To amend the education requirement for licensure by endorsement to require only 36 class hours if all class hours were focused on Addiction Counseling.

The petition will be posted on Townhall and published in the Register of Regulations on July 5, 2021 with comment requested until August 4, 2021.

The petition and all comments received will be considered at the first meeting of the Regulatory Committee scheduled on August 6, 2021. The Board will receive a recommendation from the Committee and decide whether to initiate rulemaking at its meeting on August 20, 2021.

At its meeting on August 20, 2021, the Board discussed the petitioner's request and decided not to initiate rulemaking. Since the standard for all licensed professions regulated by the Board is 60 graduate hours in counseling, a reduction to 36 hours would be problematic for this license. The petitioner was advised that her educational background would likely qualify you for certification as a Certified Substance Abuse Counselor in Virginia, so she could consider pursuing that option.