A gap exists in the counseling profession between research and practice. Community-based participatory research (CBPR) is one approach that could reduce this gap. The CBPR framework can serve as an additional tool for translating research findings into practical interventions for communities and counseling practitioners. Stronger community partnerships between researchers and practitioners will further improve treatment for our clients. The purpose of this study was to develop competencies that would provide the foundations for a training guideline in CBPR. Using the Delphi method, an expert panel achieved consensus on 153 competencies (knowledge, skills, attitudes, activities). Competencies are significant for the profession because they establish best practice, guidelines of service, and professional training.

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Designed to improve preK-12 student academic and behavioral outcomes, a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS), such as Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports (PBIS) or Response to Intervention (RTI), is a broadly applied framework being implemented in countless schools across the United States. Such educational restructuring and system changes require school counselors to adjust their activities and interventions to fully realize the aims of MTSS. In this special issue of The Professional Counselor, the roles and functions of school counselors in MTSS frameworks are examined from various angles. This introductory article summarizes the key issues and the basic themes explored by the special issue contributors.

Black and Latina women are disproportionately affected by both HIV and intimate partner violence (IPV). For these women, the complex relationship between HIV and IPV is experienced within a context shaped by gender, race, ethnicity, religion, and other cultural factors. Hence, a culturally responsive approach that considers the power dynamics of relationships, stigma, and chronic disconnection, and that centers the intersecting identities of clients, is essential to effectively serving this clientele. Relational-cultural theory provides a culturally informed framework that empowers Black and Latina women affected by HIV and IPV. Application of this theoretical framework will be discussed and illustrated via two case vignettes.

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