TITLE 18. PROFESSIONAL AND OCCUPATIONAL LICENSING

BOARD OF COUNSELING

Notice of Intended Regulatory Action

Notice is hereby given in accordance with § 2.2-4007.01 of the Code of Virginia that the Board of Counseling intends to consider amending 18VAC115-20, Regulations Governing the Practice of Professional Counseling. The purpose of the proposed action is to implement the provisions of Chapters 684 and 685 of the 2023 Acts of Assembly, which enacts Virginia's entry into the Counseling Compact. The intended proposed amendments include (i) establishing related fees, practice privileges, and renewal of practice privileges and (ii) making technical changes to definitions consistent with the compact and to regulatory text to incorporate individuals practicing in Virginia under a compact privilege into disciplinary and practice provisions. The Commission for the Counseling Compact has not yet issued rules for member states; these rules will influence the proposed and final regulation.

The agency intends to hold a public hearing on the proposed action after publication in the Virginia Register.

Statutory Authority: § 54.1-2400 of the Code of Virginia.

Public Comment Deadline: November 6, 2024.

Agency Contact: Jaime Hoyle, Executive Director, Board of Counseling, 9960 Mayland Drive, Suite 300, Henrico, VA 23233, telephone (804) 367-4406, FAX (804) 527-4435, or email jaime.hoyle@dhp.virginia.gov.