October 19, 2018
To:
Dr. David E. Brown
Virginia Department of Health Professions
Perimeter Center, 9960 Mayland Drive, Suite 300
Dear Dr. Brown,
Faculty members at the Department of Counseling Psychology, Social Psychology and Counseling (CPSY) at Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana, strongly oppose the Virginia proposal “To amend the requirements for licensure by endorsement to include the National Counselor Licensure for Endorsement Process (NCLEP) as a route for counselor licensure”, submitted by Charles R. McAdams, III, a member of the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) Board of Directors.
We are seriously concerned that that instead of the plan broadly promoting licensure portability for counselors, the NCLEP is another plan to promote CACREP.
Although CPSY faculty members support portability of counselor licensure, the requirements stipulated in this proposal limits licensure portability of counselors who graduated from counseling programs not accredited by CACREP. More specifically we are concerned that the NCLEP will only increase the portability of licenses held by CACREP graduates. It will do nothing for the majority of licensed counselors who graduated from or are currently enrolled in programs that are not affiliated with CACREP – and in fact, may further limit their employment options and would set a dangerous precedent!
Furthermore, and an indication the serious flaw in the NCLEP proposal is that the American Counseling Association (ACA), a professional organization for all counselors, declined to endorse the NCLEP and adopted its own Portability Plan in 2016! The ACA portability plan respects all counselors, not only those graduating from a CACREP accredited program as is suggested in the NCLEP proposal.
Passing the NCLEP proposal will do serious harm to the counseling profession and the individuals, families, and communities counselors currently serve.
Sincerely,
Stefanía Ægisdóttir, Ph.D., HSPP
Professor and Director of the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program,
Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana 47306