The birth of the American Mental Health Counselors Association (AMHCA) was a significant historical event that has impacted the counseling profession today and contributed to shaping the identity of the profession. Prior to the creation of the AMHCA, mental health counselors belonged to a professional organization tailored more to counselors in the school setting. This organization, the American Personnel and Guidance Association (APGA), was deemed by select mental health counselors to be devoid of representation specifically for counselors outside of the school setting, thus offering no real distinction for mental health counseling as a profession (Colangelo, 2009). The creation of the AMHCA began the shaping of the profession as distinct …show more content…
At present, licensure standards vary by the state making it extremely difficult for a counselor to practice in another state. As professional organizations have fought to provide the distinction of the profession as well as to unify the profession, uniformity must also be achieved with the standards necessary to achieve licensure. Professional organizations have highlighted the need for licensure portability and have focused efforts on unifying standards for licensure (Carmichael, S., & Erford, B., 2014). Predictions for the future of mental health counseling as a profession involve achieving portability of licensure. References Carmichael, S. H., & Erford, B. T. (2014). Becoming a professional counselor: Philosophical, historical, and future considerations. In B. T. Erford (Ed.), Orientation to the counseling profession: Advocacy, ethics, and essential professional foundations (2nd ed.) (pp. 1-27). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education. Colangelo, J. J. (2009). The American Mental Health Counselors Association: Reflection on 30 historic years. Journal of Counseling & Development, 87(2), 234-240. Retrieved from