The campaign to close practice in Virginia to LCPCs from non-CACREP schools, counseling psychology, school psychology, clinical psychology, art/creative therapy master's programs in seven years is short sighted at best. While veteran LCPCs from Maryland can transfer their license to Virginia as the laws are currently constructed, the underlying concern is that the CACREP restriction will enter insurance regulations such as in Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance plans, as has already occurred in Tricare, the Veterans Administration, and Department of Defense schools and programs.

Those who believe in the CACREP only standard have an ideological belief in separating psychology from counseling to create a pure and independent "mental health counseling profession." The changes that Virginia is promoting could potentially restrict the practice of many Maryland LCPCs in the future. It is bound to influence recently introduced Medicare Bill on Capitol Hill and in the qualifications to practice in a Federally Qualified Behavioral Health Center under the Excellence in Mental Health Act. 

Such a requirement would limit thousands of excellent and experienced LCPCs, psychologists and counselor educators who did not graduate from CACREP programs. Such a move would be a step backward for the counseling profession.