Advocacy Updates

CRCC and CORE have been working in a collaborative process to advocate for the recognition of rehabilitation counselors in settings for which they are qualified to practice.  Current CRCC and CORE outreach activity centers on both the overall promotion of the CRCE and CORE standards and the explicit inclusion of the CRCE and recognition of CORE in state licensing regulation.  In addition to responding to opportunities in all fifty states and the District of Columbia, CRCC and CORE have selected specific states for outreach, most recently working with members of CSAVR to identify state vocational rehabilitation directors who are interested in promoting recognition of both the CRCE and CORE Standards.

State Overviews

October 26, 2009

California

California became the 50th state to license professional clinical counselors as Senate Bill 788 was signed into law this month. With the new law effective on January 1, 2010, there will be a grand parenting period during which time supervision under a CRC and the CRC Exam will be recognized.  CRCC fully endorses all CRCs practicing in California to pursue licensure under these grand parented statutes. Details on qualifications and timing can be found on the California Coalition for Counselor Licensure (CCCL) website under Licensure Requirements, or http://www.caccl.org/licensure-requirements/grandparenting

District of Columbia

CRCC is continuing outreach efforts to locate potential members for the District of Columbia’s Board of Professional Counseling after heavy attrition last year.  Once a quorum can be established, the Board will consider the proposed inclusion of the CRCE and CORE for licensure as a professional counselor.

Maine

CRCC approached the Board of Counseling Professionals Licensure regarding proposed amendments to regulations for Licensed Professional Counselors.  While the Board cannot adopt our proposed changes at this time, staff from the Office of Licensing and Registration have recommended and encouraged us to file separately for amendments to the current rules to incorporate the CRCE and CORE.  We are currently seeking contacts in state to act as petitioners for the new rulemaking.

Nebraska

CRCC commented on the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services' proposed rules concerning the licensing of independent mental health practitioners, requesting that the Department consider acceptance of the CRCE and CORE equivalents for licensure as mental health professionals or independent mental health professionals.  Currently, these rules are still under review.

New Jersey

The Department of Law and Public Safety's Board of Marriage and Family Therapy Examiners has proposed rules that will specify CACREP graduate programs for all LPC applicants.  This will be delayed three years.  The new rules allow for licensure by endorsement and stipulate a broader educational requirement that could allow for CORE-accredited programs.  Educational requirements for rehabilitation counselors will specify CORE, again delayed three years from the effective date of the rule change to obtain such accreditation.

We have been in contact with current board members and others related to the rulemaking to assess opportunities to include the CRCE and CORE as qualifications to LPC application.  While the board currently does not have a quorum, it is anticipated that it will address the proposed rules in the upcoming month.

North Carolina

House Bill 746, introduced by the LPC Association, was enacted this summer, clarifying authority for the Board of Licensed Professional Counselors to adopt examination and other requirements for licensed professional counselors.  CRCC has been providing examination information to Board staff concerning the CRCE, and proposed rules reflect the inclusion of the CRCE as an acceptable examination.

Utah

CRCC worked with Russ Thelin, Director of the Division of Rehabilitation Services, Rich Oborn of the Department of Commerce Occupational and Professional Licensing, and others to develop rules implementing new legislation that created a separate license for Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors.  Prior to its adoption, CRCC successfully amended the underlying legislation to limit the license to rehabilitation counselors, narrow exclusions, and clarify that supervised experience for licensure must be related to rehabilitation counseling.

Based on CRCC’s positive interaction with the sponsor, Representative Ronda Rudd Menlove (R) and Don Uchida, Director of Vocational Rehabilitation in Utah, CRCC was invited to participate in workgroup meetings and to submit comments on the proposed rules implementing the statute.  Both the CRCE and CORE were referenced specifically in proposed new regulations for the new Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor license.  CRCC’s goal is to provide support to the new Vocational Rehabilitation Board while working with Mr. Thelin, Mr. Uchita, Representative Menlove, and others to add CRCE recognition for Licensed Professional Counselors.

Wyoming

The Wyoming Mental Health Professions Licensing Board approved the CRCE for licensure as a professional counselor as part of draft rule revisions last year.  Since then, Board staff has been gathering internal approval for public notice of the final proposed rules.  The Board intends to publish the public notice prior to the meeting of the Wyoming Counseling Association on October 15, 2009, so the amendments will be available for the Wyoming Counseling Association conference in October.  A hearing and comments deadline will be announced with the publication of the proposed rules.