YOUR ADVANCE JOURNEY.
The Center for Credentialing & Education (CCE) is a not-for-profit organization that provides practitioners and organizations with assessments, business support services, and credentialing. Created in 1995 as an affiliate of the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC), CCE credentials nearly 25,000 practitioners globally in a variety of fields.
TAMMI LEE VP OF CCE AND BUSINESS SERVICES AND PARTNERSHIPS
OUR MISSION AND VISION
To propel our vision of advancing global health equity, CCE promotes excellence in and expands equitable access to mental health and human development professions through credentialing, high-integrity assessment, and regulatory business administration. Advancing global health equity through counselor certification. OUR MISSION OUR VISION
CLIENT RELATIONS CCE offers a dynamic portfolio of services including five credentials, assessment and examination services, and customized solutions through our business support and licensure services. It is our goal to give each credential holder, client, and partner a superior experience. We are committed to maintaining excellence and integrity in every aspect of our job by upholding the highest ethical and quality standards.
FAST FACTS • 25,000+ credential holders worldwide • 37,000+ assessments and examinations administered annually • Working with individuals and organizations worldwide, across 16 countries • 1,000,000+ counseling professionals have engaged with CCE on behalf of state licensure boards
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT The Business Development Department fosters relationships with individuals, organizations, and universities that offer training and continuing education for CCE’s credentials, which include the Approved Clinical Supervisor (ACS), Board Certified Coach (BCC), Board Certified TeleMental Health Provider (BC-TMH), and Global Career Development Facilitator (GCDF). It also conducts research to develop marketing strategies for CCE’s many products and services.
DR. WINIFERT LAWSON-GRAVES DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
The Center for Credentialing & Education (CCE) partners with highly qualified training providers worldwide who teach professionals best practices in clinical supervision, coaching, career facilitation, and telemental health. Upon completion of the training, professional experience, and (in some cases) examination requirements, individuals can apply for the Approved Clinical Supervisor (ACS) credential, Board Certified Coach (BCC) certification, Board Certified TeleMental Health Provider (BC-TMH) certification, or CCE’s flagship credential, the Global Career Development Facilitator (GCDF). For each of these credentials, CCE has Registered Credential Training Providers (RCTPs) who develop quality trainings that advance the knowledge and expertise of the credential holders. Dr. Winifert Lawson-Graves, Director of Business Development, says that RCTPs are critical to CCE’s mission of advancing professional excellence through credentialing. “The work done by the Registered Credential Training Providers is extremely important. They ensure that professionals in their courses are well-trained and prepared to pursue or advance in their chosen fields,” she says. CCE currently has nearly 200 training providers in the U.S., Europe, and Asia, and we are actively seeking additional RCTPs for our credentials. “We take public safety seriously. As part of our business model, we want to make sure that individuals who want to REGISTERED CREDENTIAL TRAINING PROVIDERS TRAINING PROVIDERS SHARE THEIR EXPERTISE AROUND THE GLOBE
earn a CCE credential are well-prepared,” Dr. Lawson-Graves says. “We partner with highly qualified trainers who prepare credential holders to work safely and effectively with their clients, and make sure that they are implementing the best practices in their business.” Becoming an RCTP is a great opportunity for individuals who enjoy helping others obtain their goals by sharing their expert knowledge and professional experiences. “Anyone with an entrepreneurial spirit looking for a rewarding opportunity to share their expertise in their field to help others attain their career goals should consider becoming an RCTP,” - Dr. Lawson-Graves says.
GREECE TRAINING PROVIDER SPOTLIGHT INTERNATIONAL TRAINING PROVIDER SPOTLIGHT: CAREER ASSOCIATES TRAINS GCDF CANDIDATES IN GREECE Maria Koutsafti founded the Center for Vocational Guidance & Educational Consulting Career Associates (VG & EC) in Athens, Greece, in 1991. Koutsafti has 30 years of experience in career counseling, assessment, and development. As a Registered Credential Training Provider, Koutsafti’s center establishes collaborations with academic institutions, governmental and nongovernmental organizations, and private enterprises to help develop the counseling profession and its support system in Greece. Koutsafti and her staff at Career Associates train clients to obtain CCE’s flagship credential, the Global Career Development Facilitator (GCDF). “Career counseling is widely valued by Greek students and their parents, by school principals and teachers, by external agencies, and by the community as a whole,” Koutsafti says. After providing career training since the early 1990s, she began training candidates to obtain the GCDF in 2009.
