a State Branch of the American Counseling Association

Pennsylvania Counseling Association
P.O. Box 41118
Pittsburgh, PA  15202

Spring 2007

Paul L. West, Ed .D., LPC, NCC,

President’s Welcome

Welcome to the Pennsylvania Counseling Association (PCA), a state branch of the American Counseling Association representing the interests of professional counselors here in the Commonwealth.  PCA is a volunteer organization that is dedicated to the promotion of professional counseling. 

 It looks like this will be another busy year for PCA.  We are moving forward with plans to include more member services on our website.  In particular we will consider offering listings of counselor employment and continuing education training opportunities, as well as a list of individuals willing to offer clinical supervision for counselors seeking licensure.  

 We will announce our first group of Graduate Student Leaders at the annual conference in October.  These individuals will spend the next year working on various PCA projects and being mentored by selected PCA leaders.     

 As a co-founder of the Pennsylvania Alliance of Counseling Professionals (PACP), PCA continues to support legislative activities that broaden and strengthen the licensure law for professional counselors here in Pennsylvania.  This year we hope to begin a process to address critical issues within the current law that effect scope of practice and insurance reimbursement.  To do this, PCA must be able to effectively mobilize LPCs and, through PACP, speak as one voice.  For this to be successful we must be able to generate financial support for these efforts from the 3000 + LPCs that stand to benefit from this initiative.  Financial support can come in the form of PCA membership and through sustained contributions to the Political Action Committee Fund through PACP.  Just as with the licensing initiative that culminated with our licensure law in 1998, the process to amend the law and move toward parody with other professional disciplines will take some time. 

Our annual conference will be held at the Penn Stater in State College from October 19 – 21.  The conference theme is “Promoting the Art and Science of Counseling”.  This theme seems to be appropriate as the issue of accountability continues to be an emerging major factor in the funding and delivery of behavioral healthcare services.  Information about the conference is posted here on our website as it becomes available.  Just as with PCA membership, conference registrations can be paid on-line.  There are discounts for early registrations.

 PCA continues to participate in those activities that best promote the interests of its members.  There are always opportunities for members to take active roles in leadership initiatives and we are always looking for new members. If you have considered becoming a member of  the Pennsylvania Counseling Association or if you are currently a PCA member and want to get more involved, let us hear from you.

I invite you to take some time to browse our website and to examine what PCA has to offer.

Best of wishes,

Paul L. West, Ed.D., LPC, NCC

PCA President