183 The Professional Counselor | Volume 13, Issue 3 “privilege to practice,” which allows legal authorization of practice in each designated remote state. The Counseling Compact uses this PTP model for portability of licensing privileges across member states (Counseling Compact, 2020). The Counseling Compact Development of the Counseling Compact began in 2019 as a solution to the challenges of licensure portability. Historically, navigating varying licensure standards across states represented a barrier to the portability of counseling professionals and access to services for the community (Mascari & Webber, 2013). To address these barriers, organizations including NBCC (2017), ACA (2018), American Mental Health Counselors Association (2021), and AASCB (2022) have worked to unify the profession, establish common minimum licensing standards across states, and create and promote the Counseling Compact. With the support of NCIC, draft legislation for a PTP compact was developed by the end of 2020 and followed by advocacy efforts to pass legislation in a minimum of 10 states to begin the process of establishing the Counseling Compact (ACA, 2021). As of October 2023, the Counseling Compact has been passed as law in a growing list of states, including Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wyoming, with legislation pending in several other states (Counseling Compact, 2022). Compact Standards The model legislation for the Counseling Compact outlines the provisions of the PTP model used (Counseling Compact, 2020). Within these regulations, only independently licensed counselors can apply for compact privileges. Each state maintains its own licensing standards and processes separately. PTP applies equally to both in-person and TMH services. Within the regulations of the compact, each counselor establishes a home state in which they hold a primary license. Prior to the compact, a counselor would have to seek additional licensure in other states to provide service to clients. However, under the PTP Counseling Compact, counselors who hold an unencumbered license may apply for privileges to use their home license in another state without seeking an additional formal license. Counselors may choose the states in which they apply for privileges to practice under the compact. Differing from the MSL model, under the Counseling Compact, counselors would need to apply for privileges in individual states where they wish to practice if these states have passed legislation to join the compact group (Counseling Compact, n.d.). This may involve passing jurisprudence exams for some states. However, licensing renewal and continuing education would only be required in accordance with the home state standards and process (Counseling Compact, 2020). According to the model legislation, each state is also able to set a fee for privileges to practice. A central Compact Commission oversees the process of privilege applications and exchange of information regarding ethical violations across privilege states. As states have varying titles for professional counselors, the general requirements for compact eligibility include counselors who have taken and passed a national exam, have completed required supervision in accordance with their home state requirements, and hold a 60–semester-hour, or 90– quarter-hour, master’s degree. There is language in the model legislation specifying that counselors need to complete 60 semester hours, or 90 quarter hours, of graduate coursework in areas with a counseling focus to accommodate states that do not require a 60-hour master’s degree for licensure. The Counseling Compact (2020) does not include other professions (e.g., marriage and family therapists)
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