Dear Governor McAullife,

Let me begin by saying I’ve been extremely impressed with your tenure as governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia. I’m always pleased to hear news of your work to improve conditions for the people of my home state.

Currently, I am very troubled by the proposed regulations to limit LPC counseling certification to CACREP. This is an issue that has put undue strain on me and other professionals for several years. In 2013 I attended a competitive Master's program in Clinical-Counseling psychology that offered me robust and comprehensive training in psychopathology, pharmacology and empirically-based treatments. In addition to an overview of current treatment models, the emphasis on research and statistics improved my literacy in evaluating new data, which I believe is necessary for providers in a rapidly evolving field. The program was, in my opinion, exceptional. Employers and colleagues have been consistently surprised at my expertise in working with the mentally ill population.

Unfortunately, much of my training has gone to waste. For several years, Master's level psychologists have been under attack by credentialing and boards. No longer seen as fit to be licensed psychologists, many of us have turned to LPC credentialing in hopes of finding employment commensurate with our training. In 2013, my alma mater petitioned the Commonwealth to allow graduates from the Clinical-Counseling psychology program to be eligible for LPC licensure. This petition was unsuccessful, and as a result, I was unable to find anything other than entry-level work (i.e., Associate level) in community behavioral health and was forced to move out of state.

Now, CACREP wants to be the sole LPC licensing board in Virginia. At the risk of sounding cynical, I believe CACREP is working in its own interests to secure a financial monopoly in our state. I do not believe this is in the best interests of behavioral health professionals or the individuals they serve.

If CACREP becomes the sole licensing board in Virginia, I worry the following things will happen:

1. Skilled behavioral health professionals (including myself) who have already received a Master’s degree in psychology or counseling in Virginia will be forced to move out of state to find employment (known as “brain drain”)

2. Master’s level professionals who remain in Virginia will be forced into other fields to make ends meet

3. Future professionals will be discouraged from entering the workforce due to the excessive licensure burden

4. If left unchecked, CACREP will continue to tighten its hold on professionals in our state to serve its own financial interests (e.g. exam price gouging), making it more difficult for talented graduates of both psychology and counseling programs to put their training to use

I sincerely hope that you consider the ever-growing need for talented, well-trained behavioral health professionals in our state. We simply cannot afford to lose any more psychologists or counselors. I am confident that you will work to assure all citizens of our Commonwealth access to quality behavioral healthcare.

Thank you for your consideration,

Amanda Adams, M.S.