IMHCA works through and with the Coalition of Illinois Counselor Organizations (CICO) to monitor, sponsor, support and/or oppose legislation and licensure rules that affect counselors and the mental health profession.
IMHCA is founding member of CICO. Our Executive Director, Dan Stasi also serves as the Executive Director of CICO. One of CICO’s primary roles is legislation. Dan is a registered lobbyist in Illinois and represents all counselors in Illinois. As an organization we have been very busy over the years. Past legislative accomplishments include:
Public Act 91-0536 |
Adds LCPC as Qualified Examiner in Mental Health Code effective 1/1/00 |
Effective 1/01/2000 |
House Bill 3205 |
Adds LCPC as Medicaid biller- Passed House- Failed Senate |
Effective 1/01/2000 |
Senate Bill 0024 |
Mandated pre-marital counseling provided free by counselors. We opposed. Bill Failed. |
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Public Act 91-0070 |
School Code change allowing School Counselor Type 73 without a teaching certificate. |
Effective 07/09/2001 |
Public Act 92-0182 |
Adds LCPC to the Insurance Code. |
Effective 07/27/2001 |
Public Act 92-0260 |
Bully Bill- amends school code requiring action with violent students. |
Effective 08/07/2001 |
Public Act 92-0185 |
Mental Health Parity mandates insurance coverage for serious mental illness. |
Effective 01/01/2002 |
Public Act 92-0708 |
Allows release of info to third party for collections. |
Effective 07/19/2002 |
Public Act 92-0719 |
Renewed Counselor Licensure Act- Licensure law expires every ten years. |
Effective 07/25/2002 |
Public Act 92-0724 |
Allows a school board to utilize volunteer personnel from a regional School Crisis Assistance Team to provide assistance to schools in times of violence or other traumatic incidents within a school community by providing crisis intervention services. |
Effective 07/25/2002 |
Public Act 92-0755 |
Provides accreditation requirements for providers of mental health and substance abuse treatment services. |
Effective 08/02/2002 |
Public Act 94-0399 |
Crime Victim Compensation Act- Reimburse LCPC for counseling victims. |
Effective 01/01/2006 |
Public Act 94-0034 |
Amends the Children and Family Services Act. Provides that every child in the care of the Department of Children and Family Services shall receive necessary behavioral health services, including mental health services. |
Effective 01/01/2006 |
Public Act 94-0497 |
Child Welfare Student Loan Forgiveness Act Establishes the Child Welfare Student Loan Forgiveness Program to provide loan assistance, subject to appropriation, to eligible students for upper-division undergraduate and graduate study in social work or human services. |
Effective 01/01/2006 |
Public Act 94-0765 |
Counselor Licensure Act- changed from a Title act to a Practice Act. |
Effective 01/01/2007 |
