Action | Periodic review |
Stage | Final |
Comment Period | Ended on 8/24/2016 |
I urge the licensing board to strike the sections in the proposed regulations that allow only LPCs and LMFTs to supervise both counselors and marriage and family therapists. A simple increase in the number of LPCs and LMFTs does not mean there are sufficient qualified supervisors with those specific licenses. Moreover, there is no evidence that LPC and LMFT supervisors provide better or more ethical supervision than supervisors trained in allied professions. If this proposal is adopted, it is likely that the reduced number of supervisors would raise the cost of training, possibly deterring some from earning their licenses, and ultimately reduce the number of LPCs and LMFTs available to serve the people of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Ultimately, this will harm - and not help - the public, particularly in underserved communities.