Protecting Your Licensure Portability

May 2006

Q. My partner?s job practically guarantees that we?ll be moving every two to three years. What can you tell me about reciprocity that will help me transfer my license around the country?

A. As you have probably already learned, 48 of the 50 United States (California and Nevada are the hold-outs) have established licensure requirements for professional counselors, and these standards vary slightly from state to state. While reciprocity is a concept that nearly everyone can understand, in practice, when you move from one state to another, you have to apply for the new state?s license, including completing volumes of paperwork detailing your education and supervision hours for review by the state?s licensure authority.

Of course, there are problems inherent with this system. I recently spoke with one counselor who had been in practice for over 20 years, but was anticipating a move to another state. The requirements had changed since she earned her license, and besides that, her supervisor had passed away and the records of that experience were long gone. The licensure authority in her target state was telling her she would need several additional course hours to meet their requirements. Understandably, she was discouraged.

Hers is not a unique experience, and, in part, because of the number of counselors experiencing similar difficulties, the American Association of State Counseling Boards (AASCB) introduced a licensure portability proposal last year, which, if adopted by all states with licensure, promises to simplify the re-application process.

The entire proposal can be reviewed online at www.aascb.org, but the crux of the proposal is this: eligible counselors can register their credentials with the AASCB National Credentials Registry (NCR). These credentials will be evaluated for qualification into Group I (48 semester hours in an accredited program + 3000 hours of supervision) or Group II (60 semester hours in an accredited program + 4000 hours of supervision). PLEASE REFER TO THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS ON THE AASCB WEBSITE FOR MORE DETAILED INFORMATION.

Group I qualified counselors would be eligible for licensure in any state that has agreed to accept licensure at the Group I level. Group II qualified counselors would be eligible for licensure in any state that accepts either Group I or Group II level licensure.

There has been a great deal of interest in this proposal, with a number of states already signing on as participants.

Depending upon where you are on your career path, there are steps you can take to protect the portability of your license, whether you anticipate relocation or not.

IF YOU ARE A GRADUATE STUDENT OR A RECENT GRADUATE:

• You might consider a 60-hour program instead of a 48-hour degree, as it may provide you with greater mobility down the road.
• Maintain careful records of your supervision and keep copies of them in a safe place (a safe deposit box, for example).
• Pass a licensure examination recognized by AASCB (NCE, NCMHCE, a state exam, or Certified Rehabilitation Counselor Exam are examples of appropriate tests).

IF YOU HAVE COMPLETED FIVE YEARS OF POST LICENSE EXPERIENCE IN COUNSELING AND MEET THE ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Download the application from the AASCB website (www.aascb.org) to register your credentials.
• If you apply before the end of May, the non-refundable Registry application fee is $150. After 5/31/06, it will increase to $200. The annual maintenance fee is $25, which, my accountant tells me, qualifies as a business expense on your taxes.

We live in a mobile society, and even when we don?t plan to relocate, changing circumstances and emerging opportunities can change our plans. It makes sense, then, to utilize this program that can make the process more manageable.

Amy Connelly is ACA?s Manager of Career Services. You may contact her at acacareers@counseling.org.