Ariel Cohen, MA, LMFT

CAMFT Facebook Page Legislative Updates
April, May, June 2018

6/15/18

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has finally released the long awaited MFT job standards. Although CAMFT applauds the VA for pushing the standards forward, we are disappointed in the lack of promotional ability the standards set forth.

Historically, to work within the VA, an MFT had to have graduated from a program accredited by Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE). And while the standards recently released allow all MFTs to apply for a GS-11 position, promotions within the VA are limited to MFTs having graduated from COAMFTE accredited programs or having passed the Association of Marriage and Family Therapy Regulatory Boards national exam. This significant limitation affects 95% of California MFTs.

In addition, all VA MFT program managers, as well as any employee supervising MFT associates, must be an AAMFT Approved Supervisor (disregarding all CAMFT Approved Supervisors). Similar requirements do not appear in the VA qualification standards of the other mental health professions.

CAMFT is currently assessing next steps to address this disappointing limitation placed on the majority of California MFTs. #VetsNeedMFTs.

6/15/18

In solidarity with thousands of mental health professionals & organizations, CAMFT added its support to the Child's World America petition & to Senator Dianne Feinstein's #KeepFamiliesTogether Act, to limit separation during immigration/deportation hearings.

Child's World America Petition: https://bit.ly/2LQJe2P
Keep Families Together Act: https://bit.ly/2l2Rmlj

6/14/18

Fabulous news! CAMFT's legislation on minor's records, AB 2088 (Assemblymember Miguel Santiago), just passed out of the Senate Health Committee with unanimous support. The next stop will be Senate Appropriations Committee.

6/6/18

The polls have closed in California's 2018 primary, where more than 19 million voters were eligible to cast ballots. Some races are still too close to call. A little over 4 million ballots have been counted statewide, indicating 21% of all registered voters. It is anticipated that another 2 million ballots will be counted in the weeks ahead. Some key races have already been called, including California's Governor and Senate primaries.

Governor
At the top of the ballot is the contest to replace Governor Jerry Brown, who is scheduled to term out this year. Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom, the former mayor of San Francisco, placed first. Republican John Cox, a business executive backed by President Trump, landed the other spot. Under California's "top two" primary system, the top two primary finishers move on to the general election, regardless of party.

Lieutenant Governor
We can expect a Democratic face-off between real estate developer Eleni Kounalakis and Senator Ed Hernández for Lt. Governor. The candidates have received 24% and 21% of the vote, respectively.

U.S. Senate
Winning 44% of the vote, Dianne Feinstein, the longest current-serving female U.S. Senator, easily captured a spot on the November ballot in her re-election bid. Democratic State Senator Kevin de Leon narrowly leads in second place with 11% of the vote, barely ahead of little-known Republican James P. Bradley.

Insurance Commissioner
Democrat Senator Ricardo Lara will advance to the runoff facing Steve Poizner, who is attempting to become the first independent elected statewide in California.

Attorney General
California Attorney General Xavier Becerra will face a Republican opponent in his re-election bid in November, as retired judge Steven Bailey came in second place. Democratic Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones, who fought to unseat Becerra, came in at fourth place.

Superintendent of Public Instruction
Assemblyman Tony Thurmond and Los Angeles schools executive Marshall Tuck will move forward to the general election in California's nonpartisan race for superintendent of public instruction.

State Assembly
District 58-Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia won the primary and will face Republican Mike Simpfenderfer in a runoff for the Democratic seat. Garcia recently returned to work after being sidelined in the Legislature for more than 100 days following sexual harassment claims.

Several incumbents in the Assembly will face major challenges from the opposite party in the November election. Moderate Democrats Assemblymember Rudy Salas and Assemblymember Sabrina Cervantes are lagging behind their Republican opponents. Assembly Democrats Sharon Quirk-Silva and Al Muratsuchi are scarcely in the lead to preserve their respective seats.

State Senate
District 29- In a recall election spearheaded by the California Republican Party and based on his backing of the detested gas tax increase in 2017, voters chose to oust Democratic state Senator Josh Newman with close to a 60% vote. Republican Ling Ling Chang, whom Newman beat in 2016 to win the usually-GOP seat will replace him. The recall removes Democrats' two-thirds supermajority in the Senate which is needed to pass tax and fee increases.

District 32- Tony Mendoza failed to win back the seat he resigned from earlier this year following sexual harassment allegations. However, the outcome for the seat remains indeterminate. Republican Rita Topalian will appear in the August 7th special general election, as well as the regular general in November. Vanessa Delgado is currently sitting in second place in the special election, while Bob Archuleta is in second place for the general. Time will tell if these results will maintain.

Ballot measures
Four of the five measures on the June ballot have been approved.

Proposition 68: would let California issue general obligation bonds to fund parks and environmental projects, including $200 million to help preserve the state's largest lake. YES

Proposition 69: would require the Legislature to spend money from the recently-approved diesel tax and vehicle fee on transportation projects. Lawmakers put the measure on the ballot last year when they passed the gas tax increase. Republicans want to repeal this through a separate initiative in November. YES

Proposition 70: would change how the Legislature decides how money is spent from California's cap-and trade program, which produces billions of dollars yearly by obliging polluters to buy permits to release greenhouse gases. NO

Proposition 71: would change the effective date for ballot measures from the day after the election to five days after election results are certified, pushing back the start date for propositions by six weeks. YES

Proposition 72: would give a tax break to homeowners who install rainwater-capture devices on their properties. YES

Vote totals will change as state officials continue to tabulate results. Election results can be accessed here: https://vote.sos.ca.gov/returns/us-senate.

4/18/18

Contact your Congressperson to support Medicare reimbursement for MFTs! Yesterday, Congressman Vern Buchanan (R-FL) and U.S. Congresswoman Stephanie Murphy (D-FL) introduced HR 5531, The Opioid Emergency Response Act. This bill targets the growing drug abuse epidemic through greater research and prevention efforts, expanded access to treatment for those in recovery, and better screening to catch illegal drugs before they enter the country. Representative Buchanan has included our Medicare bill, HR 3032, in its entirety as part of this bill. Both the House and the Senate will be considering legislation to combat the opioid epidemic over the next few months, and our goal is to have our Medicare bill become part of this legislation. CAMFT's Grassroots Advocacy Team traveled to Washington, D.C. and lobbied Representatives to seek support on this bill. Now, it's time for you to do your part! We urge you to immediately contact your Representative to co-sponsor and support this bill! #MedicareNeedsMFTs Click here to take action now: https://bit.ly/2EWmRVz.

Ariel maintains a full-time practice at Teen Therapy Center in Woodland Hills, CA. He works with children, teens, and families, with an emphasis on supporting the special needs community. He can be contacted at 818.674.9834 or ariel@teentherapycenter.com.