Move Forward Counseling is partnering with Legislators, organizations, and businesses across PA to advocate for the passing of legislation that will help mental health professionals meet the demand for high-quality therapy for Pennsylvanians. Access to, and education on, mental health support is critical to ending the stigma and helping people gain greater access to professional care.
7/9/25 Update:
An Act authorizing the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to join the Counseling Compact; and providing for the form of the compact. Introduced by Representative Jennifer O’Mara from House District 165 in PA.
Last Action:
Referred to CONSUMER PROTECTION AND PROFESSIONAL LICENSURE, June 6, 2025 [Senate]
Across the country, we are facing a mental health crisis. More than 23% of adults live with mental illness and more than 46% of Americans will meet the criteria for a diagnosable mental health condition in their lifetime. Due to an increased demand for mental health services and a shortage of mental health providers, finding treatment without a months’ long waitlist can be nearly impossible. In fact, more than 62% of Pennsylvania’s communities are underserved in terms of available mental health services.
Pennsylvanian’s desperately need greater access to mental health providers, which is why we are introducing legislation which would authorize the Commonwealth to join the National Counseling Compact. This compact is an occupational licensure agreement based on the mutual recognition of both education and practices for counselors across multiple states. The compact works by permitting a practitioner’s home state license to be mutually recognized by other compact member states based on a set of criteria laid out within the language of the compact. This model also provides counselors and their patients to have more opportunity as to where and how they provide treatment.
By joining the National Counseling Compact, we are widening the spectrum of professional health services in order to support and provide relief in our communities. We hope you will join us in advocating for increased access to mental health treatment.
Please share this with your colleagues and friends. Could you ask for their support?
Rep Kristine C. Howard’s House Bill 1707 (HB 1707) concerns master’s-level social work degrees. It is a bill to create the Social Worker Educational Enrollment and Training (SWEET) Pilot Program, which will provide stipends to graduate students completing internships as a requisite of an accredited Master’s of Social Work program, allowing more students to pursue this important work. This pilot program will last for three years, with regular accounting as to its efficacy and suitability for being expanded into a permanent program. (Updated July 2025)
A lack of access to mental health treatment remains one of the greatest issues facing Pennsylvania. We face a severe worker shortage in this vast field, including the underappreciated behavioral health specialty of social work.
Social workers aid in the treatment and prevention of mental illness, and these licensed professionals are instrumental in assessing, diagnosing, and treating psychosocial disabilities and impairments, which often include mental and emotional disorders, developmental disabilities, and addiction. They help individuals address the psychological, emotional, social, or behavioral challenges involved in their day-to-day lives, and offer services and support to those in need.
Unfortunately, obstacles such as budget cuts, low wages, and high caseloads often lead to burnout among social workers, making it difficult to prepare a sufficient workforce to meet the growing demand. In fact, a 2015 study concluded that the continued growth of social worker supply would be unable to keep pace with anticipated demand by 2030, with Pennsylvania projected to have a shortage of 5,000 social workers by that time.
Representative Howard is seeking co-sponsorship of this important legislation to ensure that no one goes without the help they need.
In an amazing win for the Counseling profession, Governor Josh Shapiro signed HB 1564 into law on March 28th, 2024. The Pennsylvania legislature came together for this landmark decision in as a direct response to the ever-growing need for qualified mental health professionals in the commonwealth. Master-level clinicians can soon apply to be a Licensed Professional Counseling Associate (LPCA) through the Pennsylvania State Licensing Board!
What We Know So Far
The PA State Licensing Board (PALS) is working on the details. The application for the LPCA so far requires a Master level clinicians to fill out an application, a $75 application fee, Child Abuse CE, Criminal history Check, Databank Report, Educational Transcripts, Letter of Good Standing (LOGS), Resume of Supervisor(s), and a Supervision Plan. We anticipate the board to start accepting applications within the next few months.
