I am writing to voice my support of this proposal since it will ensure the consistent quality of our counseling training programs.  Furthermore, I believe this proposal ultimately speaks to our issues with professional identity. We, as counselors, need to have a more consistent presentation to our mental health consumers as well as third-party payees and legislators.  If we, as counselors, are better able to make a consistent statement about who we are, how we are trained, and how we practice, then we will be better able to ask for the professional recognition and compensation that we need and deserve.