AUGUSTA - Rep. Jay McCreight, D-Harpswell, presented LD 1920, An Act To Enact the Interstate Counseling Compact To Address Inequities in Access to Clinical Counseling Services and Increase Maine's Provider Workforce, before the Legislature's Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services Committee on Thursday.
The bill would have Maine join the Counseling Compact, a multi-state agreement allowing professional counselors who are both licensed at the clinical level and residing in a member state to practice in other member states without needing multiple licenses. Joining the compact would help address Maines need for clinical behavioral health care services while also increasing the states qualified counseling workforce.
"Prior to serving in the Legislature, I was a practicing licensed clinical professional counselor and have over 30 years of experience working alongside children, youth and families facing many different challenges in a variety of settings," said McCreight. I know, through that experience, how important this work is and how important it is that we have the needed, highly qualified workforce to do it. Enactment of the compact allows reciprocity of qualified counselors licensure among member states, increasing the opportunity for those coming from those states to Maine.
The American Counseling Association (ACA), Maine Counseling Association, Health Affiliates Maine, Alliance for Addiction and Mental Health Services and U.S. Department of Defense all testified in support of the legislation.
Much like the existing licensure compacts for nurses, physical therapists, physicians, psychologists and EMS personnel, the Counseling Compact will increase licensure portability for practitioners while allowing member state regulatory boards to better protect consumers through enhanced sharing of licensure information, said ACA Chief Executive Officer Richard Yep. Unlike national licensure initiatives that supersede state regulatory authority, an interstate compact allows a member state to continue to determine the requirements for licensure in that state as well as maintain the states unique scope of practice for all professional counselors practicing in that state.
By increasing the portability of credentials, professionals relocating from out of state can start their practices without the current cumbersome delay. In addition, it would make a new set of providers, equally as qualified, from other states, available to serve our communities, said Katherine Marble, case management program director at Health Affiliates Maine. Maine has always been a leader in behavioral health. We should be a leader in expanding access as well.
The committee will hold a work session on the bill in the coming weeks.
McCreight, House chair of the Legislature's Marine Resources Committee and a member of the Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee, is serving her fourth term in the Maine House and represents Harpswell, West Bath and northeastern Brunswick.
Contact:
Jackie Merrill [McCreight], c. 812-1111