Koutsafti and her Career Associates team help clients stand out in a competitive job market, whether they are advising a young student who is indecisive or a professional who is considering a different career path. “Our trainees have found the GCDF program to be informative and thought-provoking,” she says. “It is wonderful to help them gain valuable skills and knowledge that they can use in their day-to-day job duties and increase their marketability, setting themselves apart from other professionals. “Candidates who have taken the step to voluntarily earn a credential have also proven that they value their careers. By training them to obtain the GCDF, we are enabling them to adapt in a dynamic and continually evolving market force.”
A SECURE PLATFORM FOR CONTINUING EDUCATION ONLINE CCE Academy is a new online learning management system for the education of individuals in the counseling profession and other helping professions. In addition to state jurisprudence exams for counseling licensure boards, the platform hosts continuing education courses for mental health professionals in a user-friendly, self-directed format. The platform offers a range of courses and articles on a variety of topics designed to inspire professional growth. The courses and examinations can be taken anywhere with internet access. Upon successful completion, the candidate’s certification is emailed to them and stored in their account for future download.
JURISPRUDENCE ASSESSMENTS AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT TO LICENSURE The ultimate purpose of a jurisprudence assessment is to protect the public by measuring a licensed counselor’s mastery of the knowledge and skills regulated by state law. CCE offers state licensure boards the opportunity to partner in the development and maintenance of their state’s jurisprudence examinations and tutorials. Jurisprudence assessments are developed using subject matter experts and psychometricians to ensure that test items accurately measure the essential information that state legislators have determined is necessary for safe practice. CCE has a cuttingedge item bank and expert item writers. CCE Academy allows applicants the opportunity to take their examinations via a secure, ADA-compliant platform, CCE Academy. CCE has developed jurisprudence examinations with state licensure boards in Arizona, Arkansas, Maryland, Missouri, Mississippi, and Tennessee.
Tennessee Board Administrator Samara Watkins says jurisprudence assessments are a crucial requirement for mental health professionals in order to protect the safety of the public. “We want them to learn the ethics, rules, and laws here in Tennessee,” she says. ”Not only does jurisprudence protect the patient, it also protects practicing professionals. Also, laws vary from state to state. With a jurisprudence assessment, you know that you are practicing under the right guidelines and rules, and you are handling things the proper way as per Tennessee statutes. The online platform simplifies the jurisprudence assessment process and has also made it more accessible,” Watkins says. According to a Maryland Law Assessment candidate, the navigation on the platform is easy. “The format is intuitive. And I could take the course at my own pace, in the comfort of my own home, and I didn’t have to schedule it!”
CONTRACTED MANAGEMENT A RESOURCE FOR NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AND BOARDS For more than 20 years, CCE has provided education reviews and full-service management to associations, state licensing boards, and credentialing bodies in the mental health and human services fields. Our services include board support, credentials management, licensure services, technology management, conference and event planning, and more. Whether your organization is looking for comprehensive administrative support, review assistance, or consultation, we can customize a business solution to fit your needs. “We relieve our clients’ boards of directors from their daily responsibilities of management and operations, and that allows them to focus on their core competencies and their organizations’ mission. Because we focus on the areas of mental and behavioral health, most of these boards consist of volunteers. Our expertise with nonprofits gives us the advantage of understanding anticipatory management; we know the challenges that they typically face.” – Robin Colburn Director, Contracted Management Services
ROBIN COLBURN DIRECTOR OF CONTRACTED MANAGEMENT SERVICES
