Counseling Compact: Connecting Counselors, Protecting the Public

The Counseling Compact is designed to allow professional counselors to practice across state lines, expanding access to mental health services. The compact will ensure that a counselor licensed in their participating home state can be granted a privilege to practice in any other compact state.

In this nationally connected system, jurisprudence assessments are critical tools to ensure that counselors have a deep and abiding understanding of each state’s laws, rules, and regulations necessary for essential public protections. The Counseling Compact legislation empowers states and jurisdictions to utilize jurisprudence assessments for counselors accessing privileges to practice through the Compact Commission, and a number of these assessments are hosted in CCE Academy. 

The Counseling Compact Commission is in the process of developing the technological and regulatory infrastructure to issue privileges to practice. Extensive work to develop the data system is underway and the Commission anticipates that it will begin issuing privileges to practice later this year. Currently 38 states and jurisdictions, including the District of Columbia, have joined the Counseling Compact, with legislation active in additional states.

The National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) is an ex-officio member of the Commission’s Executive Committee. NBCC also provides annual funding for the Commission to help it meet its financial responsibilities and ultimately to keep costs low for counselors accessing privileges. Ensuring that as many counselors as possible are able to access privileges and serve clients across the United States is a key element in advancing the counseling profession and fulfilling the vision of NBCC.

To learn more about jurisprudence requirements and the work of the Commission, please check out https://counselingcompact.gov/map/jurisprudence-requirements.