Credential Holder Spotlight: Dr. Michael Jones

In a survey by the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, more than 20% of adults report using telehealth services from 2021-2022. An increasing number of individuals have turned to telemental health services to support their mental health needs.  

The CCE Board Certified-TeleMental Health Provider (BC-TMH) credential is designed to build competency of mental health professionals providing telemental health services. This way, providers can offer the best possible care for their clients in an online setting.  

Michael Jones, PhD, NCC, BC-TMH, LPC-S, is the president of the Southern Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (SACES), a professor of counseling and Director of Continuing Education at University of the Cumberlands, and the owner of Renewed Vision Counseling Services in Searcy, Arkansas. He has more than a decade of experience as a telemental health provider.  

Dr. Jones pursued accreditation with CCE because he wanted to learn more about how to effectively provide services for clients in an online capacity. Offering counseling services online also helps him to address barriers to care.  

“I like trying out new methodologies. Especially living in a rural state, being able to provide services for individuals in different places was important to me,” Dr. Jones says. “I've been able to really focus in on a population of people who traditionally have not had access to services.” 

As an African American counselor, he says around 90% of his caseload is now African American. That wasn’t the case before the pandemic. 

“They're able to find somebody to do therapy with them that looks like them, which has been important, and it just gives them the outlet to deal with their mental health concerns without having to drive anywhere,” he says.  

While the BC-TMH has supported Dr. Jones in his own practice, he shares his expertise and experience with other counselors as a BC-TMH Training Provider.  

The BC-TMH training at Renewed Vision Counseling Services is structured for counselors in master's and doctorate programs, and for counselor educators.  

Dr. Jones says he wants to train counselor educators so they’re then able to train the next generation of counselors. He also works to make the training affordable for graduate students to support their counseling careers.  

“We have a new generation of counselors who are coming out who need to be prepared to offer telemental health services,” Dr. Jones says. 

Although the credential is valuable for counselors, other mental health professionals can apply for the BC-TMH. Dr. Jones trains social workers and psychiatric nurses so they can also provide quality online services to their clients and patients.  

Dr. Jones’ practice has provided BC-TMH training for around 8,000 individuals, but the work is far from over.  

“Online therapy is never going anywhere,” Dr. Jones says. “It’s always going to be around.” 

Mental health professionals interested in earning the BC-TMH credential need to either have a current, active, qualifying license to practice in a behavioral health field in the state or country where they live or work, or have a current, active, qualifying credential to practice in a behavioral health field from the list of qualifying credentials and certifications on our website. Candidates need to pass a Telehealth Professional Training series and the final examination, the TeleMental Health Examination (TMHE) within 2 years of applying for the BC-TMH. The credential is valid for 5 years if the recipient complies with credentialing standards.  

More information about applying for the BC-TMH can be found on our website