The North Carolina Board of Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselors (NCBLCMHC) was established to regulate the activities of professionals who provide counseling services to ensure the protection of our public’s health, safety, and welfare. Dr. Denauvo M. Robinson, NCC, ACS, LCMHCS, NBCCH, is the Board’s chair. He is in his fourth term and has served as chair for two terms. Robinson retired after 45 years serving as president and CEO, vice chancellor, executive director, vice president, headmaster, and psychological counselor in education- and community-related settings. CCE has provided full board support and operations for NCBLCMHC since 2014, and Robinson says the relationship has contributed greatly to the Board’s success. “CCE has been an outstanding partner and management company,” he says. “Two years ago, the Board embarked on a major effort to change our name and the name of the licenses we confer, establish an Impaired Professionals Program, and create an opportunity for licensure reciprocity with other states. CCE’s staff was extremely helpful in creating a strategic plan to involve our public in the process, inform them of our progress, and share with them our success after North Carolina Senate Bill 537 became a law in 2020.” This bill amended the licensure names for Licensed Professional WHAT OUR CLIENTS ARE SAYING NC BOARD WORKS TO REGULATE THE PRACTICE OF COUNSELING
Counselor (LPC) to Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LCMHC) and Licensed Professional Counselor Associate (LPCA) to Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor Associate (LCMHCA). It also amended some NC Medicaid behavioral health clinical coverage policies. When the COVID-19 pandemic necessitated changes in the Board’s work, CCE stepped in to help streamline the vital processes. “We were challenged by the impact of COVID-19 on our over 10,900 licensees, their families and clients,” Robinson says. “Working hand-in-hand with the CCE management staff, the Board made decisions to extend deadlines for applications, renewals, and supervision reports. In addition, we decided to close the office and allow staff to work from home and continued to hold virtual Board meetings. CCE staff updates our website on a daily basis in order to proactively inform our licensees and applicants of changes that affect their livelihood.” Robinson says the Board continues to be impressed by the collaboration. “We have been extremely pleased with the working relationship we have had with CCE,” he says. “The heart of that relationship is the people who have been assigned to work with us. The staff has been engaged and exhibits a high quality of professionalism in all that they do.”
CCE CREDENTIALS ADD PROFESSIONAL CREDIBILITY Although CCE’s portfolio of services is diverse, at the heart of our business is credentialing. Credentials ensure that professionals are continuously learning new skills or adding knowledge to their existing resources. Regardless of how the workplace evolves, a credential can enable you to remain current in your field and prepare you to deal with the ever-changing advances in the technological or professional arenas. Credentials can lead to promotions, salary increases, a better understanding of the work, knowledge of best practices, and the satisfaction of professional achievement.
EXPLORE OUR CREDENTIALS WHAT IS A CREDENTIAL? A credential confirms an individual’s qualifications and professional competency in a specific industry.
• The CCE Approved Clinical Supervisor (ACS) Program includes a credential that identifies mental health professionals who have met national professional supervision standards. The ACS, which was established in 1998, promotes the clinical supervisor’s professional identity, visibility, and accountability and encourages professional growth. Fifteen states recognize the ACS as the supervision credential of choice. • The Board Certified Coach (BCC) certification has been a mark of distinction since 2011. A BCC has met professional coaching competency standards established by CCE and subject matter experts. Earning the Board Certified Coach credential solidifies the professional identity of the coach. Specialty designations are available in business and executive leadership coaching, career coaching, health and wellness coaching, and personal/life coaching. • The Board Certified-TeleMental Health Provider (BC-TMH) certification, which was created in 2018, is designed to meet the growing need for telemental health. The BC-TMH gives mental health providers the training, knowledge, and credibility that clients and employers demand. Today’s professionals seek the best practices to offer safe and effective services to their clients. • The Global Career Development Facilitator (GCDF) credential was developed in 1998 by CCE in collaboration with the National Career Development Association (NCDA) and the National Occupational Information Coordinating Committee. GCDFs provide career development and guidance to those who are preparing to enter the workforce and others interested in changing or advancing their careers. More than 14,000 individuals have been credentialed as GCDFs in the U.S., and more than 30,000 have been credentialed as GCDFs in 23 countries.
MILESTONES WE RECENTLY CAUGHT UP WITH FOUR OF OUR ORIGINAL CREDENTIAL HOLDERS TO DISCUSS THE WORK THEY ARE DOING IN THEIR COMMUNITIES AND BEYOND.
