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Professional Development and Education Committee (PDEC)

Committee Mission Statement

We believe that education needs to be rooted in decolonized and liberative principles. The education committee seeks to sponsor high-caliber and timely educative presentations to increase competency, provoke critical consciousness, and challenge oppressive practices. We offer continuing education opportunities which are accessible and further the embodiment of ethical clinical practice. We support counselors in developing cultural humility and strategies to reduce suffering. WMHCA and the committee actively seek to recruit presenters with diverse and intersectional identities, philosophies, and content.

Contact information

Chair: Angela Cross PhD, LMHC, NCC

Vice-Chair: Heidi Ehrilch LMHC, NCC

Committee Purpose

The Professional Development and Education Committee is inviting all WMHCA members to join the committee. The goal of the Professional Development and Education Committee is to vet presenters for workshops, select topics that best serve members, plan and host workshops, and stay updated on all continuing education requirements set forth by the Washington State Department of Health. The committee also explores and makes decisions regarding curriculum development.

Continuing Education Courses

Current Live Professional Development Offerings

Current On Demand Professional Development Offerings

WMCHA is always accepting professional development proposals for continuing education. Click here for more information.

WMHCA also approves continuing education for other organizations or providers. Click here for more information.

HELMS Update

Attention Washington State Counselors: HELMS Is Now Required for Licensure Applications & Renewals

The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) recently launched the Healthcare Enforcement and Licensing Management System (HELMS) modernizing and replacing the outdated ILRS system.

All counselors must now use HELMS for licensure applications and renewals. HELMS provides:

Faster processing and electronic notifications
Easy online access to license status, renewals, and updates
Secure digital certificates and renewal notices (no more paper mailings)
Streamlined tools for managing your professional credential

Where to Renew: Log in through your Secure Access Washington (SAW) account and add the HELMS service to manage your license.

To Make the Transition Easier: the Professional Development & Education Committee created a step-by-step How to Create Your HELMS Account guide.

Continuing Education Requirements

All providers have to take:

2 CE's of health equity continuing education every 4 years,
2 CE's of roles and professional boundaries every 2 years,
6 CE's of ethics every 2 years,
6 CE's of Suicide Assessement and Treatment (2nd time must be an advanced course)

What are the Health Equity Training Standards?

As of January 1, 2024 all providers licensed under Title 18 must take two (2) continuing education credits of health equity training every four (4) years. This includes associates.

The training must:

Include implicit bias training to identify strategies to reduce bias during assessment and diagnosis and may include, but is not limited to, at least one of the topics below

Instruction on skills to address the structural factors, such as bias, racism, and poverty, that manifest as health inequities.

Self-reflection to assess how the licensee's social position can influence their relationship with clients and their communities.

Strategies for recognizing patterns of health care disparities on an individual, institutional, and structural level and eliminating factors that influence them.

Intercultural communication skills training, including how to work effectively with an interpreter and how communication styles differ across cultures.

Have trainers with demonstrated knowledge and experience related to health equity. Research referenced in the training must be based on current empirical research and known best practices.