TODAY, Monday, June 22, a Congressional Conference Committee - chaired by Texas Congressman Mac Thornberry - will meet to discuss H.R. 1735 and decide whether ALL Mental Health Counselors will be able to see TRICARE beneficiaries, irrespective of whether they went to a CACREP School. The American Counseling Association advocated for a special provision in the National Defense Authorization Act that would grandfather ALL Mental Health Counselors as independent providers who possess 5 years of clinical experience. This grandfathering period would last 10 years.

Please ask Congressman Thornberry to support the amendment to direct TRICARE to expand the pool of qualified individuals who serve the mental health needs of veterans and their families. 

• Licensed Professional Counselors are the largest group of clinical mental health providers in Texas with 21,412 LPCs. 
• There are more than 100 programs in Texas that produce Licensed Professional Counselors in Texas but less than 15 have the CACREP certification.
• More than 194 of Texas' 254 counties are designated as federal mental health workforce shortage areas. Ensuring that our veterans and their families have access to Licensed Professional Counselors is essential to reducing long waiting lists and eliminating the need to travel great distances to receive much needed mental health services. 
• Licensed Professional Counselors have been working with veterans for decades. They are essential members of the mental health workforce in Texas. Allow them to continue to work with Texas veterans and their families so that they can return to their communities as fully engaged, healthy and productive citizens.