I really cannot believe it but we actually got the grandfathering provisions through and the VA finally caved on that ridiculous accreditation requirement. It honestly feels like such a long time coming since so many people were stuck in that loop for years (and I am still sort of processing …
September 11, 2015
Final supporters
In December of 2006, Congress and the President enacted legislation explicitly recognizing licensed professional mental health counselors (LPMHC) as clinicians within VA facilities (P.L. 109-461). In 2010, four years after the recognition of LPMHCs, the VA developed qualification standards that included overly restrictive criteria for hire of LPMHC's that prevented hire of a large majority of highly trained and experienced and Licensed professional counselors. The VA requires that a person must have graduated from a CACREP accredited institution in order to qualify for hire into the LPMHC series at the VA. Unfortunately, CACREP did not exist, and was not geographically accessible to many Licensed Professional Counselors at the time of their graduate studies. Significantly, these programs were not available close to Military installations, thus Veterans who have gone on to earn graduate degrees in Counseling, and who have specialized experience and who strongly desire to serve fellow Veterans are finding themselves not qualified based solely on their schools accreditation.
Other disciplines, including Psychologists and Social Workers, were given grandfathering periods following the development of qualifications standards. Tricare has recognized the need for, and established a grandfathering period. Please sign this petition if this ruling has impacted you, or if you agree that the development of qualification standards for Licensed Professional Counselors without consideration/or inclusion of a grandfathering clause is overly restrictive and potentially discriminatory towards well qualified individuals.
I am hoping that with enough signatures we can show that the development of these standards are adversely impacting a large group of qualified people, thus limiting the pool of qualified providers for hire within the VA Healthcare system. Please take the time and sign this petition, thus lending your support for demand of inclusion of grandfathering language to the qualification standards for Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselors within the VA System. Several Federal groups followed the VA's lead with regards to these qualification standards, I'm hoping that we can start a trend of inclusion/grandfathering from the same source! Thank you!
Updates
August 28, 2015
I have been reading through the comments and honestly it just guts me to see how many of you are stuck in this weird limbo after working so hard for your degrees. It feels like the system is purposefully ignoring the actual experience people bring to the table while hiding behind these arbitrary technicalities that just do not make any sense for the veterans who need access to care right now.
August 28, 2015
I really thought this might just float around in the void but seeing this much movement is honestly surreal and kind of overwhelming in the best way. It is just wild to realize how many people are hitting this same brick wall because of these rules and I am actually energized to keep pushing this forward instead of just feeling drained by the bureaucracy.
Reached 100 supporters
August 28, 2015
72 Comments
I am an LPC, NCC and the VA won't hire me as an LPMHC because I did not graduate from a CACREP accredited program. I am a Veteran and there were NO CACREP-Accredited programs in my area (EL Paso, TX), home of the 2nd largest Army post in the U.S.
Many of us in the field have over 40 years of experience working with a variety of individuals with physical as well as psychological problems, including substance abuse and PTSD, all valuable assets to the VA. Please don't deny veterans our expertise.
A period of grandfathering for masters students in counseling who have just graduated and long-time LPCs seems reasonable and appropriate, as credentialing organizations, accreditation organizations, and state license boards have done--in the interest of fairness.
I am an LPC working in a rural area where there are no approved MHP'S to serve Veterans. Local Veterans must travel looking distances to seek services at VA facilities and many are unable to do so. Please expand your services to reach out and care for those who cared for us! Thank You!!
As a graduate of a non CACREP program offered to military members and their families, while residing at a European duty station, it is hypocritical to deny employment to those who have taken advantage of supported programs. Thousands of competent providers are non-CACREP. Grandfathering needs to happen!
I am interested in this legislation, I graduated from a CACREP accredited college in 2010 and am still an LPCA because I test poorly.
People who graduated prior to this should be grandfathered in or allowed to prove competency in other areas.
