Action | Changes resulting from periodic review |
Stage | NOIRA |
Comment Period | Ended on 9/18/2019 |
I graduated from one of the very few CACREP-accredited Counseling Master's programs in the State of Maryland. While I deeply value the training, knowledge, and education I received, there is absolutely no data supporting the implied idea that a CACREP-accredited program is better than a non-CACREP-accredited program. It baffles me why so many legislative decisions on Counselor licensure, including the current one before you about Portability, are based on CACREP vs. non-CACREP, when there are zero studies providing any evidence that one more fully prepares students to be effective counselors than the other.
It is implied by CACREP-accreditation getting preferential treatment in the current legislation on Portability. Not only is it implied that a CACREP-accredited program is better, it's implied it is immensely more complete by more than tripling the years in practice a Counselor/Therapist must be before they can have Portability if they graduated from a non-CACREP-accredited Counseling program.
Further, CACREP accreditation hasn't been available long enough to be established as a viable option. And it excludes the extensive training of Counseling Psychology programs which are usually Doctorates.
The only winner in favoring those who had the opportunity to graduate from a CACREP-accredited program is the CACREP organization itself. Their powerfully persuasive PAC is trying to earn credibility by swaying legislators. By giving into this manipulation, thousands of highly trained and talented Counselors/Therapists and Counseling Psychologists will be Excluded with no real, valid, fact-based reasoning.
Again, I graduated from a CACREP-accredited Counseling Master's program, so there is no personal or professional benefit to me to ask you to oppose the currently proposed Counselor License Portability Legislation before you.
I ask you to adopt the Fair and Simple Portability Model of the American Counseling Association.
Thank you.