Describes the purpose and organization of the Board of Certified Professional Counselors developed by the American Mental Health Counselors Association. The decision to certify rather than license was based on HEW research and recommendations. A glossary of terms is included. (JAC)

The establishment of a Board of Certified Professional Counselors increases the professionalism of counselors. It assures the public of the counselor's competence, protects the profession and the counselor, and determines qualification for entrance into the profession. (JAC)

Master's and doctoral level counselors face exclusion from the mental health care system because of the trend toward funding by health insurance. Organized psychology is moving to bar doctoral level counselors and counseling education graduates from licensure. Counselors are losing their jobs to practitioners with insurance-eligible credentials.…