The American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) is a firm believer in the power of collaboration. By partnering with counterpart organizations and consumer groups sharing an interest in effective mental health/whole-health services, we work to further the profession of Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT), while also promoting the interests of those for whom we practice. The AAMFT is proud to provide members with this informational resource that demonstrates our commitment to staying active within the health care community & beyond.
MFT & LPC Medicare Coalition
This coalition is composed of AAMFT, the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT), the American Counseling Association (ACA), the American Mental Health Counselors Association (AMHCA) and the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC). The purpose of this coalition is to obtain a change in federal law to add eligibility of private-practice MFTs and LPCs as Medicare Part B office-based practitioners.
MFT & LPC VA Coalition
This coalition is composed of AAMFT, the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT), the American Counseling Association (ACA), the American Mental Health Counselors Association (AMHCA) and the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC). The purposes of this coalition are to increase the number of MFT and LPC jobs at federal Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities, and to permit MFT and LPC post-graduate interns to become eligible for VA stipends for clinical internships.
SAMHSA Minority Fellowship Program (MFP) Coalition
The federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) operates a program under which professional-association grantees select Doctoral students in six behavioral-health professions for fellowships based on applicants’ commitment to pursue a clinical or research career serving communities of color. AAMFT is one of the grantees, as are the American Psychiatric Association (ApA), the American Psychological Association (APA), the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), the American Nurses Association (ANA), and the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC). This coalition advocates for maximum funding for this program.
Mental Health Liaison Group (MHLG)
National organizations representing consumer, family members, advocates, professionals and providers. AAMFT consistently signs onto MHLG letters of support and/or concern on federal relevant mental health legislation and regulatory policy.
Health Professions and Nursing Education Coalition (HPNEC)
HPNEC is a coalition of healthcare professional groups that advocates for maximum funding under the federal Health Professions Education Act. Funds are available under Title VII of this Act for non-nursing personnel (including MFTs) training involving student fellowships and loans as well as faculty financial support. Title VIII of this Act provides similar funds for nursing personnel.
Friends of Indian Health
The Friends of Indian Health is a coalition of healthcare professional groups that advocates for maximum funding for the federal Indian Health Service (IHS), which provides healthcare on Tribal Reservations as well as to urban Natiive American people. MFTs are eligible for IHS employment.
Coalition for Patient Rights (CPR)
CPRconsists of 37 organizations representing a variety of licensed health care professionals who provide a diverse array of safe, effective, and affordable health care services to millions of patients each year.
- AAMFT was selected to participate in a 2009 CPR communications listening session
- AAMFT signed onto a CPR letter to President Obama on health care reform
National Coalition on Mental Health & Aging (NCMHA)
A mental health and aging coalition is characterized by the common interest of a diverse group of agencies, organizations and individuals working together to improve and increase mental health and substance abuse services to older adults.
Amer. Red Cross Disaster Mental Health Services
"In the broadest definition, the function of the American Red Cross Disaster Mental Health Worker (DMHW) is to ease the feelings of emotional distress among all the people with whom he/she is in contact. Provides emergency and preventive mental health services to people affected by disaster and to Red Cross workers assigned to a disaster relief operation and their families; services include educations about stressors and their effects, methods of coping; and advocacy, crisis interventions, and referral services to resources to meet mental health related problems."
Fair Access Coalition on Testing (FACT)
- "FACT is an independent organization of professionals dedicated to the protection and support of public access to professionals and organizations who have demonstrated competence in the administration and interpretation of assessment instruments, including psychological tests."
Give an Hour
"Our mission is to develop national networks of volunteers capable of responding to both acute and chronic conditions that arise within our society. Our first target population is the U.S. troops and families who are being affected by the current military conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. Give an Hour™ is asking mental health professionals nationwide to literally donate an hour of their time each week to provide free mental health services to military personnel and their families."
AAMFT Co-sponsorship:
National Children's Mental Health Awareness Day
"Each May, Awareness Day raises awareness of effective programs for children's mental health needs; demonstrates how children's mental health initiatives promote positive youth development, recovery, and resilience; and shows how children with mental health needs thrive in their communities."
Recovery Month
Recovery Month provides a platform to celebrate people in recovery and those who serve them. Each September, thousands of treatment programs around the country celebrate their successes and share them with their neighbors, friends, and colleagues in an effort to educate the public about treatment, how it works, for whom, and why. Substance abuse treatment providers have made significant accomplishments, having transformed the lives of untold thousands of Americans. These successes often go unnoticed by the broader population; therefore, Recovery Month provides a vehicle to celebrate these successes."
National Depression Screening Day
National Depression Screening Day is held during Mental Illness Awareness Week each October. It is designed to call attention to the illness of depression on a national level, educate the public about its symptoms and effective treatments, offer individuals the opportunity to be screened for depression, and connect those in need of treatment to the mental health care system.
AAMFT Consumer Partners/Collaborations:
- Witness Justice
- National Military Families Association
- Alliance for Health Reform
- End Insurance Discrimination Now - parity law passed in 2009
- White House Nat'l Conference on Aging - last held in 2005
AAMFT Staff Affiliations
- American Society of Association Executives (ASAE)
- American Bar Association (ABA)