ABOUT WAMFT
The Washington Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (WAMFT) is an active Independent Affiliate of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT). Through successful engagement of its members, WAMFT offers cutting edge educational events and networking opportunities, protects and advances the profession of marriage and family therapy through strong advocacy efforts within Washington state, and prioritizes its students and emerging professionals with training, scholarship, and mentoring opportunities.
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3 YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN FOCUS AREAS
& GOALS
RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
PROGRAMS
LETTER FROM PRESIDENT
Michelle Finley PhD LMFT

January 2021
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Our board of directors kicked off the new year with our second two-day strategic planning retreat (January 9th and 10th). Over the past year, the board has worked hard to realize the vision and goals set forth from last year’s strategic planning retreat even in the face of significant challenges and setbacks due to the COVID-19 global pandemic.
Despite the pandemic and the loss the world has collectively faced in 2020, the WAMFT board of directors worked tirelessly and creatively to meet our goals set forth from the 2020 strategic plan. I must say, we accomplished nearly every goal last year despite having to cancel beloved events like Mentor Day 2020 and shifting all operations and programs online. We brought our members more opportunities to connect with each other through our Building a Better Us and Community Café series. Our board worked hard to redesign and overhaul our website, so it looks snazzier, is better organized, and offers more resources tailored to each membership category we serve. We managed to bring together brilliant minds and voices to our annual conference including offering a DOH-approved and systemically oriented suicide prevention and intervention training event. We celebrated our members during a week-long series of membership appreciation events in December and still manage to raise close to $4800.
Even our legislative and advocacy efforts showed resilience and determination in the face of the pandemic. Last year brought many unforeseen challenges necessitating flexibility to address pressing current events. WAMFT’s lobbyists advocated for MFTs to be considered essential workers in Washington, advocated for telehealth pay parity from payors during the pandemic, and continued to provide defense against any increase in licensure fees. Washington State SB 5054 (Licensure Reciprocity) became active, and licensed MFTs began to apply for lateral transfers of their credentials. Our lobbyists continue to advocate for an improved verification process because many out of state clinicians have increased waiting times for their Washington State credentials.
Please stay connected with WAMFT to learn about upcoming legislative and advocacy initiatives like our Virtual Day on the Hill Event on February 24, March 22, and April 28, 2021.
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Expanding scholarship opportunities for emerging leaders and professionals in our membership.
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Engaging members in active ways to support state advocacy work.
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ELECTION RESULTS
October 2020
The election results have been tabulated and we'd like to congratulate our
newly elected WAMFT Board Members!
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Anthony Pennant, President-Elect
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Wensi (Macy) Dong, Member-at-Large
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Danesha Deloatch, Member-at-Large
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Krista Merca, Pre-Clinical Member
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Derrick Hoard, Elections Committee
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Jessica Leith, Elections Committee (write-in candidate)
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John Odell Stewart, Jr, Elections Committee (write-in candidate)
Congratulations to our newest Board Members and THANK YOU to all who ran!!
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Sincerely,
The WAMFT Elections Committee
AAMFT & OUR RELATIONSHIP
The American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) is the professional association for the field of marriage and family therapy. AAMFT represents the professional interests of more than 50,000 marriage and family therapists throughout the United States, Canada and abroad.
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Since its founding in 1942, AAMFT has been involved with the problems, needs and changing patterns of couples and family relationships. The association leads the way to increasing understanding, research and education in the field of marriage and family therapy, and ensuring that the public’s needs are met by trained practitioners. AAMFT provides individuals with the tools and resources they need to succeed as MFTs.
WAMFT is an engagement program of AAMFT, currently structured as a geographic independent affiliate. Our name is the Washington Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (WAMFT). To learn more about what it means for WAMFT to be a geographic independent affiliate of AAMFT, please visit Membership FAQs.
WAMFT receives funding from AAMFT to support our advocacy work. Based on the political landscape, emerging opportunities, and other related factors, AAMFT has approved foundational funding for WAMFT to be applied toward our lobbying efforts for 2019 and 2020, particularly related to the development of license portability laws. WAMFT is thrilled to have the backing of AAMFT as our national organization to continue the work we have been doing through our legislative committee.
