I am strongly opposed to this endorsement proposal that would require licensed counselors who graduated from non-CACREP programs to have 7 more years of professional experience than their peers from CACREP programs. There is no research evidence to support this requirement and the proposal is a highly unusual attempt to discriminate against programs not affiliated with CACREP. This proposal would harm the public by unnecessarily limiting the number of licensed counselors in Virginia at a time when there is a shortage of licensed behavioral health treatment professionals. It would also be embarrassing for the State of Virginia to impose such a discriminatory requirement.