I am very pleased to offer my support and participate in this important petition.  As a current candidate for MFT residency, it is incredibly frustrating not to have any expectations or timeframes when the application process will be completed and ultimately approved.  This results in increased delays toward the very long and expensive journey toward licensure.  I would like to echo Dr. Scott Johnson's comment about being deeply troubled about one supervision placement no longer taking residents; this is, therefore, one less opportunity for residents in the Northern Virginia community.

All Counseling/Licensure Boards - regardless of the the state or jurisdiction - have the incredible responsibility to protect the public by setting - and upholding - the standards for qualifications, training and experience; however, Virginia's process seems more challenging than some others to navigate.  It seems that if every step of the process has to be reviewed and approved by the Board without any specific timelines in place, such as a review of clinical duties/job descriptions, especially if there are professional changes, then the system has will will continue to be become backlogged.  I would suggest that supervisors whose credentials have been carefully reviewed by the Board should be authorized to verify that the hours being counted adhere to the regulations, given that it's ultimately each supervisor's oversight and responsibility.