Dr. Loretta Bradley, NCC, ACS, LPC, LPC-S, LMFT, LMFT-S, NCCC, NCCS Approved Clinical Supervisor Since 1998 A native of Ashland, Kentucky, Dr. Loretta Bradley is the coordinator of the counselor education program and the director of the PhD counselor education program at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, where she also holds the Paul Whitfield Horn Endowed Professorship in Counselor Education. Dr. Bradley earned her PhD in counselor education and supervision from Purdue University. After teaching clinical supervision for years and writing a book on supervision in 1989, she decided to earn the CCE Approved Clinical Supervisor (ACS) credential. “I could see that the profession was going in the direction of credentialing, and I thought it would be a good credential for me to have because supervision was my specialty,” she says. “Having a credential informs the public that counselors have met certain requirements of education and experience, and a degree of advanced training. I believe it lends credibility and that it’s another way for the public to feel protected. It also prevents the admission of unqualified persons doing certain types of work, and in turn helps ensure a better quality of client care.” Prior to her affiliation with Texas Tech University, Dr. Bradley was an associate professor of human development counseling at Peabody College of Vanderbilt University and an assistant dean of the College of Education at Temple University. She is a former president of the American Counseling Association (ACA), the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES), The International Association of Marriage and Family Counselors (IAMFC), and the Texas Association for Adult Development and Aging (TAADA). She is an ACA
fellow and the 2013 recipient of the Texas Counseling Association’s Truax award. In 2019, she received the ACES Legacy Award and the IAMFC Lifelong Achievement Award. She received the Texas Tech University Chancellor’s Teaching Award and the University President’s Teaching Award. Dr. Bradley is also the recipient of three research awards from ACA, ACES, and The British Association for Counseling and Psychotherapy. The credential has helped her along her career path, she says. “The fact that you have this credential can help clients seeking your services to feel more confident about your qualifications. It shows that you’ve undergone stringent scrutiny in your ability to practice and have the qualifications and training to provide effective supervision. I also think there is a personal benefit because as an individual, it gives you a certain sense of pride and accomplishment.” “Having a credential informs the public that counselors have met certain requirements of education and experience, and a degree of advanced training. I believe it lends credibility and that it’s another way for the public to feel protected.”
John E. Long, EdS, BCC, CMCS BCC since 2011 Long is a professional coach and university instructor and a “career transition survivor,” he says, having previously served almost two decades in health care management. His private coaching practice has offices in Atlanta, Georgia, and Jacksonville, Florida. He specializes in career and life coaching and is the author of Career Judo – The Martial Art for the Mindful Career. Long earned a Master of Science with a concentration in career development and a post-master’s educational specialist degree with a major in counseling and educational psychology. He also teaches undergraduate courses in education, student success, and psychology. After earning CCE’s Global Career Development Facilitator (GCDF) credential, Long became interested in learning more about becoming a Board Certified Coach (BCC). “I was really pleased to see that CCE was involving Dr. Pat Williams, a leader in the field of professional coaching, in the development of the BCC credential,” Long says. “I was completing ongoing professional development courses in the growth and development model of coaching, and I felt the BCC was a perfect fit to enhance my professional profile as a career and life coach. The BCC framework offered me a quality, stepwise process to build upon my academic credentials and add ‘professional coach’ to my personal brand.” Long says he recommends earning the BCC to his peers and emerging coaches. “Candidates for the credential are offered a variety of entry points that acknowledge and build upontheir education and experience, while adding a formal training component and a competency-based assessment,” he says. “A coach holding the BCC can have confidence that this credential sends a clear message that the
coaching services and support being offered are backed by high standards of practice in the field of professional coaching.” Earning the BCC has been beneficial in many ways, Long says. “It allows me to present myself to the public, higher education institutions, and an array of organizations as someone who has been well-prepared for the role of professional coach. And in maintaining my BCC credential, I must complete coach-specific professional continuing education and training that keeps me at the forefront of the coaching profession. If your desired career path is to work as a professional coach, the BCC can be a tremendous asset. It will take work and commitment, yet the process of earning the BCC is straightforward and well worth the effort.” “The BCC framework offered me a quality, stepwise process to build upon my academic credentials and add ‘professional coach’ to my personal brand.”
Lisa Price, BC-TMH, LPC, CSAC BC-TMH Since 2018 Lisa Price grew up in the rural community of Ridgeway, Virginia, as one of 11 siblings. Her mother, a Certified Nursing Assistant, instilled the importance of interpersonal relationships and caring for others in her early on, she says. She also recalls having many responsibilities at a young age. “I struggled throughout school, as there was little interest and time for doing homework because there were clothes to hang out, animals to feed, gardens to hoe, dishes to wash and younger siblings to bathe,” she says. After she graduated high school, she got a job working in textiles, where she remained for 21 years. The job was tedious at times and led to feelings of burnout. When the factory closed permanently, its employees received grant monies for higher education. For Price, it was a major turning point. “It was one of the greatest opportunities of my life; by then I was married with three children and money was tight. I earned a bachelor’s degree in human services from Old Dominion University, and five years later I received my Master of Arts in professional counseling from Liberty University.” Price began working for Social Services in foster care and family services, and later for Family Preservations Services, where she provided therapeutic day treatment. After several positions including private counseling, she began her current role in 2016 as a specialized juvenile probation counselor, mental health counselor, and substance abuse counselor at Piedmont Community Services. In 2018, she became a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), a Certified Substance Abuse Counselor (CSAC) and the second person to earn CCE’s Board Certified-TeleMental Health Provider (BC-TMH) credential.
