On behalf of the Department of Professional Psychology and Family Therapy at Seton Hall University, we, Department Co-Chairs, urge you to reject all attempts to restrict counselor licensure in Virginia to graduates of programs accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Services (CACREP). In addition, as part of the periodic review for the practice of professional counseling, we also urge you to reject the current regulations that limit counseling graduates’ choice of supervisors to people with Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) licenses. 

Over the past 50 years, our Department has successfully prepared counselors to deliver quality mental health services to diverse populations in various parts of the country. The alumni of our counseling programs have obtained licensure throughout the US and restriction of counselor licensure would create a barrier for Seton Hall students and alumni that wish to practice in the state. 

There was overwhelming opposition to this proposal during the 2017 public comment period, because the social and economic costs of restricting licensure outweigh the benefits. The adoption of a CACREP-only licensure restriction would unnecessarily limit the number of licensed counselors in Virginia at a time when more counselors, not less, are needed. 

In addition, as part of the periodic review of regulations for the practice of professional counseling, we urge you to reverse the regulation, adopted outside the normal processes, that restricts counseling residents’ supervisors to people with LPC and LMFT licenses. There is no evidence to suggest that LPCs and LMFTs are more qualified to serve as supervisors than licensed psychologists, psychiatrists, and social workers. Given that the majority of qualified supervisors are licensed psychologists, psychiatrists, and social workers, this restriction would unnecessarily limit options for counselors seeking licensure in Virginia and is therefore detrimental to both the public and profession.