To the Board of Counseling
regarding consideration of the NCLEP Petition:

Communities throughout Virgina have demonstrated an ongoing need for increased mental health services from competent professionals. Therefore, it seems obvious that portability of credentials is essential

However, the NCLEP approach is unnecessarily restrictive and will ultimately inhibit bringing counselors into our state. At the time when new counselors are needed, the NCLEP penalizes those new counselors without justification or evidence. A far better approach is the ACA Licensure Portability Model (https://www.counseling.org/knowledge-center/licensure-requirements/licensure-portability-model-fact-sheet).

Please vote against the NCLEP model as part of Virginia's approach to licensure and portability.

Sincerely,
Dr. Scott Heine
Marymount University Graduate Student, Clinical Mental Health Counseling