I am a licensed psychologist in the state of Pennsylvania (PS017244) who has benefitted greatly from supervision from many professionals during my graduate and postdoctoral training. I collaborate with health care professional in many professions and continue to benefit from their multiple perspectives. I currently teach both Masters and Doctoral students and always encourage them to value the wealth of perspectives offered by supervisors who hold different credentials. I strongly believe that clients and students receive better care and education when supervision can be provided by multiple professionals. I strongly oppose the current regulations that restrict counseling residents’ supervisors to people who hold an active Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) or Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) license and urge a return to more inclusive supervision requirements that includes licensed psychologists, psychiatrists, and social workers.

In addition, I strongly encourage you to support analogous breath and diversity of professional perspectives by not restricting licensure to graduates of programs accredited by CACREP. CACREP-only restrictions would create a government-imposed monopoly of a private organization that is not accountable to the citizens of Virginia. Rejecting this proposal would not harm any program that chooses to pursue accreditation through CACREP and would instead maintain a path for licensure and service in Virginia for the national (and international) majority of students, alumni, and faculty in counseling programs that are not affiliated with CACREP as well as those who are affiliated with CACREP. I strongly oppose the Board of Counseling’s continued efforts to restrict Virginia counselor licensure to graduates of programs accredited by CACREP.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Q. Morse, PhD

Associate Professor and licensed Psychologist

Chatham University

Graduate Psychology Programs

Woodland Road

Pittsburgh, PA 15232