Membership & Member Services
Who is eligible to join the OCA?
Ohio boasts a population of over 6500 counselors working in a variety of professional settings, all of whom are eligible to be members of OCA. Membership is open to any person whose primary responsibilities or interests revolve around the area of counseling.
Why join OCA?
The OCA offers a variety of benefits to both the individual counselor and the counseling profession as a whole.
These benefits include:
Professional Identity
OCA serves as the catalyst that brings together counseling professionals through state divisions and chapters
OCA presents the unified voice of professional counselors to the public
OCA is a state branch of the American Counseling Association, making it the officially sanctioned link to our national organization
Supports and celebrates diversity and condemns discrimination against members and non-members alike
Publishes a quarterly newsletter, Guidelines, which keeps members informed of Division and Chapter activities, professional growth opportunities, ethical issues, and conventions.
Professional Recognition
Contracts Administrative Consultant to perform duties of maintaining membership, answering correspondence, central telephone and fax facility, overseeing newsletter, monitoring legislative action, representing the association to the public, and other duties to serve members
Contracts Lobbyist to support legislation promoting professional counseling and the rights of professional counselors to provide services to the public
Promotes the professional image of all Ohio counselors through pamphlets, brochures, webpage privileges, and other public relation activities
Provides financial support for regional Chapters to provide service and representation of all counselors on a local level
Represents Ohio counselors at the Midwest and national ACA conventions
Serves as liaison with Ohio Counselor and Social Work Board, Ohio Department of Education, and other professional boards
Enforces Ethical Standards of Practice of OCA members
Recognizes accomplishments of members through annual awards
Professional Development
Co-sponsors annual convention, All Ohio Counselors Conference, as well as other conferences and workshops enabling counselors to upgrade skills
Approved provider of Continuing Education Units for counselor license and certification renewal
Provides assistance and coordination to Divisions and Chapters in providing their members with professional development and other quality services
Provides opportunities for networking among professional counselors across Chapters and Divisions
Maintains a private listserv, which keeps members informed of activities, professional growth opportunities, ethical issues, and conventions.
OCA Divisions:
Ohio Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (OACES)
Ohio Association. for Multicultural Counseling and Development (OAMCD)
Ohio Mental Health Counselors Association (OAMCD)
Ohio Career Development Association (OCDA)
Ohio Association for Specialists in Group Work (OASGW)
Ohio School Counselors Association (OSCA)
Ohio Association for Spiritual, Ethical & Religious Values in Counseling (OASERVIC)
OCA Chapters:
Central Ohio Counseling Association (COCA)
East Ohio Counseling Association (EOCA)
Greater Cincinnati Counseling Association (GCCA)
Miami Valley Counseling Association (MVCA)
North Central Ohio Counseling Association (NCOCA)
Northwest Ohio Counseling Association (NWOCA)
Southeast Ohio Counseling Association (SEOCA)
Professional Liability Insurance for Students and Professionals:
Professional Liability Insurance is designed to protect your assets and cover your expenses in the event of a suit being brought against you for malpractice. This plan, administered by Healthcare Providers Service Organization (HPSO) and underwritten by American Casualty Company of Reading, PA, a CNA Company, is designed to meet the unique needs of today's counseling professionals and students. HPSO has earned the exclusive endorsement of the American Counseling Association (ACA) and the American Counseling Association Insurance Trust (ACAIT). It offers competitively priced coverage with broad plan benefits. This plan provides coverage limits up to $1 million each claim and up to $3 million aggregate, license protection coverage, and 100% payment of covered legal expenses. Professionals can visit the ACAIT site (www.acait.com) for more information on the plan and rates. Students can visit http://www.hpso.com/students/studentindex.php3 for more information on the plan and rates.
Your OCA membership provides discounts for members:
Waldenbooks - 20% off any professional purchase
Hertz car rental - use our CDP # 177946
AAA clubs will waive enrollment fees, call:
- Akron : Gerry Bartlebaugh 330-762-0631
- Cleveland : Diana Robinson 216-606-6453
- Cincinnati : Bill Cummings 513-762-3100
- Miami Valley : Christy Schelton 937-224-2857
- Toledo : Shannon Shock 419-843-1200
- Columbus : Virginia Cummins 614-431-7800
When is it time to join OCA?
Now is a crucial time in the establishment of our profession and a time for each of us to examine and exercise our commitment to the counseling profession.
With the present status of health care in this country changing on an almost daily basis, and with new decisions being made as to the appropriate core providers of these services, the future of the counseling profession looms before us.
The need for the profession to present a solid and unified front is of great importance in being able to influence the legislature and the public to entrust us with the responsibility and the privilege of providing needed mental health services.
Membership in this professional association, designed specifically to meet the needs of counselors and student counselors, is an excellent way to develop and express your commitment. Ask yourself, why not join? The many benefits of membership will help ensure your professional success!
Join Us! - Click here to become a member.
We encourage you to consider joining your fellow professionals by becoming a member of the Ohio Counseling Association. OCA is committed to advocating for school, mental health, career, and rehabilitation counselors throughout the state. With ever increasing changes and challenges for all of us in counseling careers, it continues to be critically important to support each other through our professional organizations. OCA needs your support to remain strong and vital.
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