Illinois Mental Health Counselors

Website -www.imhca.org

   • Members ONLY section with job listings.

   • Calendar and workshop offerings.

   • Licensure test preparation information.

   • Directory of links to state and national counseling
     organizations, legislative information and
    licensure/regulation.   

   • Frequently asked questions and answers.

 Newsletters

   • IMHCA publishes the News Update quarterly.

   • In addition, you will receive the ICA Newsletter
     and the ICA Journal.

 Professional Networking

   • As an IMHCA member, you are joining a multi-disciplinary association of professional mental health counselors,  students and others interested in the human services field.

 Phone Help

   • IMHCA's Staff are available full-time at (815) 787-0515 to answer questions about licensure.

Volunteer Opportunities

   • Graduate Student Conference Scholarships for both ICA and IMHCA conferences. Opportunities to contribute to the advancement of the counseling profession.

Mentorship

   • Opportunities for seasoned counselors to mentor new professionals.

Advocacy

Legislation Advocacy

   • IMHCA is committed to the active promotion of members' interests and concerns in the Illinois State Legislature, as well as in the parent organizations, ICA and AMHCA.

 Professional Regulation

   • IMHCA serves as the advocate for counselors to the Illinois  Department of Professional  Regulation on licensure issues.

 Licensure Advocacy

   • IMHCA spearheaded the drive for counselor licensure and actively works on legislation that can affect and protect state counselor licensure.

 Managed Care Advocacy

   • IMHCA's Managed Care Committee has established  relationships with over 50 companies and developed the law that includes LCPCs for insurance reimbursement.

Mentorship

   • The mentorship committee works to match the professional interests of the new counselor with seasoned counselor volunteers within the organization.

Training

Workshops

   • IMHCA sponsors test preparation workshops for licensure of counselors and professional development workshops each year. Members receive a discount on registration fees.

 Annual Conferences

• IMHCA sponsors an annual conference which  focuses on professional renewal and sharing with other counselors. ICA sponsors a conference in the fall. CEs are available.

 Awards

   • IMHCA has twice received the American Mental Health Counselors Association's annual award for Outstanding State Chapter Service to Members for 1995 and 1999, and the Best State Chapter Project Award for 2003.

 Organizational Affiliations (since 1979)

   • IMHCA is a division of the Illinois Counseling Association (ICA). Membership in ICA is a prerequisite to joining IMHCA.

   • IMHCA is a charter member of the Coalition of Illinois Counselor Organizations (CICO), the political arm of counselors. Membership in CICO is included when you join IMHCA.

   • IMHCA is a state chapter of the American Mental Health Counselors Association (AMHCA).