The definition of clinical mental health counseling as a profession illustrates what a mental health counselor does, but the values of a profession provide a better sense of the why, or how these core values guide the practice of mental health counseling. For example, codes of ethics, which focus on the ethical practice of counselors and are intended to guide the practice of counseling in order to ensure the safety of those served, are built upon core values and principles. 

The AMHCA Code of Ethics, like other related counseling codes of ethics, are influenced by core professional values of the counseling profession, which are an important way of living out an ethical commitment:

• Respecting human rights and dignity of all people. 
• Ensuring the integrity of all professional relationships. 
• Acting to alleviate personal distress and suffering of all those served. 
• Enhancing the quality of professional knowledge and its application to increase professional and personal effectiveness.
• Enhancing human development throughout the lifespan.
• Emphasizing the strengths, rather than the deficits, of all people.
• Serving individuals holistically. 
• Advocating for the equitable and appropriate provision of services for all people. 
• Honoring diversity and embracing an inclusive approach in supporting the worth, dignity, potential, and uniqueness of all people within their social and cultural contexts. 
• Practicing in a competent and ethical manner. 

In 2021, AMHCA published the “Clinical Mental Health Counselor Declaration,” which calls upon mental health counselors to voluntarily commit to advocating for the well-being of individuals, families, and communities through means that integrate mental health with social, cultural, vocational, educational, and physical wellness. The Declaration includes a Pledge, which comprises voluntary commitments for mental health clinicians such as: 

• Dedicate my professional life to the service of humanity.
• Maintain the utmost respect for each individual and honor their autonomy, dignity, and self-determination. 
• Honor my professional capabilities, so that even under threat, I will not violate human rights or civil liberties. 
• Share my professional knowledge and work in partnership with other health professionals. 
• Attend to my own well-being, physical wellness, and personal relationships. 
• Accept my lifelong obligation to improve my professional capabilities in order to provide the highest standard of care. 
• Advocate for the betterment of others, for equality, inclusion, and the intrinsic dignity and the inherent rights of every person, and for the advancement of health and well-being. 

These values and principles guide the profession of clinical mental health counseling and therefore inform the work that LCMHCs engage in. These values and principles drive UMHCA’s commitment to serve the field of mental health counseling, Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselors (LCMHC) in Utah, and residents of the state of Utah. 

UMHCA will continue to work toward improving the health and well-being of Utah’s residents and its mental health counseling workforce through legislative advocacy, professional development, cultivating opportunities for networking and mutual support, and promoting the field of mental health counseling. UMHCA is ardently committed to serving all Utahns and all its mental health providers through a variety of professional activities, while maintaining unequivocal adherence to the values and principles of the clinical mental health counseling profession (as stated previously). 

Let us all continue to serve and support one another for the betterment of our state and maintain a commitment to the welfare and well-being of those we serve and share community with. As together, with a singular, myopic, and fervent commitment to the health and well-being of all members of our community, we can and will promote the health and well-being of all Utahns.