In my capacity as President of the Licensed Clinical Professional Counselors of Maryland (LCPCM), I want to express our state's strong opposition to a CACREP only standard in the Commonwealth. While we respect our neighboring state's right to self determination in its standards, we do want to express the highest degree of concern that this move would restrict the movement of counseling professionals between Virginia and Maryland, where we have many high quality programs that are not CACREP accredited and may never be, as they are Counseling Psychology programs.

Whatever five year waiting program exists to create a loop hole to allow non-CACREP, Maryland counselors to work in the Commonwealth is still a symbolic disparagement of their credentials without merit and a practical impediment to their working in your state.

The CACREP only movement is incredibly saddening to see, as it divides our profession, disenfranchises our Counseling Psychology programs and their graduates, and seems based in a black and white thinking that feels contrary to the creative spirit of the counseling process. We can think of many more humane and respectful ways to promote national accreditation in our profession rather than the one Virginia proposes.

I respectfully urge the Virginia Board of Counseling to seek a fairer resolution to this controversy that transcends the narrow CACREP only view and instead seeks a creative and inclusive final regulation that unites counselors in our common values rather than divides us in our regrettable pettiness.

Thank you kindly for sharing my views.

Larry Epp, Ed.D., LCPC

President, Licensed Clinical Professional Counselors of Maryland

Maryland's Chapter of AMHCA