OASERVIC, OASIS, and CSI all have conference coming up in the next 2 months. Check out our Events Calendar to plan your Spring events!

Registration is open for the OCA Spring Conference. GO HERE to join us May 1-2

If you are willing to dedicate a little time at the OCA Booth during AOCC (All Ohio Counselors Conference), here is a link to sign up.  No discount, no free lunch,m just the appreciation of your OCA and Bob the Exec.  

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080A44AEAB2EA1FB6-aocc1

Sign up early to get the slot you want or when you are best available.  Not tough work - answer questions, provide directions, sign up or renew memberships, sell shirts and swag, and sell raffle tickets for the PAC Basket Raffle.  Lots of meet and greet, smiles, and easy conversation.

Thanks to all for considering this, it means a lot to have others there to help!

We are proud to announce the 2019 OCA Award Winners.  These outstanding members will be celebrated at the Awards Reception on November 7 during the All Ohio Counselors Conference (Hyatt Regency Downtown Columbus).  This year's winners are:

Doris Coy, the Charles "Chuck" Weaver Award

Michael Brubaker, the Dave Brooks Award

Sean Gorby, the Graduate Student Award

Stacey Litam, the Herman J. Peters Award

Katie Gamby, the Professional Leadership Award

Cassandra Storlie, the Research and Writing Award

Help us congratulate these successful and capable OCA members.

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The Leadership Development Institute (LDI) has been announced and registration is open!  This four-CE credit event is free to OCA members and will prepare you for a leadership position with the OCA or one of our Chapters or Divisions. Join us during the AOCC at the Hyatt Regency Downtown on Wednesday November 6 from 10am - 4:30pm. CLICK HERE to learn more!

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Register today for the All Ohio Counselors Conference - we are setting records for registration and this year's conference is stacking up to be our best ever. Three days in the beautiful Hyatt Regency in downtown Columbus, REGISTER TODAY!  The cost to register increases after Wednesday October 8!

We have created a 2020 Calendar of OCA and ACA related events.  You can view it HERE.  It resides on our Events Page; if you find updates or changes, let Bob Thomas know!

I’d like to share a new podcast with you. I’m a member of a phenomenal team of therapists dedicated to bringing mental health topics to listeners through transformative conversations, thoughtful discussions, and powerful interviews. 

We focus on mental health issues including coping skills, resilience, trauma and healing, healthy relationships, and balance in a busy world. We hope you and your clients will find this podcast valuable and encouraging!

Please check out “Community Routes” and it’s sister segment “Off the Beaten Path” on Apple, Google, and other podcast services:

https://linktr.ee/communityroutes

Thank you for all you do!

Adrianne Johnson

One week left to nominate your favorite counselor for one of our annual awards.  These awards will be presented at the AOCC.  These awards recognize outstanding efforts and talent by your peers in counseling from across Ohio.  Be sure to get your nomination in by the end of this month (Aug 31) to meet the deadline.  Then join us November 7 at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Columbus for our Annual Awards Reception.

I added 5 new jobs to the OCA Career Opportunity Blog in the last 24 hours.  Be sure to look over the postings and improve your place in life!  CLICK HERE if you are logged in (this is a Member's Only benefit).  Or go to the menu at the top of the page, click on "For Members" then "Career Opportunities".  Have a great day Counselors!

As the Chairman of your Government Relations Committee for OCA, I love that you all are engaging in conversation regarding legislative advocacy! All these questions (and more) are what we as professional counselors and stakeholders in the legislative process  must ask ourselves for ALL aspects of our work. 

Although I will not address all of questions posed through this thread, I did want to clarify this bill and the legislative process at hand, as well as invite all of you who are passionate about this topic or other legislative issues to contact me or any of the Governmental Relations Committee Members (most chapters/divisions have a representative that serves on OCA's government relations committee as a liaison between the committee and a division/chapter). 

 

1. Many have pointed this out, but practicing conversion therapy as a licensed counselor is a violation of our code of ethics, specifically as it relates to "doing harm" to clients as research has identified conversion therapy as holding great potential for harm (see ACAs website)

2. 6 cities in Ohio already ban the practice of conversion therapy with minors

 

3. The practice of conversion therapy with a minor in the state of Ohio by an individual that holds a license issued by the OCSWMFT board may result in board discipline, including license suspension. This was an initiative championed by Equality Ohio that OCA and the Government Relations Committee supported a couple years ago. Out of this initiative came a strong statement from the board regarding conversion therapy with its licensees. Equality Ohio provides information on this board statement as well as the boards official statement regarding the change: https://www.equalityohio.org/ohio-licensing-board-conversion-therapy-harmful-can-discipline-licensees/

 

4. The proposed bill is more expansive than the OCSWMFT board, but in essence, will place the boards current stance on conversion therapy with a minor into Ohio Revised Code language, ORC 4757.46. The current ramifications for practicing conversion therapy with a minor involve licensure discipline. If enacted in law, would involve both licensure discipline and legal discipline. I would encourage all of you to review the details and history of the bill here: https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA133-SB-130

 

If you have any specific questions or concerns regarding OCA's legislative efforts through our Governmental Relations Committee, please feel free to reach out to me or one of our committee members! I love legislative advocacy and our hope within OCA is to connect you as a member to the process of legislative advocacy. 

 

Also, every spring we hold a Legislative Advocacy Day in Columbus Ohio at the State House where we engage in may aspects of the legislative process (Conversion Therapy was a heavy topic of discussion 2 years ago). Dont miss out on your opportunity to be proactive in the legislative process instead of just reactive to supporting or fighting legislation others propose. 

 

WITH ALL OF THIS SAID, I always encourage every individual to advocate and promote a legislative agenda that is congruent with YOUR BELIEFS, even if that goes in opposition of OCA. 

 

Peace be the journey,

Sean 

 

Sean Gorby, M. Ed, LPC, Certified Wellness Counselor

Doctoral Candidate 

The Ohio Counseling Association

Government Relations Committee, Chairman