After studying the issues concerning CACREP-only accreditation, I urge all colleagues and lawmakers to reject this narrow vision for the practice of mental health counselors.  Just at a time in the world when we need diversity and creativity to deal with mental health challenges more pressing than ever before, it makes no sense at all and would be destructive to restrict the public's access to mental health professionals, as long as they are able to prove that they can offer a high quality of care from their respective accreditation programs as well as from their experience. Nowadays we need just the opposit of monopolistic ideologies, and that means greater openess for high quality counseling from various directions and disciplines. My own experience of 48 years as a mental health counselor (PhD from University of Florida, family therapist currently residing in Germany) convinces me to strongly oppose the CACREP-only proposal. Thank you for your attention to this important matter.

Dr. Eugenia Kienzle