TPC Journal-Vol 9 Issue 3-FULL

262 The Professional Counselor | Volume 9, Issue 3 Impacting ability to practice. Participants described the hardship associated with not being able to practice in the new state. Barriers included waiting for the application to be received, processed, and approved, which sometimes took months; needing to have an address in the new state in order to apply; not being able to supervise in the new state when that is a required part of their new job; and not being able to provide client care. Participants described the process as taking between six weeks and six months to obtain their new license, preventing them from seeing clients and earning an income. One participant described having a spouse with a career requiring him to move states periodically and how much additional stress this created, as she had to endure the licensure portability process each time her husband was transferred. Paying additional fees. In addition to potential income barriers, participants described the burden of paying multiple fees that occurred simultaneously with relocating to a new state and not yet being able to practice counseling. Brian described the tedium of his application process and how it took about six months to complete, and in addition, “it was very costly . . . all-in-all it came out to close to $800 to get licensed here.” Rosie echoed this experience: “By the time everything was done, I spent $600 to get my license transferred . . . that’s a substantial amount of money before I can even start working.” Because of having to pay additional fees, participants lost money and were unable to work for prolonged periods while waiting until they were licensed in their new state. Recommendations for Counselors, Counselor Educators, Supervisors, and State Boards The category of recommendations emerged from participants offering their perspective on what could have potentially made their experiences easier and less burdensome. Recommendations were designated as a category with the description making recommendations to facilitate or improve the process of obtaining an additional license . Recommendations were divided into three themes of recommendations for counselors, programs, and state licensing boards. The recommendations will be briefly described here and expanded upon in the implications section. Recommendations for counselors. All participants emphasized the importance of strict documentation of all hours, supervision, and training, and keeping copies of all paperwork submitted to the state boards. This recommendation was based on supervisors later being unavailable to verify hours (e.g., lack of available contact information or death); state boards not accepting documentation or verification from other states; or in some cases the board losing the applicant’s paperwork, compelling the applicant to complete the paperwork a second time. Multiple participants described how the licensure process was generally easier after having been fully licensed for five years because certain states allow for licensure reciprocity if that time frame has been met (e.g., ID and NM). Participants therefore recommended trying to maintain licensure in one state for at least five years, even if one left the state, so that they would have access to licensure reciprocity if they decided to relocate to another state. Participants also recommended saving copies of course syllabi, particularly if they graduated from a non–CACREP-accredited program, as it was difficult to find syllabi retroactively. Recommendations for counselor educators and supervisors. Participants recommended counselor educators and supervisors be clear on the expectations of licensure to assist their students and supervisees. Participants believed that facilitating students’ preparation for the licensure process may help them avoid the barriers that many described. Recommendations for state boards. All participants described the lack of clarity they experienced in accessing information about licensure either from the state board websites or calling and talking to a board member or administrator. Therefore, the most poignant recommendation for state boards