“I began attending conferences and believed telehealth counseling would have a major impact in the near future,” she says. “I pursued the certification and became the first person in the state of Virginia to earn the BCTMH credential.” The timing was perfect, she says. “When the COVID-19 pandemic began, my counseling services switched from all in-person to all telehealth services. Because of my education and certification in telehealth through CCE, the transition to telehealth work was very easy.” Earning the BC-TMH has helped tremendously during her career, she says. “Having the BC-TMH has proved beneficial for all my jobs and all my clients. My hopes and plans are to continue to have the opportunity to provide telemental health services to my underserved rural community. I have found it to be a rewarding and safe practice that has allowed many people to have needed services that otherwise would not have been possible.” “When the COVID-19 pandemic began, my counseling services switched from all in-person to all telehealth services. Because of my education and certification in telehealth through CCE, the transition to telehealth work was very easy.”
Vicki Gray-Roddy GCDF and GCDF Instructor Since 2000 Director, Bureau of Workforce Innovation & Quality, New York State Department of Labor, Division of Employment & Workforce Solutions Vicki Gray-Roddy has focused her career on providing employment guidance and development services to clients while also teaching others to do the same. After graduating from the State University of New York at Cortland with a bachelor’s degree in English, she began working at the NYS Department of Labor in the Division of Research and Statistics in 1996. In 2000, she obtained CCE’s flagship credential, the Global Career Development Facilitator (GCDF), and became a CCE-Approved GCDF instructor. “After a couple of years, I began working in the New York State Occupational Information Coordinating Committee (SOICC),” she says. “The SOICC was responsible for putting out career and labor market information across the state, and as a new GCDF I had the knowledge and skills to help make a difference. That led to an opportunity to be part of the team that built the national award-winning CareerZone website, designed to bring career and labor market information to students in the classroom.” She then began working for the Division of Employment and Workforce Solutions, where she was given the opportunity to build a youth office. The office became a dedicated team of youth professionals to support local workforce areas across the state. “The team helped improve workforce performance and developed innovative resources for youth participants,” she says. “This work led me to the Division’s Human Resource Development Office, providing staff development and training opportunities to thousands of workforce professionals across the state.”
Gray-Roddy is currently the Bureau Chief for Workforce Innovation and Quality, one of two bureaus in the Division of Employment and Workforce Solutions, which administers funding for Wagner Peyser, the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, Trade Act, and Reemployment Services and Eligibility Assessment (RESEA) grants. She became interested in the GCDF credential after hearing about it at a National Occupational Information Coordinating Committee (NOICC) Conference, she says. “After checking out the core competencies, I realized that a better understanding of areas like labor market information and resources, technology, career development models, assessment tools, and employability skills would help me better connect with the economists and statisticians who made up the bulk of my colleagues in the Division of Research and Statistics, where I worked,” she says. “I wanted to more easily understand the language and process of the work we did and get up to speed as quickly as I could in my new work environment. Taking the GCDF course put me on the fast track to picking up what I needed to know so I could participate more readily at work and give back more quickly.” She enjoyed the course so much that she decided to become an instructor. “One of my first assignments after I earned my instructor credential was to offer a class to workforce professionals from across the state at the local community college in the capital region,” she says. “It still ranks as one of the best, albeit scariest, work tasks I’ve had to carry out. I’ve also instructed a number of teams that worked in the juvenile justice setting, and it’s been truly rewarding to assist such a population in need.”
