The petitioner requests that the Board of Counseling amend 18VAC115-20-52 to:

1. Reduce the total required residence hours from 3,400 to 3,000;
2. Reduce residency client contact hours from 2,000 to 1,500; and
3. Change supervision requirements from a minimum of 200 hours to a requirement for weekly supervision with no minimum.

The petition for rulemaking will be published in the Virginia Register of Regulations on March 20, 2024. The petition will also be published on the Virginia Regulatory Town Hall at www.townhall.virginia.gov to receive public comment, which will open on March 20, 2024 and will close on May 8, 2024. The Board will consider the petition and all comments in support or opposition at the next meeting after the close of public comment, currently scheduled for August 2, 2024. The petitioner will be notified of the Board’s decision after that meeting.

At its meeting on August 2, 2024, the Board voted to take no action on the petition. The requests made would impact other regulations not indicated in the petition for rulemaking. The Board will, however, review the requests made at a future Regulatory Committee meeting to determine whether changes to the total required residency hours should be made via regulatory action.