Licensed Professional Counselor in Healthcare - Research Paper Example

Licensed Professional Counsellor Licensed Professional Counsellor Mental health and substance abuse problems are increasing day by day everywhere in the world and the case of America is also not an exception. The commitments of the current generation are more than that of the generations in the past. Current generation has lot of personal social and professional commitments. The failure to fulfil these commitments often ends up in mental health problems. Some people take shelter in alcoholism and drug abuse to stay away from their stress. Licensed Professional Counsellor (LPC) is a person who provides counselling to patients with mental health and substance abuse problems. “They are master’s level mental health service providers, trained to work with individuals, families, and groups in treating mental, behavioural, and emotional problems and disorders”(American Counselling Association, 2006, p.1). The rules for becoming LPC are different in different American states. In some states, LPC’s can practice independently whereas in other states they are not allowed to do so. In order to become an LPC, a person should have a master degree in the concerned subject. He should pass different licensing examinations before becoming a professional LPC. LPCs usually undertake “the diagnosis and treatment of mental and emotional disorders, including addictions; psychoeducational techniques aimed at the prevention of such disorders; consultation to individuals, couples, families, groups, and organizations; and research into more effective therapeutic treatment modalities” (American Counselling Association, 2006, p.1). Lots of research works are going on in America in the field of mental health and substance abuse. In fact government is aiding these research works with funds and grants since substance abuse and mental health problems are increasing day by day in America. This paper analyses how a Licensed Professional Counsellor (LPC) working in the mental health and substance abuse field would go about asking for help to fund new research and programs for their clients. How an LPC would go about asking for help to fund new research and programs for his clients? As in the case of other researches, an LPC should submit a research proposal for the consideration of the concerning agency for the allotment of grants. Once the agency is convinced about the scope and utility of the proposed research, it will aid the researcher with grants. The agency will provide necessary instructions regarding the modifications required in the research proposal. At the doctoral level, there are two options for individuals who want to perform counselling or clinical work. Traditionally, the only option was a Philosophical Doctorate (Ph.D.) degree, which includes an emphasis on research and learning to be both a scientist and a clinician. Because not everyone is interested in becoming both a scientist and a practitioner, eventually an alternative was developed. The Psychological Doctorate (Psy.D.) degree is for those individuals who want to be eligible for licensure as a doctoral-level psychologist but who do not want the emphasis on research. For example, students in Ph.D. programs must complete a doctoral dissertation, which entails designing and completing a major research project. Instead of a doctoral dissertation, students in Psy.D. programs typically must complete a major paper that entails reviewing and evaluating the existing research literature on a particular clinical topic that the student chooses. (The Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) . . . Exposed (Courtesy of Michael Wiederman, Columbia College), n.d., p.4) From the above details, it is evident that two types of doctoral studies are available for the LPCs; Ph. D and Psy. D. Ph. D may not help the LPC much in his clinical practice. It is actually intended for future research works. On the other hand Psy. D will help LPCs in in their counselling profession. It should be noted that there is no point in applying for a program whose aim is different from the objectives of the applicant. Different governmental grants such as Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) grants and National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) are available for those who are interested in conducting researches in the field of mental health and substance abuse. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) grants “SAMHSA was established in 1992 and directed by Congress to target effectively substance abuse and mental health services to the people most in need and to translate research in these areas more effectively and more rapidly into the general health care system” (About the Agency (SAMHSA), 2012). During the last 20 years of service, SAMHSA has demonstrated that it is possible to reduce mental health problems and substance abuse if sincere efforts are being made. It was successful in preventing, treating and recovering thousands of people from substance abuse and mental health problems. SAMHSA is doing everything possible to encourage researches in the field of substance abuse and mental health problems. Since 2002, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has awarded 30 grants through its Older Adults Mental Health Targeted Capacity Expansion (OA TCE) program. These grants are designed to increase, develop, and implement mental health services for individuals older than age 60 and to build infrastructure