STATE OF WISCONSIN
MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPY, PROFESSIONAL
COUNSELING, AND SOCIAL WORK EXAMINING BOARD
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IN THE MATTER OF RULE-MAKING : PROPOSED ORDER OF THE
PROCEEDINGS BEFORE THE : MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPY,
MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPY, : PROFESSIONAL COUNSELING, AND
PROFESSIONAL COUNSELING, AND : SOCIAL WORK EXAMINING BOARD
SOCIAL WORK EXAMINING BOARD : ADOPTING RULES
: (CLEARINGHOUSE RULE )
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PROPOSED ORDER
An order of the Marriage and Family Therapy, Professional Counseling, and Social Work Examining Board to repeal and recreate MPSW 11.01 (2) (b); and to amend MPSW 11.01 (2) (c); relating to degrees from programs accredited by the Commission for Accreditation of Counseling (CACREP).
Analysis prepared by the Department of Safety and Professional Services.
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ANALYSIS
Statutes interpreted:
Statutory authority:
Explanation of agency authority:
Section 15.08 (5) (b), Stats. states that “[e]ach examining board [s]hall promulgate rules for its own guidance and for the guidance of the trade or profession to which it pertains, and define and enforce professional conduct and unethical practices not inconsistent with the law relating to the particular trade or profession.” Section 457.03 (1), Stats. states that the board shall “[u]pon the advice of the social worker section, marriage and family therapist section, and professional counselor section, promulgate rules establishing minimum standards for educational programs that must be completed for certification or licensure under this chapter and for supervised clinical training that must be completed for licensure as a clinical social worker, marriage and family therapist, or professional counselor under this chapter and approve educational programs and supervised clinical training programs in accordance with those standards.” Related statute or rule:
Section MPSW 14.
Plain language analysis:
This rule project removes automatic acceptance of all CACREP accredited programs as equivalent to a master’s or doctorate in professional counseling for the purposes of meeting the education requirement for licensure as a professional counselor. Instead, the board will provide automatic acceptance for certain enumerated CACREP accredited specialty programs. These include CACREP accredited programs in addiction counseling, clinical mental health counseling, clinical rehabilitation counseling, marriage, couple, and family Counseling, and doctoral programs in counselor education and supervision.
Applicants with degrees that are not CACREP accredited, or CACREP accredited but not in one of the enumerated specialties, must show that their degree program meets the requirements for equivalency within MPSW 14
Summary of, and comparison with, existing or proposed federal regulation:
None.
Summary of public comments received on statement of scope and a description of how and to what extent those comments and feedback were taken into account in drafting the proposed rule:
The Marriage and Family Therapy, Professional Counseling, and Social Work Examining Board held a preliminary hearing on the statement of scope for this rule at its January 28, 2020 meeting. The board received written comments from the following people:
Dr. Lisa M. Edwards, Dr. Alan Burkard, Dr. Weneaka D. Jones, Dr. Sarah Knox, and Dr. Lynne Knobloch-Fedders, all with the Department of Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology at Marquette University.
Dr. Jennifer M. Cook.
The Marriage and Family Therapy, Professional Counseling, and Social Work Examining Board summarizes the written comments received at the hearing as follows:
Dr. Lisa M. Edwards, Dr. Alan Burkard, Dr. Weneaka D. Jones, Dr. Sarah Knox, and Dr. Lynne Knobloch-Fedders, all with the Department of Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology at Marquette University, as well as Dr. Jennifer M. Cook all commented on the following:
They are opposed to entirely removing automatic acceptance for CACREP approved programs on the following grounds:o
CACREP approved courses are rigorously and continuously assessed to ensure they are creating nationally recognized standards that adequately prepare professional counseling professionals in a way that will enable them to provide counseling services in a way that is consistent with optimal human development in a diverse and dynamic society.
