New State Action Threatens Local Mental Health Treatment

A move in Lansing to limit the scope of practice of Licensed Professional Counselors could affect the availability of mental health treatment in the Copper Country.

The Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs wants to prevent LPCs from diagnosing and using psychiatric procedures to treat patients in a clinical situation. 

At Copper Country Mental Health, Leslie Griffith says their three staff LPC’s are critical to their operation…

Limiting their scope would spread a lot of work to the rest of the staff…

There are 10,000 Licensed Professional Counselors at work in the state, treating around 150,000 patients. Griffith says removing them won’t help a system that’s already having trouble finding trained staff…

The problem is some vague language contained in the LPC licensing law. Some say it permits diagnosis and treatment, LARA says it doesn’t.

There is a bill pending in the state house that would permit LPCs to continue the work they’re doing. UPDATE: THE BILL HAS NOW PASSED THE HOUSE UNANIMOUSLY, AN ADVANCED TO THE SENATE.