View or download the application or go to the state licensing board website:
For more information, please contact the PA State Board of Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists, and Professional Counselors at (717) 783-1389.
Update from February 5, 2024
HB 1564 was amended and voted out of the Senate Professional Licensure Committee yesterday, with Senator Aument (and all others except for one) voting yes! See more about HB 1564.
Update from Pennsylvania Counseling Association (PCA) Government Relations Committee (December 2023)
“The PCA held a Town Hall on Wednesday, December 6, 2023. The PCA is working with Highmark and the legislature to achieve a short-term solution to the incident-to-billing issue. As of December 12th, Highmark has not communicated regarding an agreement to honor a safe harbor executive action. Thus, the PA Administration has not issued the safe harbor. We realize this may be disappointing; however, we will continue to wait for Highmark to agree to a solution. Please trust our PCA leadership continues to work diligently on this issue.
We hope it’s comforting (and exciting) to hear that the long-term solution to the incident-to-billing issue of being granted a licensed associate professional counselor license is closer than ever to becoming a reality. This week, the House’s Professional Licensure committee unanimously voted the bill (HB 1564) out of committee and onto the House floor. The Senate’s Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Committee will hopefully do the same when they vote on their bill version (SB1019). The fact that we have made tiered licensure happen so quickly (within a month!) is unprecedented – we’re so proud of this work!
Please encourage your circles to use the advocacy letter template here to write your elected legislators and ask for their support of the bill during their respective chamber’s vote.
Locate your elected legislators here. Thanks for your continued support of PCA and the Government Relations Committee!”
-Madeleine (Maddie) Stevens (she/her) Ph.D., LPC (PA), LPCC (OH), NCC
The Pennsylvania Counseling Association (PCA) represents and advocates for all professionals and professionals in training at the regional, state, and national level as one of the largest state branches of the American Counseling Association with over 500 members, eight divisions, and three regional chapters.
Dr. Madeleine Stevens is the PCA Government Relations Committee (GRC) Chair and is now she focuses on the importance of legislative advocacy to strengthen the services that PA Counselors provide, with a call for PA Counselors to join the PCA. Write to Dr. Stevens or visit the PCA website to learn more and how to join.
“The Interstate Counseling Compact will enhance PA counselors’ licensure portability while also increasing access to care for clients. The PA Counseling Association supports legislation that promotes a strong, unified counseling profession, and we’re eager for PA counselors to join us!“
Dr. Madeleine (Maddie) Stevens (she/her), Ph.D., LPC (Ohio), NCC, Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Counselor Education and School Psychology, Duquesne University
Dr. Matthew Nice is the President of the Pennsylvania Counseling Association. Write to Dr. Nice or visit the PCA to learn more about how to join PCA.
“The Pennsylvania Counseling Association supports the Interstate Counseling Compact, which ensures reciprocity across state lines for practicing counselors across Pennsylvania. Please join us on these initiatives!”
Matthew L Nice (he/him), Ph.D, LPC, NCC, ACS, President- Pennsylvania Counseling Association, Assistant Professor- Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Therapy is available online across Pennsylvania, with in-person therapy options at the Lancaster, Lancaster Downtown, Lebanon, Pittsburgh, State College, Hershey, Lehigh Valley and York locations.
825 Eden Road, Lancaster, PA 17601
226 N Arch Street 2nd Floor, Lancaster, PA 17603
445 Mountville Drive, Lebanon, PA 17046
100 Keystone Ave, Suite 1, Emmaus, PA 18049
935 E. Chocolate Ave., Hershey, PA 17033
201 S. Craig St, Suite 1M, Pittsburgh, PA 15213
3091 Enterprise Drive, Bldg. D, Suite 202, State College, PA 16801
3091 Enterprise Drive, Bldg. D, Suite 202,
State College, PA 16801
1410 E Market Street, York, PA 17403
Across Pennsylvania
Monday 8:00 a.m. till 6:30 p.m.
The office is closed on major holidays.
Fax No: 717-459-6253
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