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Professional Counseling

Are licensing exam prep courses a good value?

January 17, 2023January 17, 2023 by Ben Caldwell

Several exam prep companies offer products and services to help counselors and therapists prepare for their licensing exams. These offerings may cost hundreds of dollars. Are they worth your money?

I’ve previously posted a few tips for preparing for MFT licensing exams, including a list of providers of study courses and materials. I purposefully sidestepped the question of whether such products are worth the cost, which easily can add up to several hundred dollars. It’s hard to know for sure.

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MFTs, Counselors will become Medicare providers in 2024 [updated]

January 17, 2023December 21, 2022 by Ben Caldwell

US Capitol building. Photo by Michael Judkins via Pexels, used under licenseAs the US government works feverishly to pass a $1.7 trillion spending bill before current funding runs out, MFTs and Counselors appear poised for a major policy victory. If the bill passes, the services of MFTs and Counselors would become eligible for Medicare reimbursement as of January 1, 2024. [Update: The bill passed, and was signed by President Biden.]

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Report: Clinical exams in mental health licensing are structural racism

January 12, 2023October 31, 2022 by Ben Caldwell

Empty track with hurdles in one lane. Photo by Andrea Piacquadio via Pexels, used under licenseThe California Board of Behavioral Sciences will discuss clinical exams this Friday. My colleague Tony Rousmaniere and I decided to dig into these exams, beyond just the horrifying report ASWB released this summer. (TLDR: Wildly disparate passing rates by race/ethnicity.) While I’m previously on record as not a fan of clinical exams, they’re widely accepted. We figured we would follow where the data leads us. And so here it is:

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What the BBS “one week notice” rule for supervisors signing hours means

January 12, 2023October 19, 2022 by Ben Caldwell

handwritten recipes // photo by Samantha Hurley, used under licenseUnder California law, supervisors of BBS associates must give at least one week notice if they are planning to stop signing a supervisee’s hours. Some supervisors and supervisees are not aware of this rule. Others misunderstand it. Here’s a rundown of what the one week notice rule means — and what it doesn’t.

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California BBS adds Telehealth CE requirement for everyone, new Law and Ethics CE requirement for Associates

September 26, 2022 by Ben Caldwell

AB1758 signed, making video supervision legal in all CA work settings through 2025California Governor Gavin Newsom on Sunday signed Assembly Bill 1759, making a couple of key changes in continuing education (CE) requirements for California MFTs, clinical counselors, and clinical social workers. There’s a new one-time Telehealth CE requirement for everyone, and a new annual Law and Ethics CE requirement for Associates.

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California AB1758 signed, making video supervision legal across work settings through 2025

August 29, 2022 by Ben Caldwell

AB1758 signed, making video supervision legal in all CA work settings through 2025The bill was tagged as urgency legislation, meaning it took effect immediately upon the Governor’s signature. In addition to making video supervision legal across all work settings, it also newly requires supervisors (in all work settings, not just private practice) to assess a supervisee’s appropriateness for video supervision. I’ve created a form for that, modeled after the specific requirements in the bill. It’s available on my Resources page at the Ben Caldwell Labs site.

Kaiser to therapists on strike: We’re not abandoning patients, you are

August 19, 2022 by Ben Caldwell

person in suit pointing at viewerOn Tuesday, mental health clinicians for Kaiser Permanente in Northern California went on strike. While Kaiser and the union representing the therapists appear to have reached agreement on wages, the sides remain in dispute on issues related to staffing, working conditions, and client access to care. Kaiser reps have responded by calling the strike itself “unethical.” They have said that union leaders were asking therapists to “walk away from people who need help.” Suggesting that your own employees are unethical when they are striking to force Kaiser to improve patient access to mental health care is, as they say, a choice. It’s one that would seem destined to only worsen Kaiser’s ability to recruit and retain therapists in the future.

