I am a Counselor Educator and am fully licensed in Virginia and in North Carolina. As a Counselor Educator who earned his Ph.D. in a CACREP-accredited Counselor Education program in VA and began his career at a CACREP-accredited Counseling program in VA, I know the importance of having the CACREP background. I also hold my NCC credential, which is the credential that provides the foundation for your Counselor Identity.

As a Counselor Educator who is early in my career, I have moved to two different states and the endorsement process can be a grueling process. I am also sensitive to other Counselors like those who are in military families who have to move around a lot. Virginia is a leader in licensure as we are the first state to get Counseling licensure. We could also be a leader in adopting a more streamlined Endorsement process that recognizes the importance of have a CACREP foundation and having the NCC credential. As such, I am writing in support of petition 281 titled Licensure by Endorsement. Inclusion of the NCLEP into the endorsement rules will pave the way for a simple, clear, and reasonable portability path for counselors in Virginia. It is jointly proposed by four leading counseling organizations (AASCB, ACES, AMHCA, and NBCC) and will play a vital role in addressing the portability problem that faces the profession by increasing access to care while protecting the public. Now is the time to remedy this problem. Thank you for your consideration.