Category: VACC News

The 6th annual Linda Heacock Memorial Fellowships Two $1,000 Fellowship Opportunities Available Download Information: Word Document or PDF Document Who is eligible? Doctoral and Masters level counseling students ...

ICD-10 Takes Effect October 1, 2015

Are You Ready?

By Lourie W. Reichenberg, LPC

• After October 1, 2015, all insurance submissions for services that occurred October 1 and later must use ICD-10 codes and NOT ICD-9 codes.
• Services prior to October 1, 2015 can still be submitted and must use the IDC-9 codes.
• ICD-10 and ICD-9 codes cannot be used on the same insurance submission form.
• ICD-10 codes are included in DSM-5 (these are the codes on the right of the disorder)
• In addition, the DSM-5 Coding Update Supplement is available free of charge, in English or Spanish, from: www.dsm.psychiatryonline.orgYou can also register at the APA website to receive DSM-5 updates
• The World Health Organization provides a 267-page pdf document free of charge at:  www.who.int/classifications
• The Centers for Medicare or Medicaid Services (www.cms.gov). CMS.gov also has a “Quick-Start” guide and has announced some “flexibility” for the first 12 months of coding using ICD-10 (check out announcements and guidelines at the same website).  
• Read More

Dear VACC Members and Colleagues:   The Virginia Association of Clinical Counselors has been the state chapter of the American Mental Health Counselors Association since 1980. During this long period of time, our mi ...

As the AMHCA Leadership Institute approaches, the Maryland Chapter of AMHCA wanted to share with you an article (below) that describes one of the most critical issues we face as a profession.   We must secure the ability ...

Twelve contestants submitted essays for the two Linda Heacock Memorial Fellowships worth $1000 each.  The 12 contestants, one male and 11 female, represented seven different graduate schools.  ODU had three contestants. Virginia Tech, Virginia Commonwealth, and Regent University had two each. Also represented were Saybrook, Cappella, and Eastern Mennonite, each with one contestant.  We appreciate each and every submission, and hope that each contestant learned something about themselves and the profession. This year’s topic was about whether it is necessary, or desirable, to have experienced one’s own psychotherapy (counseling) before providing therapy for others.