Action | Requirement for CACREP accreditation for educational programs |
Stage | Proposed |
Comment Period | Ended on 7/14/2017 |
As a clinical psychologist who is familiar with the empirical training literature and who trains stellor master's level counselors, I would like to voice my STRONG OPPOSITION to this action that would serve to monopolize counselor training AND decrease the number of well-trained, licensed counselors in the state. The current language to limit licensure to counselors trained only in CACREP-accredited programs is essentially the result of a professional turf battle to monopolize counselor training. It makes no sense to me to argue that doctoral level clinical psychologists and counseling psychologists are not fit to train counselors (as CACREP-accredited programs ONLY allow for individuals with counselor educator degrees to serve as faculty). Many excellent master's level counselor training programs are being run with strong oversite and new accreditation procecures set forth by MPCAC (Masters in Psychology and Counseling Accreditation Council). The current regulation would essentially LOCK OUT all of the strong counselors who are trained by doctoral level psychologists across excellent MPCAC accredited training programs. This action reprsents the worst-case scenario professional turn war (ie, counselor educators versus psychologists) with significant negative consequences for patient access to high-quality counseling services. Please VOTE NO to this!