CREDENTIALS AT WORK: DAN NOMMENSEN NCC, BC-TMH, LPC, BCPCC, CEAP, CATSM Dan Nommensen is the member assistance program director for Christian Family Solutions (CFS), a nonprofit organization providing professional counseling and senior care services since 1965. CFS has 50 clinic locations in six states providing outpatient, intensive outpatient, and day treatment services for children and adults who face a range of mental health challenges. CFS provides individual and group therapy on site and via telehealth, and recommends that its staff earn CCE’s Board Certified-TeleMental Health Provider (BC-TMH) credential. “CFS has been a partner with CCE for a long time as distance counseling services began emerging,” he says. “The credential is essential for our staff as we ensure the highest level of care and communicate an understanding and appreciation of the unique application of mental health therapy by video.” Nommensen says the BC-TMH has helped meet a growing need in mental health care. “There are key obstacles for people in need of mental health services, and one of those obstacles is distance. There are many rural areas of our country where the nearest mental health clinic could be an hour drive or more. By providing services through a secure video connection, we are able to remove this obstacle so people can receive the care they need.” Finding specialized care is another challenge that many people face, he says.
“An individual may struggle with a particular disorder. Through telehealth, it becomes possible to find a provider who specializes in a particular area so the individual can be empowered to choose a provider who is best qualified to help. An important part of specialization for those who provide services by video involves obtaining the BC-TMH credential. It shows that we value our work and understand the uniqueness of serving people using a distance modality.” Nommensen has provided telemental health services since 2008 when CFS began offering telehealth for members of religious organizations in rural areas of the country. The program later expanded to provide services to individuals, couples, and families by video in almost all parts of the country and in many international locations. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused an increase in the demand for telemental health services, Nommensen says. “Thanks to our history with CCE and our training in the area of telehealth, we were able to quickly and easily expand our service delivery to meet the immediate demand,” he says. “With nearly 100 mental health professionals now on staff, our goal is to get them all certified through CCE as BC-TMHs. “As our society changes and we see the means of interacting with each other changing, it would be in everyone’s best interest to explore the benefits of telehealth. My advice is to take the training and get your credential. Inevitably you will find ways to apply distance counseling modalities with current patients, or even start something entirely new.”
OFFICE OF CAREER SERVICES UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO As the Director of the Office of Career Services at the University of New Mexico, Dr. Jenna Crabb requires her staff to obtain CCE’s flagship credential, the Global Career Development Facilitator (GCDF). Not only is she a GCDF, she has been teaching those pursuing the credential since 2004. Crabb received her PhD in counselor education from UNM and has more than 20 years of higher education experience. She is also an adjunct faculty member for the university’s counselor education and organizational learning and instructional technologies (OLIT) programs. Several years ago, one of Crabb’s former directors asked her to obtain the GCDF and become an approved instructor so that the university could begin offering GCDF training. Crabb and her colleagues were so impressed by the GCDF program that they later began requiring their staff to obtain the credential within six months of employment. Crabb is still enthusiastic about that decision. “This program is something I believe in, and I believe it should be part of the minimum requirements for my career staff. The GCDF certification is extremely valuable to our profession, and I consider it the gold standard of career development training.” Earning the credential has been beneficial to students and staff members who have different levels of education as well, she says.
“My entry-level staff may not necessarily have a master’s in counseling; many of them are pursuing one. The GCDF provides a really strong foundation, because the 12 competency areas are firmly grounded in career development and workplace knowledge. For those who come in with additional experience, like a master’s in counseling or years of teaching, I think it helps round out what they bring to the table.” Crabb says the GCDF program offers a more comprehensive knowledge base than other career development programs she’s seen. “This gives you such a foundation on how to assist individuals within the career development and coaching fields. You learn the ethical guidelines, working within your scope of practice, and one of the greatest parts of this curriculum—providing a theoretical foundation. You understand assessments, different occupational knowledge areas, and how the world of work is organized. You don’t typically get that kind of knowledge base anywhere else.” Crabb has taught people from many different backgrounds and says the feedback about the GCDF has always been positive. “Some are K–12 counselors, some work for labor departments and workforce connection-type organizations, and many are academic advisors at the university level, in addition to my staff,” she says. “The No. 1 comment I hear is that the GCDF program provides applicable, on-the-spot knowledge of the career development spectrum. People really do walk away with applied knowledge and skills.”
LEGISLATIVE & GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS CCE’s government affairs initiatives include advocating for the counseling profession at the state and federal levels. To effect real impact on policy, we have partnered with a public affairs firm in the Washington, D.C., metro area and work with public and private stakeholders to implement policies that create better systems of integrated (or coordinated) care and increase access to and funding for counselors.
