This regulatory change will help protect the public in Virginia and ensure client welfare. As a Counselor Educator and clinician, it is important to me that our students are well prepared and able to provide high quality care to clients.  I have talked with clients who who were not in "good hands" and in the end suffered more trauma after their counseling experience.  This is unacceptable! CACREP accreditation requires that programs demonstrate student learning outcomes in dozens of areas of counselor competency, ensuring high quality preparation. In one study, counselors who graduated from NON-CACREP accredited programs accounted for over 81% of ethical violations, despite being a minority of practicing counselors.

Additionally, the American Counseling Association, the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision, the American Mental Health Counselors Association, the National Board for Certified Counselors, and the American Association of State Counseling Boards have all adopted a position that the process of CACREP accreditation should be the prerequisite for licensure as a professional counselor.

 Virginia has very inclusive policies that allow anyone with two years of licensure experience in another state, to relocate to Virginia and get licensed by endorsement. Please support this regulatory change, and thank you for your consideration.

Respectfully,

Jennifer Slusher