California Professional Counselor License Bill – 2009
Calling all California counselors and California therapists - Are you aware of the new proposed license bill that may be passed in 2009?
I want you to think about how this new bill may or may not affect you and your therapy business.
Forty-nine states license Professional Counselors. California is at present the only state, which does not license counselors.
In 2009 all this could change.
The originally bill, which was approved by the State Assembly, this bill ceased in the State Senate in August 2008. It has been reported that a new bill will be introduced in the 2009 legislative session.
The sponsor of the bill is the California Coalition for Counselor Licensure (CCCL).
It is intended that the counselor licensure bill will license Professional Counselors with requirements that are level with California MFTs and LCSWs and with Licensed Professional Counselors (LPCs) in the other 49 states.
Counselors will need to meet requirements for education, supervision and examination.
The American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (AAMFT) – California Chapter continues to oppose this bill and is telling its members that the LPC license would diminish the status of the MFT license and might even edge MFTs out of their licensed status in the future. This has never been the intent in California and, in fact, this has not happened in the other 47 states where both disciplines are licensed
The California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT) are staying neutral on the bill.
CCCL has been working in good faith to address the concerns outlined by the California Psychological Association. Many amendments have been taken in the hope that CPA would move to a neutral position on the bill, but their position continues to be “Oppose unless amend”.
Source CCCL
What do you intend to do in relation to the requirements of supervision – examination – education?
Will this change how and maybe where you practice?
Let me ask you to share your thoughts and potential actions with this rest of world…
We’re interested and we’re listening…
Dawn Pugh Psychotherapist
