PACFA Council delegates will vote on key changes that will impact all members following an Information Session on Wednesday 11 May 2022.
The Information Session replaced the Council meeting planned for 30 April, which was cancelled when some presenters were unable to attend.
In the days following the 11 May Information Session, Council delegates will vote in an electronic ballot on:
1. Applying for full or ‘ordinary’ membership of the Australian Health Professions Australia (AHPA), a move which is aimed at increasing professional recognition of PACFA member counsellors and psychotherapists as members of the allied and mental health sector.
At our Member Forum held on 5 April, PACFA CEO Johanna de Wever told members that standing alongside other allied health professionals, with the added strength of AHPA’s advocacy, would support PACFA’s capacity to achieve key member objectives such as Medicare rebate access and removing the need for counsellors and psychotherapists to pay GST.
Ms de Wever will present to PACFA Council delegates about the proposal to apply for full membership of AHPA.
2. Formation of a new Creative and Experiential Therapies College
The proposed new PACFA college would be a ‘home within the PACFA home’ for therapists who specialise in the use of ‘more than verbal’ approaches to therapy, including the arts (visual, music, dance/movement, creative writing and drama) as well as play, embodied/somatic, nature-based and animal-assisted methods.
Like other PACFA colleges, the proposed Creative and Experiential Therapies College would provide a forum for these practitioners to network with each other, create professional development events and advocate.
The proposed convenor and deputy convenor of a Creative and Experiential Therapies College – Dr Carla Van Laar and Alisoun Neville will present to Council.
3. Revised PACFA Training Standards 2022
The revised Training Standards highlight the development of the profession, recognising PACFA membership more broadly, valuing individual supervision and quality assurance measures, and making the way we welcome members into our organisation more functional.
The proposed three membership tracks provide a simpler yet more robust process, ensuring that we attract and admit highly qualified members via PACFA accredited and non-accredited courses and a clearer Recognition of Prior Learning track.
Professional Standards Committee Chair Dr Kate Briggs and Education Program Accreditation Committee Chair Biliana Dearly will present about this proposal.
The PACFA Council is our organisation’s guiding body and consists of delegates from representatives from PACFA’s colleges, branches, committees, member associations and Board.
The Council is responsible for making important decisions regarding PACFA’s future, including setting the criteria for training and ethical standards, creating new colleges, and setting membership requirements.