In recognition of Pride Month, Austin AMFT would like to take the opportunity to affirm that we stand in solidarity with the LGBTQIA+ community at all times.  We feel that it is especially crucial to affirm this now in light of ongoing actions by state and national governing entities that directly threaten the well-being of the most vulnerable among LGBTQIA+ communities. The past few months have brought forward the non-binding public opinion by Ken Paxton and the subsequent letter from Greg Abbott to the Department of Family and Protective Services urging the organization to investigate gender-affirming care as child abuse. These are only the most recent developments in ongoing attempts to impose policy actions restricting or limiting LGBTQIA+ rights.  As professional mental health providers, it is our stance that a lack of gender-affirming care will have a negative impact on transgender children and their families.

As mental health professionals, we see the importance of directly speaking out against any attempt to characterize gender-affirming care as child abuse.  We want to highlight the direct and negative impact that lack of access to this essential care has on these lives, as reflected in the dramatically increased self-harm and suicide rates for trans and gender non-conforming youths without access to gender-affirming care and the verifiable effect it has on mitigating those trends.

We recognize that Pride has not always been a matter of celebration, but of survival.  As such, we see the importance of moving beyond performative gestures.  We are interested in uniting with organizations that are equipped to more directly support the populations most vulnerable and most harmed by recent events.

To this end, we have made a donation to Out Youth and hope to establish an ongoing relationship with the organization. Find out more about Out Youth and the services it provides by visiting www.outyouth.org/ or www.outyouth.org/donate.

We will continue our advocacy, as we see concerning trends at the state and national level to attack trans and LGBTQIA+ rights.

Austin AMFT Board Members,

Laura Evans
Melissa Gaber
Paul Iarussi
Joy Downing
Mary Pham
Brittany Whallen

Hannah Eubank
Sheila Hoogendam
Cat van der Westhuizen
Erin Winter
Megan Yale

Charla Lineman

Kat Pedersen

Join us for our next CE event on Friday, August 12th!

Sign up for our newsletter to receive information about our 2022 CEU events.

Austin AMFT is pleased to announce that we are now offering Training/Educational Scholarship opportunities! Our scholarships are available to Austin area clinicians and students who are in need of financial assistance to access training in couples and family therapy.

Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) externship with Joe X. Cantu

3 full scholarships available for licensed clinicians

and graduate students within their final 2 semesters

Application Deadline: June 27, 2022

Click here to learn more & apply!

April 19, 2022

The Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council published proposed rules regarding 22 TAC, Chapters 801, 882, and 884

The Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council voted to propose the following rule(s) at its February 1, 2022, meeting.  These proposed rules are published in the April 22, 2022, edition of the Texas Register.

You may view the proposed changes by clicking on the rule below. The preamble includes the rationale for the rule change and request for public comment.
22 TAC §801.44 Relationships with Clients with preamble
22 TAC §801.58 Technology-Assisted Services with preamble
22 TAC §801.143 Supervisor Requirements with preamble
22 TAC §801.261 Requirements for Continuing Education with preamble
22 TAC §801.263 Requirements for Continuing Education with preamble
22 TAC §801.264 Types of Acceptable Continuing Education with preamble
22 TAC §801.266 Determination of Clock Hour Credits and Credit Hours Granted with preamble
22 TAC §801.305 Schedule of Sanctions with preamble
22 TAC §882.2 General Application File Requirements with preamble
22 TAC §882.22 Reinstatement of a License with preamble
22 TAC §884.20 Disciplinary Guidelines and General Schedule of Sanctions with preamble

Request for Public Comments

Comments on the proposed rule may be submitted to Brenda Skiff, Executive Assistant, Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council, 333 Guadalupe, Ste. 3-900, Austin, Texas 78701 or by email to rules@bhec.texas.gov. The deadline for receipt of comments is 5:00 p.m., Central Time, on May 22, 2022, which is at least 30 days from the date of publication in the Texas Register.

https://www.bhec.texas.gov/texas-state-board-of-examiners-of-marriage-and-family-therapists/board-news/index.html

March 9, 2022

The Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council published an Updated Consolidated Rule Book for Marriage & Family Therapy

https://www.bhec.texas.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/MFT-February-2022-v2.pdf

Find more information about Statues & Rules here: https://www.bhec.texas.gov/statues-and-rules/index.html