Duriel Cohen is a therapist at Wedgewood Christian Services working with youth and he says that if the rule in the Licensing and Regulation Office goes through it would end his ability to practice therapy in Michigan.
“If therapists and counselors like myself, if this is the way that they earn their living, then they would no longer be able to provide their services for free or at the very minimal rate that clients would be willing and able to pay.”
The change in rule would prevent Licensed Professional Counselors from being reimbursed by insurance companies and from having the ability to diagnose clients. It would cause a reduction of mental health providers – leaving many with fewer choices to receive services.
“So it would severely limit their options for therapy and potentially eliminate it depending on the area.”
While a bill has been introduced by Representative Aaron Miller to protect these professional counselors’ ability to continue to provide services to clients -- the change in LARA’s rule precedes the legislative process of this bill.
According to a statement provided by Matthew Erickson, Public Information Officer for LARA, the old rule is outdated.
“The current placement of the “diagnose and psychotherapy” has caused concerns with the manner in which the Board of Counselors and the counseling profession have been interpreting the rules to mean that licensees are allowed to diagnose and use psychotherapy techniques, despite the statute not allowing this practice under the profession’s scope.”
A public meeting is set to take place the morning of Friday October 4th in the Williams State Office Building in Lansing, Michigan.
Michelle Jokisch Polo, WGVU News.