After years of effort by CAMFT, AAMFT, the National Board of Certified Councilors, and Congress; the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has created a separate job classification in the Federal workforce for marriage and family therapists and mental health counselors. According to OPM, this classification will become operational in the next 90 days for present employees and new hires. At this time, the specific job standards have not been released but Senate staff has been reassured by the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) that they will be released by January. These standards will not only apply to the VA but to all Federal agencies, thus making it easier for a MFT to transfer between different parts of the Federal Government. 

CAMFT Executive Director Joy Alafia was quoted in the press release published by Senator Tester’s office on this matter. You can read the full press release here. 

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