Practice Plan

For this assignment you will create a practice plan that will prepare you to take your place as a clinical mental health counselor who serves a selected population in your community. Completing this assignment will require you to think about the context in which you will someday serve clients”the historical context, the network of mental health services currently available to clients in your community, and the labor market context that may influence your selected area of practice. This assignment will also invite you to envision yourself participating in a professional organization that supports clinical mental health counselors and the counseling profession.

This is your papers introduction (one paragraph). An effective introduction prepares the reader by identifying the purpose of the paper and providing the organization of the paper.  In the body of your paper, indent the first line of each paragraph. Double space throughout (with no extra spaces between paragraphs), and use 12-point Times New Roman. For the purposes of this assessment, simply replace this text with a brief paragraph in your own words stating what this paper will cover, thus cuing the reader as to what will follow.
Historical Background
Identify and describe a population whom you would like to counsel someday (for example, children, teens, seniors, LGBTQ individuals, individuals with a particular disability or disorder). Provide reasons why you think you would find this area of counseling rewarding. When providing these personal reasons, it is acceptable to use first-person voice. 
In another paragraph, concisely summarize the history and development of clinical mental health counseling, including key events that have influenced counseling services available for this population. This section should be about one page and should be in third-person voice. 
Network and Practice
Describe the network of mental health counseling services available for a client from your selected population, based on your Internet search of all agencies that offer mental health services for your selected population in your community. Include services that are available across the continuum of care, including inpatient, outpatient, partial treatment and aftercare options.  
In a second paragraph, identify a potential professional niche for yourself within this network of services. Offer your review of information available in O*Net, the Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT), and the Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH). Analyze the skills, educational requirements, and average earnings of a counselor in your state.
Supervision and Consultation
Describe a plan for receiving post-masters clinical supervision that meets ethical requirements of the American Counseling Association and legal requirements in your state, referencing specific points in the ethical and legal codes. Cite the codes as you describe your plan, and include the codes in the References section of your paper. 
Next, describe resources in your professional community with whom you could engage in case consultation. Identify practices you would use so that your case consultation would meet ethical and legal requirements. Cite specific ethical or legal codes that will guide you when you need to seek consultation about a case. 
Professional Organizations
In this section, identify several national, state, regional, or special interest professional organizations that will support your practice as a professional counselor. Describe several ways in which you will benefit from affiliation with these professional counseling organizations.  
Conclusion
Provide a brief conclusion for your paper.  Mention that your Professional Counseling Disclosure Statement is presented in Appendix A. 
References
[Here, include the sources that you cited, using hanging indentation. The references below provide example citations for an article, book, and website. See your course syllabus, as well, for examples of how to cite the assigned and optional resources you have used.]
Author, A. A., Author, B. B., & Author, C. C. (year). Title of article. Title of Periodical, volume # (issue #), xx“xx.
Erford, B. T. (2018). Orientation to the counseling profession: Advocacy, ethics, and essential professional foundations (3rd ed.). New York, NY: Pearson.
Mental Health America. (2019, January).  Position statement 63: Participation in mental health planning, advisory and governance boards. Retrieved from http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/positions/advisory-boards
Appendix A 
Professional Counselor Disclosure Statement
Present a polished draft of your Professional Counselor Disclosure Statement here.  For purposes of this assessment, you may assume that you are a fully licensed counselor with a Masters Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Design your Statement so that it is clear and succinct.  It must include your certifications, licenses, and educational credentials, as well as your professional memberships that support an area of expertise. Include additional information that will allow you to meet ethical and legal standards for disclosing essential information to clients who are beginning counseling in your care.