Demand Professional Counseling Licenses be Awarded in 6 Weeks!

It’s not fair to students who invest in becoming licensed nor is it fair to clients we can be servicing in our beloved state.

I agree on this. I’m about to take my exam and only thing discouraging from moving to other positions is the length of time needing to wait for certification process time. Way too long!

It took them over 8 months to issue my LPCi. That amount of time added up to about 1/3 of the hours we need for the internship. I could have been done by now. I could have a better job that pays more so I can provide more for my family by now.

I have waited since December. Got a letter in the mail a week ago about a incorrect date and now have to wait another 3 months? Inexcusable

Yes, we need more counselors and the process takes too long

Lets make this happen! The wait time is far to long.

9 months to get mine.

This and all responses from this office takes entirely too long. I waited 8 months to find out they didn’t want to approve my application to be an LPC-S then I had to go before the board to plead my case. They awarded it to me but 8 month just to find out there was a problem?!?! Insane!

Please approve in 6 weeks or less.

Professionals are struggling to find adequate employment because of these long wait times. Please work to correct this issue!

The delay hurts the public, the counselors, their families, and the economy.

What's going on down there in Austin? Good people spend years of their lives obtaining the educational background that The LPC Board requires of them, jumping through endless hoops to become certified in order to make a living, all in good faith and the belief that the board will do their part in a timely manner. Yet your long-term track record indicates you see absolutely no problem making them wait an average of xx months to get intern approval? My current intern applicant is looking at an 18-24 month wait before she sees her approval papers. The LPC Board for The Great State of Texas can't approve a meticulously prepared folder of application papers in under 18 months? Unfortunately, in my experience and that of many, many of my colleagues this callous, uncaring approach appears to be the norm for this board, not an exception to the rule. What are these people supposed to do in the meantime? Their skill-sets stagnate when they can't work in their chosen profession. They have bills and student loans to pay off, too. Most of them don't live at home anymore, and a large percentage of them don't have a "significant other's" income to rely on. Regarding this young lady's case we've been told that the only thing holding up her approval is, "someone needs to review a course description of one of the classes she took out of state, and render a yay or nay on that course's transferability." Really? Read the description and pass judgement. Yet, we can't find someone to take 5 minutes to read a course description paragraph and render a verdict at the October 2018 Board meeting? All we needed is "yes" or "no" so we can move forward. This kind of nonsensical, ivory tower approach to dealing with people's lives is simply not acceptable.

Yes...

The license certificate with names in the wrong order, dates backdated for some students but not for others, the two to three hold times on the phone to get an answer, the evasive covering up for staff that change story from one day to another and use "we only have 3 employees" as an excuse is awful and the months of delay to process paperwork is inexcusable!!!

Stop all that dilly-dallying!!

The entire process through the LPC-I journey is degrading and demoralizing. The title in itself “Intern” suggests a high school or undergrad position....not someone with three years of graduate school and a plethora of experience under their belt. And the to finish only to be told we have to wait six more months before we can earn an income substantial enough to support a family. This time frame is messing with people’s lives!

Please respect the people that worked hard for this license

My wife is a counselor and Texas has done nothing to help her ease into her career efficiently or effectively. Things need to change!!

It says on the application "This process could take up to four- six weeks." I have not met a single person who has applied in the last year and a half who has had their application reviewed within the advertised time frame. It is disappointing that I have to tell potential employers that I can't start practicing until my paperwork goes through -- I sent in my packet on 3/11/18 and expect to be licensed by late summer 2018.

Please give the Board the resources they need and the update/modernize the process in which licenses are issued. Thank you.