With the growing number of counselors working outside of school settings, licensure of mental health counselors has become an important issue. A main problem facing counselors is the lack of a clear identity. Licensure would lead to increased professionalism and identification. Licensure is authorized by the state legislature, regulating the…

The Georgia Department of Education initiated a statewide effort to establish standards and procedures for certification of educational personnel based on competency demonstration. A project was commissioned to develop a performance-based system for the certification of school counselors. This article presents the premises, procedures, and…

Counselor credentialing can be confusing to counseling students as well as counseling practitioners. There is as yet no definitive set of national standards applicable within and among states. This monograph aims to clarify the meaning, value, and drawback of various types of credentials, so as to help counselors decide which credentials are…

Couselor credentialing is a way to symbolize professionalism and high standards to the public. Its purpose is to identify counselors who are at least minimally qualified to provide counseling services. This special digest collection on credentialing counselors covers many aspects of legislation, methods, and special concerns about credentialing.…

Professional school counselors are required by law and/or regulation in every state to obtain a state-issued credential in order to be employed in public schools. In some states, this credential is called "certification"; others term it "licensure" or "endorsement." This guide provides a chart summarizing the…