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I really cannot believe it but we actually got the grandfathering provisions through and the VA finally caved on that ridiculous accreditation requirement. It honestly feels like such a long time coming since so many people were stuck in that loop for years (and I am still sort of processing …
September 11, 2015
Final supporters
In December of 2006, Congress and the President enacted legislation explicitly recognizing licensed professional mental health counselors (LPMHC) as clinicians within VA facilities (P.L. 109-461). In 2010, four years after the recognition of LPMHCs, the VA developed qualification standards that included overly restrictive criteria for hire of LPMHC's that prevented hire of a large majority of highly trained and experienced and Licensed professional counselors. The VA requires that a person must have graduated from a CACREP accredited institution in order to qualify for hire into the LPMHC series at the VA. Unfortunately, CACREP did not exist, and was not geographically accessible to many Licensed Professional Counselors at the time of their graduate studies. Significantly, these programs were not available close to Military installations, thus Veterans who have gone on to earn graduate degrees in Counseling, and who have specialized experience and who strongly desire to serve fellow Veterans are finding themselves not qualified based solely on their schools accreditation.
Other disciplines, including Psychologists and Social Workers, were given grandfathering periods following the development of qualifications standards. Tricare has recognized the need for, and established a grandfathering period. Please sign this petition if this ruling has impacted you, or if you agree that the development of qualification standards for Licensed Professional Counselors without consideration/or inclusion of a grandfathering clause is overly restrictive and potentially discriminatory towards well qualified individuals.
I am hoping that with enough signatures we can show that the development of these standards are adversely impacting a large group of qualified people, thus limiting the pool of qualified providers for hire within the VA Healthcare system. Please take the time and sign this petition, thus lending your support for demand of inclusion of grandfathering language to the qualification standards for Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselors within the VA System. Several Federal groups followed the VA's lead with regards to these qualification standards, I'm hoping that we can start a trend of inclusion/grandfathering from the same source! Thank you!
Updates
August 28, 2015
I have been reading through the comments and honestly it just guts me to see how many of you are stuck in this weird limbo after working so hard for your degrees. It feels like the system is purposefully ignoring the actual experience people bring to the table while hiding behind these arbitrary technicalities that just do not make any sense for the veterans who need access to care right now.
August 28, 2015
I really thought this might just float around in the void but seeing this much movement is honestly surreal and kind of overwhelming in the best way. It is just wild to realize how many people are hitting this same brick wall because of these rules and I am actually energized to keep pushing this forward instead of just feeling drained by the bureaucracy.
Reached 100 supporters
August 28, 2015
72 Comments
I have been practicing nearly 20 years and my specialty area is traumatic brain injury but because I graduated from a CORE accredited program I cannot treat Veterans. Grandfathering is essential for service delivery needs of our much deserving Veterans.
I am an LPC, NCC and the VA won't hire me as an LPMHC because I did not graduate from a CACREP accredited program. I am a Veteran and there were NO CACREP-Accredited programs in my area (EL Paso, TX), home of the 2nd largest Army post in the U.S.
Many of us in the field have over 40 years of experience working with a variety of individuals with physical as well as psychological problems, including substance abuse and PTSD, all valuable assets to the VA. Please don't deny veterans our expertise.
A period of grandfathering for masters students in counseling who have just graduated and long-time LPCs seems reasonable and appropriate, as credentialing organizations, accreditation organizations, and state license boards have done--in the interest of fairness.
I am an LPC working in a rural area where there are no approved MHP'S to serve Veterans. Local Veterans must travel looking distances to seek services at VA facilities and many are unable to do so. Please expand your services to reach out and care for those who cared for us! Thank You!!
As a graduate of a non CACREP program offered to military members and their families, while residing at a European duty station, it is hypocritical to deny employment to those who have taken advantage of supported programs. Thousands of competent providers are non-CACREP. Grandfathering needs to happen!
I am interested in this legislation, I graduated from a CACREP accredited college in 2010 and am still an LPCA because I test poorly.
People who graduated prior to this should be grandfathered in or allowed to prove competency in other areas.
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I have been practicing nearly 20 years and my specialty area is traumatic brain injury but because I graduated from a CORE accredited program I cannot treat Veterans. Grandfathering is essential for service delivery needs of our much deserving Veterans.