I am writing to express strong opposition to this legislation. I have been a licensed clinical psychologist in Virginia for 12 years. I graduated from an APA-approved highly competitive Ph.D. program in Virginia. After several years in private practice, I now direct a university-affiliated training clinic in a different doctoral psychology program in Virginia. Midway to their PhD, our students earn a master's degree in our APA (non-CACREP) approved program. This legislation is being proposed and supported by those who have limited knowledged understanding of the various routes to training as mental health clinicians. This bill reflects nothing more than intraprofessional turf wars. The clinical training provided through APA-approved programs is outstanding, yet CACREP is attempting to monopolize the training of master's-prepared mental health professionals. By reducing the number of licensed mental health professionals in the Commonwealth, the legislation would limit access to care of citizens seeking mental health services.  As events too close to home, such as the tragic death of Creigh Deeds' son and the violence perpetrated at Virginia Tech, demonstrate, limiting the number of master's level mental health clinicians will have dire consequences. I urge our legislators to carefully consider the consequences of passing this legislation.