Demand Professional Counseling Licenses be Awarded in 6 Weeks!
69 Comments
S
Sharon Beam
8 years ago
Its taking 6 months for licenses to be received by LPCs, LPC Interns, and LPC Supervisors!? What is this nonsense? It's unreasonable, in my opinion.
Applicants typically have completed 6 years of schooling and then 3000 hours of an internship (3000 clock hours of seeing clients and completing associated administrative tasks) while paying for weekly supervision. Supervision costs $400 to $600 or more a month (often unpaid for the 3000 hours of counseling they are paying to be supervised to do).
Applicants have paid their dues! (Literally!) Those licenses cost money and there is liability insurance as well as CEUs that are required every 2 years. Six months is taking time out of a counselor's income and for interns is delaying their internships, which of course also will delay income in the end. I've never had to wait 6 months myself but I have to renew in one year. I average $35,000/year (over 24years). I still have student loans to pay (sadly). I would lose my job if I couldn't see clients for 6 months! In private practice, clients would have to move on to another therapist so 6 months would kill a practice. That's a small business that will have to shut down! Not good for our clients or our economy!
Let me mention those clients again because they are the ones who will be most severely affected. Imagine a child with ADHD who finally found a therapist who is helping them succeed have to go without that therapist for 6 months! Imagine a sexual abuse victim (of any age) who has worked hard to finally trust someone with their story and their care having to start again with another therapist!
So in summary, we would really appreciate your support in helping us get our licenses back on track. Thank you for all that you do, for understanding the importance of our request and looking into what is causing this problem. Personnel? Leadership? I don't know but you can help us find out and correct it. Thank you for reading and for your support!!
Sincer
J
Jeanie Griffin
8 years ago
This should include LPC, LCDC and MFT
J
Jennifer Willis
8 years ago
3-4 months is way too long. The website says 3-4 weeks. Please fix this!
B
Bethany Shrewsbury
8 years ago
It is a disservice to those who have earned the license and a disservice to our underserved populations to withhold license processing in a timely manner.
A
ANGEL A VALES
8 years ago
I submitted LPC in Oct 2017 and LCDC on Dec 2017. We need to work!
D
Demetra Caston
8 years ago
There absolutely needs to be a overhaul. I was one of the ones that had to wait more than four months to recieve my license and it absolutely affected my ability to recieve and increase in pay, discontinue paying for supervision and the stress involved in communicating with the board regarding my license.
B
Bruce Bloom
8 years ago
Please improve this process and make it expedient.
M
Marvin Bellows
8 years ago
Featured
This issue has haunted professionals in Texas and has cost thousands of dollars per applicant in lost wages and unnecessary supervision following license submission. It hurts everyone involved because the license system staffing isn't tied to incoming funds and application numbers, but to legislation based FTE positions.
L
L Diane Black MA LMFT
8 years ago
It’s always been my opinion that bureaucracies should not control our profession to the extent that it interferes with our ability to carry out our professional calling. It sounds as though this might be what is happening. I’ve personally had no recent problems with the MFT Board, but the issues others are having now is very disturbing to me. I’m hoping this effort by this group will lead the Board to take immediate and effective action.
Its taking 6 months for licenses to be received by LPCs, LPC Interns, and LPC Supervisors!? What is this nonsense? It's unreasonable, in my opinion. Applicants typically have completed 6 years of schooling and then 3000 hours of an internship (3000 clock hours of seeing clients and completing associated administrative tasks) while paying for weekly supervision. Supervision costs $400 to $600 or more a month (often unpaid for the 3000 hours of counseling they are paying to be supervised to do). Applicants have paid their dues! (Literally!) Those licenses cost money and there is liability insurance as well as CEUs that are required every 2 years. Six months is taking time out of a counselor's income and for interns is delaying their internships, which of course also will delay income in the end. I've never had to wait 6 months myself but I have to renew in one year. I average $35,000/year (over 24years). I still have student loans to pay (sadly). I would lose my job if I couldn't see clients for 6 months! In private practice, clients would have to move on to another therapist so 6 months would kill a practice. That's a small business that will have to shut down! Not good for our clients or our economy! Let me mention those clients again because they are the ones who will be most severely affected. Imagine a child with ADHD who finally found a therapist who is helping them succeed have to go without that therapist for 6 months! Imagine a sexual abuse victim (of any age) who has worked hard to finally trust someone with their story and their care having to start again with another therapist! So in summary, we would really appreciate your support in helping us get our licenses back on track. Thank you for all that you do, for understanding the importance of our request and looking into what is causing this problem. Personnel? Leadership? I don't know but you can help us find out and correct it. Thank you for reading and for your support!! Sincer
This should include LPC, LCDC and MFT
3-4 months is way too long. The website says 3-4 weeks. Please fix this!
It is a disservice to those who have earned the license and a disservice to our underserved populations to withhold license processing in a timely manner.
I submitted LPC in Oct 2017 and LCDC on Dec 2017. We need to work!
There absolutely needs to be a overhaul. I was one of the ones that had to wait more than four months to recieve my license and it absolutely affected my ability to recieve and increase in pay, discontinue paying for supervision and the stress involved in communicating with the board regarding my license.
Please improve this process and make it expedient.
This issue has haunted professionals in Texas and has cost thousands of dollars per applicant in lost wages and unnecessary supervision following license submission. It hurts everyone involved because the license system staffing isn't tied to incoming funds and application numbers, but to legislation based FTE positions.
It’s always been my opinion that bureaucracies should not control our profession to the extent that it interferes with our ability to carry out our professional calling. It sounds as though this might be what is happening. I’ve personally had no recent problems with the MFT Board, but the issues others are having now is very disturbing to me. I’m hoping this effort by this group will lead the Board to take immediate and effective action.