past CCDA boards for their support and untiring work in getting the word out about the bill and what is needed to get it passed. The Coalition is still in need of funds from individuals and groups.

 

We are still in a critical time to bring these efforts to fruition. Learn more about the California Coalition for Counselor Licensing and legislative efforts to achieve licensing for California counselors at: www.caccl.org.

 

 “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it is the only thing that ever does.”
– Margaret Mead, Anthropologist

We, as CCDA members, act as advocates by educating ourselves about the policy-making process and contacting our own legislators and other policy-makers. To learn more about the legislative processes, go to www.leginfo.ca.gov. For “one-stop shopping” about California government and links to the websites of the various state agencies, go to www.ca.gov/state/portal/myca_homepage.jsp. Also, be sure to check on bills that CCA is tracking; just click on the Legislative link at www.cacounseling.org.

 

For more on the CCCL (California Coalition for Counselor Licensure), go to www.caccl.org.