On April 25 and 26, 2013 we are proud to bring you what we consider to be the best conference this country has to offer.

We have packed 2 days full of learning, networking and sharing, there is  something for absolutely everyone.

The beautiful Mystic Marriott helps make this 2-day event even more special.

Please contact any of the Board members if you have questions or need more information, and we look forward to seeing you there!

2013 Annual Conference

Our 2013 Annual Conference is April 25-26.

Following a year of engaging our neighboring divisions in discussion about collaborating for growth opportunities, the Rhode Island division has elected to join us in hosting an expanded conference offering.

Our upcoming conference will encompass two days and feature multiple popular presenters including: Dr. Kenneth Hardy, Dr. Eliana Gil and Charlette Mukulka.

There will be new social and networking opportunities (hey Students – we mean you too!) along with special discounted room rates ($149!)  from the Mystic Marriott to enhance your visit and encourage overnight stays - but they will sell out so make your reservations now.

We are offering multiple ticketing options to accommodate various needs – even 50% off 2013 Annual Conference Non-Profit Registration for groups of 4 or more from agencies or non-profits.

And for those of you who were lucky enough to attend last year’s amazing Conference, this year is going to be even better!

As always, more detailed information can be found on our website at ctamft.org, or you can email us at manager@ctamft.org.

See you there!!

Health Insurance

On Saturday March 2, Katherine Allen, current CTAMFT Board Member, was one of many graduates asked to participate on a panel for Ingeborg Haug’s Ethics class of current MFT students at Fairfield University regarding “Life After Graduation”. One of the topics that was discussed was the choice and process regarding accepting insurance and getting on insurance panels.

Luckily, for Fall/Winter 2011, Katherine had written an article for Connecticut Connection, the CTAMFT Newsletter, titled To Panel or Not to Panel. It is being re-posted here for the students and for anyone who wishes to look into accepting insurance in your private practices.

As always, Katherine is available to field questions at marketing@ctamft.org.

In addition, this article helps remind us all about how important following HIPAA guidelines is, and how hard things can be when something goes wrong.

As always, please contact us at manager@ctamft.org if you’d like more information or guidance on how to get started.

Dear Members,

We will never forget the tragedy that hit our home state of Connecticut just a few short weeks ago. To our friend and colleague Nelba Márquez-Greene and her family, there just are no words to adequately express our sympathies. We understand the trauma of losing your Ana will have an everlasting effect and we collectively hope for the strength and courage you need to heal. We wish to share with everyone that a contribution from our membership was made in honor of Ana Grace Márquez-Greene as a small act of giving from us all.

We are grateful that this year’s Annual Conference theme is Healing Through Family Therapy. We are honored to welcome Dr. Eliana Gil and Dr. Kenneth Hardy as keynote speakers for this event. The format has changed and we are excited to offer a broader program spanning two days which allows so much more time for our connections and relationships to grow. Please consider spending this time with us. Details and registration are now available online at ctamft.org.

Also included in this month’s news you will find information about the new CPT codes that are now in effect, CTAMFT Bylaw Updates, information about CTAMFT’s New Video Workshop Series, 2013 Call for Election Nominations, and the Final Call for Poster Submissions (for the Annual Conference). We appreciate your involvement and hope that you are finding what you are looking for from us. As always, please feel free to contact us with any of your individual needs or ideas.

All my best,
Dorothy

• A distinction has been made between an initial evaluation with medical services done by a physician (90792) and an initial evaluation done by a non-physician (90791).
• The psychotherapy codes have been simplified and expanded to include time with both the patient and/or family member: There are now just three timed codes to be used for psychotherapy in all settings (90832  30-minutes; 90834  45-minutes; 90837  60-minutes) instead of a distinction made by setting and whether E/M services were provided.
• The psychotherapy codes that remain the same include family therapy, patient not present (90846), family therapy with patient present (90847), multi-family group treatment (90849) and group therapy (90853).

There are also new codes for Crisis Psychotherapy, Interactive Complexity Add-on, and extended session times (+30-minutes, +45-minutes and +60-minutes), if your agency or practice accommodates those scenarios.

Please visit ctamft.org and read the AMA’s full description in more detail.

Our first offering is from the October 12, 2012 Professional Development workshop on Social Media and HIPAA Compliance, presented by Katherine Allen, LMFT. This will be a 2-video series. The first downloadable video is expected to be available later this month.

We hope you enjoy this promo of the workshop video. Please visit the new store launching later this month on ctamft.org to take advantage of this offering.

elections

The Election Committee is seeking Nominees for the following Board of Director positions and Nominating Election Committee Chair position opening in 2013:

• Director (3-years)
• Treasurer-Elect (1-year) followed by Treasurer (2-years)
• Student Representative (1-year) followed by Student Consultant (1-year)
• Nominating Elections Committee Chair (2-years)

A detailed description of the responsibilities of each position is available on our website. If you are interested in serving or know someone who would be a great candidate, please notify the Elections Committee by Friday, February 15, 2013.

Candidates will also need to complete the 2013 Nominating Elections Form by February 22, 2013. Please contact us at elections@ctamft.org for additional information.

Thank you, Elections Committee

Bylaws

This year all divisions need to update their Bylaws according to the new AAMFT membership categories, which includes what membership categories are eligible to run for positions as officers and board members, plus appointments for committee chairs.

Your Board of Directors have drafted our proposed Bylaws which have been approved by AAMFT. To pass the updated CTAMFT Division Bylaws, a vote is needed by our membership.

Next week voting members will receive a link to vote to approve these changes or to provide feedback. All members may view the final draft version of the CTAMFT Division Bylaws on ctamft.org. (member login necessary)

Poster Guide

2013 ANNUAL CONFERENCE
April 25-26, 2013
Mystic Marriott, Mystic, CT
Submission Deadline: January 15, 2013

The Poster Session Committee invites the submission of proposals for poster presentations during the 2013 CTAMFT Annual Conference. Posters will be prominently displayed during the Annual Conference. In addition, presenters will be asked to stand by their poster during the poster session to respond to comments and questions posed by conference attendees. Posters will be presented on Friday April 26th, the second day of the Conference.

A poster may be about research findings, clinical interventions,or any topic of interest to marriage and family therapists. Posters can include text, charts, tables, or other graphic representations suitable for conveying the message. Check out a great guide here. We encourage posters that are creative and that address current issues in the field of family therapy. While the Poster Session is used to enhance the scope of information offered by the conference, posters that include work with children or families are encouraged.

Anyone who plans to attend the CTAMFT Annual Conference is welcome to submit a poster as a way to enhance the conference experience. Teams of researchers or clinicians may submit posters if at least one member of the team will be present at the Annual Conference. Posters will be selected based upon the quality and relevance of the proposed presentation, with preference given first to CTAMFT members, next to individuals and organizations in Connecticut, and finally to out-of-state presenters. Accepted presenters will be notified by February 15, 2013 and must confirm their attendance by March 1, 2013.

A complete Call for Posters Proposals can be found on CTAMFT.org.

More information is also available by contacting: Dr. Rachel Tambling, Poster Committee Chair