Other persons opposing this petition have articulated important issues very well. I'd like to reiterate that the professions of counseling and psychology are too dissimilar to allow a blending of MA/MS psychology graduates into the LPC classification. In addition to CACREP standards that establish criteria for counseling programs' course content, faculty professional identity, et al., each profession has its own professional associations, codes of ethics, etc. that result in an overall unique approach to viewing, understanding, and addressing clinical issues. These differences are, I imagine, part of what is at play in the Dept. of Health Professions/Board of Psychology not allowing an LPC with a doctorate in counseling to ever be licensed as a psychologist. Passing this petition merely to offer more job opportunities for persons with the MA/MS degree is not a reason to dilute the LPC standards and the counseling profession. I sympathize with persons hindered with not being able to be licensed but this petition is not a solution. Additionally, there are other ways to address the issue of a deficit of counselors in various parts of the commonwealth.