TRENDS & PROGRESS
We collaborate with organizations across different mental health professions to advance shared causes. Central to these efforts is enacting legislation that supports and recognizes quality training and credentials. These advocacy efforts have a tangible impact for counseling professionals, opening up new funding sources, employment opportunities, and more. After many years of advocacy by NBCC and Affiliates, legislation signed into law in 2020 will increase employment of mental health counselors by the Department of Veterans Affairs and throughout the federal government. The law directs the VA and the Office of Personnel Management to create an occupational series for mental health counselors. The lack of an occupational series has long been an impediment to hiring counselors in the VA and throughout the federal government. Our advocacy efforts also secure federal funding opportunities for qualified professionals. Among additional important provisions, the 2020 law establishes the VA Readjustment Counseling Service Scholarship Program, creating another source of federal funding for counselors. Previous advocacy efforts successfully included the counseling profession in the federal Minority Fellowship Program. The MFP awards for counselors are administered by the NBCC Foundation. Going forward, our advocacy efforts continue to focus on securing Medicare coverage for mental health counselors and marriage and family therapists. Currently, these professions are not covered by the federal program, restricting access to appropriate mental health care for older Americans. Our legislative priority is to ensure federal recognition of the high qualifications of these professions. At the state level, we advocate for telemental health access and licensure portability. These issues have received increased attention across the country because of the COVID-19 pandemic. During these trying circumstances, NBCC and Affiliates continues to support legislation that improves access to care without sacrificing best practices and high professional standards.
Whether your organization or licensing board is looking for comprehensive administrative support, review assistance, or consultation to prepare for accreditation, CCE’s Licensure Support and Educational Review Services can customize a solution to fit your needs.
SHONETTE RANGEL STATE LICENSURE FACILITATION MANAGER
A FULL-SERVICE PROVIDER MODEL CCE manages licensure candidate transcript review and validation for several states. We provide a step-by-step process for developing a psychometrically defensible examination for a credible credential that includes: • Delivery in a variety of testing formats, including pencil-and-paper, internet-based, and computer-based testing. • Item analysis and psychometric services. • Management of applications for certification and licensure testing. We are here to help. We can also complete your entire educational review, making the process easier for candidates and your board. Assessments and Examinations Our mission is to advance professions by promoting and developing culturally fair and psychometrically sound assessments that not only measure the mastery of professional knowledge and skills, but also inspire change and advancement in practice.
OUR WORK: In partnership with NBCC’s Assessment group, CCE offers advanced psychometric and examination development services, including: • Reliability Analyses • Item-level Analyses • Item Response Theory (IRT) • Classical Test Theory (CTT) • Job Analyses • Test Blueprint Development • Construct Development and Identification • Item Writing Management • Item Banking • Identification and Management of Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) • Alternate Form Development and Equivalency • Differential Item Functioning (DIF) Analyses
THE COUNSELOR PREPARATION COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION (CPCE) Approximately 410 college and university counseling programs in the United States use CCE’s Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Examination (CPCE). The 160-question examination was created to measure the knowledge and skills of individuals who have completed graduatelevel courses and are preparing to become professional counselors. Schools have traditionally had the option to offer the examination by Anywhere Proctored Browser (APB), which delivers the examination via a secure internet browser, or by ComputerBased Testing (CBT), which is offered at approved Pearson VUE facilities. In addition, test takers now have the convenience of taking the examination from home with OnVUE online proctoring.
THE CPCE:
COUNSELING PROGRAMS BENEFIT FROM THE CPCE IN MANY WAYS. • Provides a master’s program comprehensive examination that meets high psychometric standards. • Gives programs an objective view of the knowledge level of their students. • Allows programs to examine student functioning in various curricular areas. • Promotes longitudinal self-study. • Compares a program’s results to national data. • Stimulates student integration of knowledge learned in separate courses. • Gives students comparative strength and weakness feedback. “It’s a very a comprehensive examination, so it’s not only testing an individual’s knowledge, but also their ability to respond in certain situations,” says Shonette Rangel, CPCE Coordinator. “The questions are structured in a way to really make students think more objectively and to prepare them to face the world of counseling and work professionally and effectively with their clientele.” Our staff also helps students with the registration process, updates their accounts, uploads scores, and provides quarterly instructional and information sessions online.
THE NCE The National Counselor Examination (NCE) is a 200-item multiple-choice examination designed to assess knowledge, skills, and abilities determined to be important for providing effective counseling services. The NCE is a requirement for counselor licensure in many states. It is also one of two examination options for the National Certified Counselor (NCC) certification. It may also be accepted by military health systems to become a recognized provider. CCE has contracted with Pearson VUE to assist in the administration and scoring of the NCE, which was first used in 1983 as part of the NCC application process and continues to undergo regular review and development to ensure that it represents the current reality of practice and research in the counseling profession.
THE NCMHCE The National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination (NCMHCE) consists of 10 clinical simulations designed to sample a broad area of competencies. The NCMHCE is a requirement for counselor licensure in some states and for the Certified Clinical Mental Health Counselor (CCMHC) certification. It is also one of two examination options for the National Certified Counselor (NCC) certification. It may also be accepted by military health systems to become a recognized provider.
SCHOLARSHIPS & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE The NBCC Foundation and CCE awarded $28,500 in scholarships and training awards in 2021. The first scholarship, provided in 2012, was for a master’s-level counseling student pursuing the Global Career Development Facilitator (GCDF) credential. The CCE Scholarship Program, in collaboration with the NBCC Foundation, has grown over the past 10 years to provide a total of more than $190,500 in awards to assist counseling professionals in attaining other CCE credentials and to support and increase their ongoing professional development and continuing education opportunities. Awards Include: • GCDF Domestic • GCDF International • Board Certified Coach (BCC) • CCE Approved Clinical Supervisor (ACS) • Board Certified-TeleMental Health Provider (BC-TMH) Eligibility requirements, more information, and current awards are listed here: nbccf.org/programs/scholarships
“I received the ACS credential in 2020 with scholarship assistance from CCE. I have always found supervision important throughout my career, especially so during my time preparing for professional licensure. The ACS credential provided me with an in-depth understanding of the importance of clinical supervision, as well as the nuances associated with understanding oversight of emerging clinicians’ practice.” — Dr. Matthew R. Shupp, NCC, ACS, BC-TMH, LPC Associate Professor of Counseling at Shippensburg University in Pennsylvania
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Past Chair Lela Kosteck Bunch, PhD, NCC, LPC Jefferson City, Missouri Dr. Bunch has worked in many facets of education and school counseling at virtually all school levels (K-–17), as well as individual and group counseling in agency settings. She has a PhD in school psychology with an emphasis in educational administration and family systems from the University of Missouri-Columbia, and a master’s in school counseling from Pittsburg State University. Chair Keith Dempsey, PhD, LPC Portland, Oregon Dr. Dempsey received a PhD in counselor education and supervision from Oregon State University (OSU) and is the department chair of the Graduate School of Counseling at George Fox University, where he is the first African American to be tenured in the school’s history. He also has a private practice in Portland, Oregon, where he provides individual, couples, and family counseling.
Vice Chair Selena Tan, BCC, SPHR Cambridge, Massachusetts Tan coaches clients in the fields of biotech/pharma, higher education, technology, and health care. After 20 years of management experience at organizations like The Coyle Company, Harvard University, Oxfam America, and Systems Engineering and Security, she started O Positive Coaching & HR Services LLC in 2011. She has also been a senior career consultant and executive coach with ClearRock Inc. since 2013. Secretary Joel Diambra, EdD, NCC, AS, LPC-MHSP Knoxville, Tennessee Dr. Diambra is an associate professor of counselor education at the University of Tennessee. He assists students in developing, conducting, presenting, and publishing their research. Dr. Diambra also provides clinical supervision through his private counseling and supervision practice. He has co-edited a book, published over 50 book chapters, edited articles, and presented over 100 times at various conferences.
Director Kim Jackson-Allen, EdD, NCC, NCSC Savannah, Georgia Dr. Jackson-Allen received an EdD and EdS in educational administration from South Carolina State University in Orangeburg, an EdS and MEd in counselor education from Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of West Georgia in Carrollton. She is a school counselor with the Savannah-Chatham County Board of Education in Georgia, where she assists in planning and directing a guidance program. Treasurer Mel Asbury, BCC, MSIR, SPHR Greensboro, North Carolina Asbury is president of Asbury Consulting LLC in Greensboro, North Carolina. He has been a corporate executive in the biotech, pharmaceutical, telecommunications and health care industries for companies such as Glaxo SmithKline, Exxon Mobil, SpectraSite Communications, and Novant Health. He has also taught at Duke University, