2024 Annual Conference

Counseling and Technology: Innovation or Invasion?

January 7 – 9, 2024  |  Tucson, Arizona

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Sunday, JANUARY 7

5:30 – 6:30 pm                        Welcome Reception

Monday, JANUARY 8

7:00 – 8:00 am                        Breakfast

 

8:00 – 8:15 am                        President’s Welcome

Kim Speakman - President, AASCB Executive Board

AASCB Board President welcomes attendees to Tucson for the 2024 Annual Conference: Counseling and Technology: Innovation or Invasion?          

 

8:15 – 9:15 am                        Opening Keynote: AI in Mental Health Counselor Licensing: Balancing Innovation and Public Safety

Lisa Henderson - Co-Founder & Chief Brand Officer, Synchronous Health

We find ourselves in a once-in-a-generation transformation in counseling practice; one with the potential to offer groundbreaking methods, redefine interventions, and help providers deliver more effective care, more efficiently, and to more people. However, like any tool, its only as good as the person using it. AI in the hands of an unskilled or unethical counselor can have negative outcomes for clients. This presentation will discuss the positive and negative roles AI may play in mental health care. It will identify the ethical considerations for counselors, boards, and professional organizations to consider. Attendees will be offered frameworks for thinking about where existing licensing standards apply to the use of AI and where new regulation may be necessary.
AI seems to have exploded out of nowhere in the past year. However, the concepts of AI and machine learning were first published in 1950. The first chatbot, ELIZA, was released in 1966 as a conversational agent. Despite being created as a problem-solving tool, people soon started to share with ELIZA their thoughts and feelings. What has changed in the last year is the speed that AI acquires information, commercial investment in AI tools, and availability of those tools to the public. That will only continue. Moore’s Law, which estimates that computer memory and speed double each year, is one reason for the explosion of AI tools. With that in mind, licensing boards must identify safe and ethical uses of AI tools by counselors in order to protect public safety in counseling.   

9:15 – 9:30 am                        Break

 

9:30 – 10:15 am                      Regulating AI: Navigating A New Era

Andrea Brooks, PhD, LPCC-S - Director of Counseling & Human Development Program, Lindsey Wilson College
Hannah M. Coyt, PhD, LPCC-S, NCC, CCMHC - Board Chair, Kentucky LPCB  

Lisa Henderson - Co-Founder & Chief Brand Officer, Synchronous Health

Artificial intelligence has hit the world of counseling in a rapid way. ChatGPT has quickly become a tool that both students in higher education, as well as counselors in the field, have begun to utilize. This workshop will discuss how ChatGPT changes the field of counseling, and how regulatory boards begin to explore our role in protecting the public while ensuring that our statutes and regulations address the concerns that might arise with this new technology.

10:15 – 10:30 am                   Break

 

10:30 – 11:30 am                   AASCB Business Meeting, Part I

I.              Call to Order                                                         Speakman
II.            Roll Call/Certification of Delegates                       Collazo
III.           Approval of the Agenda                                        Speakman
IV.          Approval of 2023 Minutes                                     Speakman
V.            President’s Report                                                Speakman

a.    State Board Hangouts
b.    Affiliate Meetings
c.     Counseling Compact
d.    Board Training Modules
e.    Committee Reports
f.      2025 Conference 

VI.          Treasurer’s Report                                                Doyle
VII.         Management Report                                             Grayson
VIII.        Overview of day 2                                                 Speakman

11:30 am – 12:00 pm            Overview of By-laws Changes

 

12:00 – 1:00 pm                      Lunch - Counseling Compact Update

Lynn Linde - Chief of Professional Practice, American Counseling Association

Jamie Doming - Executive Director, Louisiana LPC Board of Examiners    
Greg Searls - Counseling Compact, Executive Director

Hear the latest updates on the Counseling Compact as you enjoy your lunch. This brief presentation will cover recent and upcoming developments, the role of the new Executive Director, and information on database development.