to support the service system using Evidence-Based Practices (EBPs). The most recent funding cycle awarded ten grants in 2008. These grants will fund projects for up to 3 years at approximately $400,000 per year (Scheinholtz, 2010, p.26) Electronic applications are required for applying SAMHSA grants. The application must be accompanied by a DUNS number registration, Central contractor registration and a grants.gov registration. American states should submit a two-year application for the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant. SAMHSA grants are dispersed currently for the following purposes; To fund priority treatment and support services for individuals without insurance or who cycle in and out of health insurance coverage. To fund those priority treatment and support services not covered by Medicaid, Medicare or private insurance offered through the exchanges and that demonstrate success in improving outcomes and/or supporting recovery. To fund universal, selective and targeted prevention activities and services. To collect performance and outcome data to determine the ongoing effectiveness of behavioural health prevention, treatment and recovery support services and to plan the implementation of new services on a nationwide basis (SAMHSA requires two-year block grant application, 2011, p.2). LPCs who are intending to conduct research in the above fields can apply for SAMHSA grant. The procedures for getting SAMHSA grant are simple compared that of other grants. For example, for getting mental health block grant, an advisory council is required in states. This advisory council is taking decisions upon the allotment of grants. On the other hand SAMHSA does not have such requirements for the allotment of grants. National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Grants The national institute of mental health (NIMH) is the largest organization in the world as far as the mental health research works are concerned. It is one among the 27 institutes and centres that makes up the national institute of health or NIH. It should be noted that NIH is the primary agency responsible for the funding or any issues in healthcare sector. It has separate institutes’ different fields of healthcare sector. NIMH is the agency which accounts for the funding of research works in mental health and substance abuse. It was established in 1946 at the time of President Harry Truman. “This year NIMH anticipates funding over 500 new competing research project grant awards. While NIMH does not have a specific pay line, the Institute expects to support at least three quarters of the applications under the 20th percentile”(NIMH, 2012). NIMH does not prescribe any limit for the allotment of grants. They accept sufficient applications in each year for the allotment of grants. Allotment of grants is usually done based on priority basis or percentile order. However, the final decision for the allotment of NIMH grants are taken based on the plan submitted, relevance of the plan, availability of funds, and recommendations from the National Advisory Mental Health Council (NIMH, 2012). Sherrill et al. (2009) pointed out that “Clear linkage among the design, aims, hypotheses, and data analysis plan and avoidance of disconnections among these elements also strengthens applications” (Sherrill et al., 2009, p.221). Conclusions Licensed Professional Counsellor (LPC) is a person who is authorised to provide counselling services to patients with mental health and substance abuse problems. Different governmental grants are available for LPCs who are interested in conducting researches after their professional studies. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) grants and National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) grants are the most important grants for the research works in substance abuse and mental health problems. An LPC who is interested in conducting research works in these fields should decide first whether he wanted to have a Philosophical Doctorate (Ph.D.) degree or a Psychological Doctorate (Psy. D.) degree. Based on his decision, he should provide a research proposal to the grant allotment authority. The authority will take final decisions about the allotment of grants after the careful evaluation of the nature, scope and utility of the proposal. References About the Agency (SAMHSA), (2012). Retrieved from http://www.samhsa.gov/about/ American Counselling Association, (2006). Who Are Licensed Professional Counsellors? Retrieved from http://www.counseling.org/Files/FD.ashx?guid=076eccaa-21e5-47ce-bed7-afddfabd3201 NIMH (2012). FY 2012 Funding Strategy for Research Grants. Retrieved from http://www.nimh.nih.gov/research-funding/grants/fy-2012-funding-strategy-for-research-grants.shtml Scheinholtz, M.K. Implementation of Evidence-Based Practices: SAMHSAs Older Adults Targeted Capacity Expansion Grant Program. Generations. Spring2010, Vol. 34 Issue 1, p26-35 SAMHSA requires two-year block grant application. Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Weekly. 4/18/2011, Vol. 23 Issue 16, p1-4. Sherrill, J.T.; Sommers, D. I. & Nierenberg, A. A. (2009). Integrating Statistical and Clinical Research Elements in Intervention-Related Grant Applications: Summary from an NIMH Workshop. Academic Psychiatry, v33 n3 p221-228 May-Jun 2009. The Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) . . . Exposed (Courtesy of Michael Wiederman, Columbia College), (n. d.). Retrieved from http://www.psych.sc.edu/PDFDocs/LPC1.pdf Read More