I am in support of the regulations that support the need for CACREP accredited programs. However, I believe that Counselors should collaborate with psychlogists and psychiatrists to supervise all interns, especially, in agency settings. Counselors have to have exceptional training in ethcial guidlienes , and procedures, that pertain to client rights, and mandated Multi-cultural training, that is just very important, yet it is not a significant part of psychology, or psychiatry graduate programs. And we believe in the importance of the collaborative relationship that epitomizes the power of the client to advance past their challenges.
I have seen some of the worst ethcial breaches, that involve professionals who only have psychology and psychiatry courses, without CACREP acrediation. The agency settings are often like military Gestapo setting, and are not very suppoertive of individual rights and enhancing client growth, often because they have just eradicated their rights to individual liberties. This is where you see professionals treating many competent individual with very demeaning, condescending, and patroniing approaches that are just very insulting to the client.
And, historically, the race, gender, and social class, of the client have often affected these interactions. There is often that lack of respect, for individual perspectives, that is mandated in a CACREP accredited Counseling prograsm, that enforce a respect for diversity. This is why you see more psychologists and psychiatrists misdiagnosing African Americans and Latin Americans, for example, with improper diagnosis (Hood, 2002).
This is because while we counselors are required to acknowlwdgw the powerful influence, of external variables, such as, racism and sexism, our older Helping Professions have not added this requirement until recently. As such, an individdual, who has been a victim, of several hate crimes, for example, or encountered the "glass ceiling", previously, would probably have been misdiagnosed, by many of these professionals, as having an internal behavioral challenge, which is not accurate, or very helpful with helping clients to address their challenges, because every variable that affects these challenges is not adressed properly, or, even acknowlwdged in a competent manner, by that professional.
And, I have seen some surprising lack of proper assessment procedures with this population, until recently, with the new DSMV changes, that pertain to culture and social influences and assessment. This is a good step, and it epitomizes the need for respectful and open, collaboration among our professions. If you would like to get more information, pertaining to the ethical challenges, in agency settings, please check outt my comments , on "ACA Connect", on the American Counselors' Association's website.
Nicole Ellis
Licensure, School Counseling