1:00 – 1:45 pm                        Counseling Supervisor Requirements

William Feck, EdS, LPC/MHSP, NCC, PhD Candidate - Clinical Counseling, Trevecca Nazarene University

Post-master's licensure supervision fulfills a multifaceted role encompassing public protection and counseling career development. It is noteworthy that the requirements for operating in the role of a counseling supervisor exhibit significant divergence among states. This session will delve into research on the effects of supervision and also present trends in diverse criteria, including the requisite years of professional experience and training hours, across various states and territories within the United States.

1:45 – 2:00 pm                        Break

2:00 – 3:00 pm                        State Board Structure Panel

Dr. Susan Meyerle, LIMHP, CEAP, CFLE - President, The Insight Program, P.C.
Steven Sodergren - Executive Officer, California Board of Behavioral Sciences

Moderator: Tobi Zavala - Executive Director, Arizona Board of Behavioral Health Examiners

Join us for a dynamic panel discussion that delves into the intricacies of state counseling board structures. This session will provide attendees with a comprehensive understanding of the inner workings of state counseling boards, shedding light on the perspectives of a state board member and a state board administrator.

This panel discussion will provide a foundational understanding of how various boards are structured, an overview of the function and responsibilities of different roles, and how all parties work together to ensure counseling excellence. Participants will leave with a deeper understanding of the multifaceted aspects of state counseling board structures, enabling them to navigate the regulatory landscape with greater confidence and insight.

3:00 – 3:15 pm                        Break

 

3:15 – 5:00 pm                        State Board Forums

The State Board Forums provide attendees with a platform to engage with their peers who perform similar roles in various states. These sessions encourage open dialogue, knowledge sharing, and collaborative problem-solving to address critical issues affecting Board functions and the counseling profession.

Note: The agenda is subject to change based on the interests and needs of the attendees. These breakout sessions are designed to foster collaboration and knowledge sharing among Board Administrators and Members from different states, ensuring that they can address the unique challenges facing their boards effectively.

State Board Administrators' Forum
Facilitator: Greg Searls – Former Member of the AASCB Executive Board
Topics may include:
1. Decreasing Application Processing Time and Software Usage
     - Sharing best practices on streamlining processing times.
     - Exploring software tools and technologies for efficient administration.
2. Complaint/Application Issues and Resolution Processes
     - Discuss common challenges and potential solutions.
     - Success stories and lessons learned.
3. Regulatory Changes in Rule and Statute
     -  Updates on recent regulatory changes in the counseling profession.
     -  Implications for Board administration and legal aspects.
4. Common Application Issues and Resolution
     - Identifying frequently encountered application problems.
     - Sharing insights into addressing these issues efficiently.
5. Federal Changes Affecting the Counseling Profession
     - Military Spouses Licensing Relief Act:  Veterans Auto and Education Improvement Act of 2022.
     - Discussion on federal policies and regulations impacting counseling.
     - Implications and potential responses at the state level.

State Board Members' Forum
Facilitator: Mark Schwarze – Chair, North Carolina Board of Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselors
Topics may include:
1. Workflow and Processing Times
     - Sharing best practices and effective technological tools
     - Keeping up while overworked and understaffed
2. Complaint/Application Issues and Resolution Processes
     - Discuss common challenges and potential solutions.
     - Success stories and lessons learned.
3. Regulatory Changes in Rule and Statute
     -  Updates on recent regulatory changes in the counseling profession.
     -  Implications for Boards
4. Federal Changes Affecting the Counseling Profession
     - Discussion on federal policies and regulations impacting counseling.
     - Implications and potential responses at the state level.

 

Tuesday, JANUARY 9

7:30 – 8:30 am                        Breakfast

 

8:30 – 9:30 am                        Violation of Trust: Breaches of Professionalism in the Counseling Professions

Elizabeth Grace, M.D - Medical Director, PROBE | Program Director, CPEP, the Center for Personalized Education for Professionals

Regulatory boards often struggle with how to address licensees/registrants who have committed professionalism and boundary breaches. Breaches of professionalism are concerning in any healthcare field. However, such breaches are of unique concern in the counseling professions, for which the client population is seen as particularly vulnerable due to the nature of the needs for which the client seeks care and the essence of the therapeutic alliance. Regulators must be prepared to identify ethical aspects of licensee/registrant misconduct and have tools available to address remediation in this area. Many professionalism breaches are amenable to ethics remediation. It is critical that regulators have the appropriate spectrum of approaches to address such conduct.
In this session, participants will learn about common professionalism lapses referred to a professionalism and ethics remediation program, how ethics remediation can help licensees/registrants, and dive into case studies. There will be an opportunity for participants to share interesting cases for discussion. Participants will enhance their ability to devise meaningful interventions for professionalism lapses that address the conduct and give the clinicians skills to avoid future ethical missteps.

