I am an LPC in MD, DC, VA and DE. I am strongly opposed to the CACREP requirement for several reasons. The primary reason is that CACREP's main claim on their website is that they want to ensure the quality of programs and prevent counselors that came through diploma mills. I personally find this claim highly insulting. I attended John's Hopkins and obtained my degree in Clinical Community Counseling. While the school program is accredited by CACREP, the CCC program is not. However, no one would consider Johns Hopkins a diploma mill. Harvard, Princeton, and Yale programs are likewise not accredited. This limitation of who can practice based on an accredtiting body would eliminate highly qualified, dedicated counselors from helping the residents of Virginia and the surrounding area.

Many highly qualified counselors would be disqualified from working, which would not only impact the counselor, but would lead to a potential shortage of counselors for people that need the service. Many counselors started attending master's programs or obtained their licenses before CACREP began accrediting counseling programs, and would therefore be punished for something beyond their control. Again, these are highly qualified individuals. Additionally, CACREP does not currently accredit psychology programs, meaning that anyone who graduated from a psychology program and obtained their advanced degree through that modality would be disqualifed unfairly. All licensed counselors need to attend the same subject matter classes, pass the same qualifications tests, and complete the same internship requirements. Additionally, there are other accrediting bodies.

This limitation would also lead to the unemployment of many counselors, as we would then be unable to obtain work within our fields.

Given these arguments, I cannot see how this limitation would serve the counselors or residents of Virginia, and I urge you to reconsider.