I have Directed (1993 - 2003) and taught (until the present) in a Clinical Counseling masters program that follows the standards of the Council of Applied Masters Programs in Psychology.  Our program is accredited by the Master's in Psychology and Counseling Accreditation Council (MPCAC).  I have taught between 400 and 500 students who graduated from our program.  Our graduates take and pass the same exam as those from CACREP-accredited programs.  They work in a range of mental health and substance abuse facilities, as well as in private practice.  In our part of the state of SC, there are no CACREP-accredited Clinical Mental Health programs.  Our graduates provide many mental health services in our community.   Many of our graduates have served in leadership positions in mental health/substance abuse agencies.  If you compare curricula between MPCAC and CACREP programs, you will find few differences.  There is no basis for claiming that the CACREP accreditation should be required exclusively to license a mental health counselor/clinical counselor.