9:30 – 9:45 am                        Break

 

9:45 – 10:45 am                      Concurrent Sessions:

Jurisprudence Jigsaw: Putting the Pieces Together
Richard Strebeck, PhD, LPC-S, NCC - Secretary, Mississippi Board of Examiners for Licensed Professional Counselors

We will focus on the step-by-step process of how the Mississippi LPC Board designed a jurisprudence exam for first-time licensure applicants. This session will journey into the heart of legal/ethical decision-making and professional practice in counseling. We will discuss the intricacies of crafting a purposeful jurisprudence exam focusing on content selection, test item creation, and testing implementation. Learn how we assembled the components like a jigsaw puzzle, creating a seamless blend of theoretical underpinnings and practical application. 

Technology Trends: Continuing Education Transformation
Kelly Parker - Director of External Affairs & Government Relations, CEBroker by Propelus

Ashleigh Irving - Executive Director, Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy     

Regulatory boards nationwide are adopting modern technology to transform processes, eliminate bottlenecks, and improve the lives of their staff and licensees.
In the counseling community, licensed professionals may practice in various specialty areas and often need to complete continuing education (CE) courses for licensure renewal. State requirements for CE often vary not only for licensure but for specialty areas of expertise as well. All of this adds up to what can be an overwhelming and complex system for regulators to manage and, therefore, more and more regulatory boards nationwide are embracing technology that’s transforming manual and/or legacy processes for continuing education management.
Full lifecycle continuing education management brings much needed transparency and operability to regulatory boards, all while improving processes and increasing quality and productivity in digital government services. Workforce shortages, inefficient legacy systems, and manual continuing education processes cause boards and staff to lose time and productivity. Utilizing technology to modernize processes will lead to improved staff satisfaction and retention rates, and provide enhanced customer service, accessibility and simplicity for licensees.

10:45 – 11:00 am                   Break

 

11:00 am – 12:00 pm             Facilitated Roundtable Discussions:

Dig deeper into some of the topics presented at this year's conference in a roundtable discussion facilitated by AASCB. Preliminary questions and discussion points below will be updated during the conference to reflect the content shared and attendee interest.

Technology
Facilitators: Susan Meyerle - President, The Insight Program, P.C.
Ashleigh Irving - Executive Director, Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy, and Mental Health Counseling

Supervision

Facilitators: Tobi Zavala - Executive Director, Arizona Board of Behavioral Health Examiners    

Discipline

Facilitators: Denauvo Robinson - Board Member, North Carolina Board of Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselors

Milagros Collazo - Executive Director, Board of Marriage and Family Therapy Examiners, Professional Counselor Examiners Committee and Alcohol and Drug Counselors in New Jersey

 

12:00 – 12:30 pm                   Lunch (boxed lunch)

 

12:30 – 1:15 pm                      AASCB Business Meeting, Part II

IX.        Nominations and Elections                              Speakman/Collazo
X.         By-law Vote                                                           Speakman/Collazo
XI.        New Business                                                       Speakman, All
XII.       Old Business                                                         Speakman, All 
XIII.      Closing Remarks                                                  Speakman                       
XIV.     Adjournment 

1:15 – 1:30 pm                        Break

 

1:30 – 2:45 pm                        State and Affiliate Reports

 

2:45 – 3:00 pm                        Break

 

3:00 – 3:30 pm                        Awards Presentation and President's Remarks

AASCB honors the recipients of the 2024 President's Award and 2024 Distinguished Service Award.

 

3:45 – 5:00 pm                        AASCB Hangout Live

Hosts: Greg Searls – Former Member of the AASCB Executive Board
Tobi Zavala - Executive Director, Arizona Board of Behavioral Health Examiners      

Join fellow AASCB members and attendees for an in-person Hangout to reflect on the conference and discuss upcoming trends or concerns.