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NASW files FTC complaint over CareDash profiles funneling clients to BetterHelp [updated]

August 4, 2022August 2, 2022 by Ben Caldwell

The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) informed its members last week that CareDash, which operates a health care provider directory, is engaging in what “appears to be an improper deceptive practice.” NASW says that CareDash’s process of using clinician listings to direct prospective clients to online therapy platform BetterHelp rather than to the listed clinicians “potentially violates federal and/or state consumer protection laws.”

You cannot, in fact, check my availability using the button that says Check Availability.
Despite what a reasonable consumer would expect, you cannot, in fact, check my availability using the button that says Check Availability.

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15 years of therapist salary data for Psychologists, counselors, social workers, and MFTs

July 11, 2022July 11, 2022 by Ben Caldwell

bills on woodgrainHow much does the average Psychologist, counselor, MFT, or social worker make? Are salaries rising or falling relative to inflation? Therapist salary data can tell us a lot about the overall health of the professions. I’ve gathered 15 years of therapist salary data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics to see what insights can be gained from it.

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Advertising reminders for California BBS Associates

June 29, 2022 by Ben Caldwell

Amplifier / Burst / Used under license In California, it is perfectly legal to advertise mental health services provided by associate therapists. Registered Associate Marriage and Family Therapists (AMFTs), Registered Associate Clinical Social Workers (ASWs), and Registered Associate Professional Clinical Counselors (APCCs) all can advertise or have ads placed by their employers for services they provide. However, many of the ads I see for California associates do not appear to be compliant with the legal requirements for such advertising. Here are some important advertising reminders for California associates governed by the Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS).

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Saving Psychotherapy
Saving Psychotherapy: How therapists can bring the talking cure back from the brink
An action plan to improve your practice while helping the whole field. An unflinching, data-driven, and ultimately optimistic look at where we are and how your practice matters to all of our shared futures.
 
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Recent Posts

  • CareDash shuts down February 3, 2023
  • How to diagnose telehealth connection problems January 18, 2023
  • Are licensing exam prep courses a good value? January 17, 2023
  • MFTs, Counselors will become Medicare providers in 2024 [updated] December 21, 2022

Basics of California Law for LMFTs, LPCCs, and LCSWs – 9th ed

Basics of California Law for LMFTs, LPCCs, and LCSWs - 9th edition front cover (c) Copyright 2022 Ben Caldwell LabsNinth edition (2022). A concise, digestible summary of vital elements of state law for master’s level therapists and mental health professionals.

Online California MFT Law & Ethics Exam Prep

Matthew Henry via Burst / Used under licenseBe ready for your test in 7 days with our study plan, video lectures, and practice questions. All for less than half of what competitors charge.
 
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Preparing for the 2023 California MFT Law & Ethics Exam

Preparing for the 2023 California MFT Law & Ethics ExamThe easiest way to get ready for California’s MFT Law & Ethics exam. Includes a study guide and more than 100 practice test questions with rationales.

Ben Caldwell Labs

Psychotherapy Notes is the official blog of Ben Caldwell Labs

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Ben Caldwell Labs, the Ben Caldwell Labs logo, and Psychotherapy Notes are registered trademarks of Ben Caldwell Labs Inc.

The opinions expressed on posts on this site are solely those of the author.
While this blog does sometimes cover legal issues, unless otherwise noted authors are practicing clinicians and not attorneys.
Nothing here should be interpreted as legal advice, nor should it be considered a substitute for consulting with a qualified attorney.
  • Exam Prep
    • California LMFT Clinical Exam Prep
    • California LMFT Law & Ethics Exam Prep
    • California LPCC Law & Ethics Exam Prep
    • California LCSW Law & Ethics Exam Prep
    • National MFT Exam Test Bank
  • Advocacy
  • Books
    • Basics of California Law for LMFTs, LPCCs, and LCSWs (10th ed)
    • Saving Psychotherapy
    • Preparing for the 2023 California MFT Law & Ethics Exam
    • Preparing for the 2023 California Clinical Social Work Law & Ethics Exam
  • Blog
    • Blog home
    • Psychology
    • Professional Counseling
    • Family therapy
    • Clinical social work
    • Law and ethics
    • Education
    • Employment
    • Licensure
    • Public policy