The guidance document is a well thought out and useful summary of critical issues facing our profession.  It provides considerable support for counselors in the conduct of their professional practice.  The document represents a substantial improvement over 10/14/2020 guidance that stated "Counseling that from the outset is delivered in a technology-assisted manner may be problematic..."  The proposed document removes the implied risks for practitioners by using a medium labeled problematic (e.g. telehealth/teletherapy). The language of the 07/07/2022 document legitimizes the use of teletherapy when the issues discussed are addressed.  This recognizes the viability and benefits of virtual counseling in the context of board regulations for the field in general.

Telehealth/teletherapy achieved considerable success from the outset, March 2020, when CDC recommended telehealth meetings for non emergency, ambulatory health visits.  A survey of 260 plus LPCs in Northern Virginia in early 2021 demonstrated universal acceptance of virtual counseling and pointed to some significant advantages for expanded care in general and increased access for special populations (see https://tinyurl.com/yc7r2b65 ).  Of those surveyed, 99% found teletherapy an "effective service delivery medium" and 90% said that they were able to provide "the same level of care for clients that you have served only through teletherapy."

The expansion of counseling services during the Covid19 pandemic was a direct result of the rapid acceptance and effective use of telehealth technology by practitioners.  This guidance document provides clear support for this medium and allows ongoing increases in public access at a time when that access is clearly needed and in demand.