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MNU Professor Helps Pass Kansas Counseling Bill

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Ryan Chamberlin

Dr. Andrew Secor, associate professor of counselor education, was interviewed by Great Day KC on Fox 4-WDAF TV in Kansas City to discuss counselor education and interstate practice privileges for professional counselors. Watch the interview here.

When mental health counselors want to practice in a state other than where they are licensed, the roadblocks to securing approval can be enormous. A new Kansas law will make that process easier and help serve patients.

Associate Professor Andrew Secor, PhD, LCPC, LCMFT, LCAC, CCMHC, NCC, RPT-S, spearheaded an effort to get legislation introduced in the Kansas Legislature this spring and now it is law.

Secor also serves as president of the Kansas Counseling Association. In that capacity, Andrew met with Kansas Representative Susan Ruiz who introduced legislation to the Kansas House of Representatives on behalf of the Kansas Counseling Association. Secor testified before the House Health and Human Services committee as well as the Senate Public Health and Welfare committee of the Kansas Legislature. He explained how a bill providing interstate practice privileges and increasing mobility for professional counselors would help address continuity of care concerns for patients and opportunities for counselors to practice outside their home state more efficiently.

Passing both houses, HB2288 was signed by Governor Laura Kelly on April 10, 2023.

MNU Counselor Education offers multiple tracks for mental health professionals. Learn about the counseling programs at www.mnu.edu/graduate-aos/master-of-arts-in-counseling and learn about all our programs and the new RISE Opportunity Scholarship for Professional and Graduate students at MNU at www.mnu.edu/connects.

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Dr. Abby Hodges

Vice President for Academic Affairs

PhD; Organic Chemistry, Yale University 
MS; Organic Chemistry, Yale University 
BS; Chemistry, Denison University

Dr. Hodges began her career in higher education at Azusa Pacific University as a chemistry professor from 2008 to 2014. She then moved to MNU where she taught and in 2018 was appointed Chair of the Department of Natural, Health, and Mathematical Sciences. From 2022-2023, before accepting the Interim Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Hodges was the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.

Dr. Hodges’ career research has focused on protein folding and protein engineering, and she has mentored over twenty students in these research projects. She has also furthered the MNU first-year experience program and chaired the General Education committee for five years. Dr. Hodges was recognized as the MNU Faculty of the Year in 2021.

Dr. Hodges lives in Olathe with her husband Ryan and two boys.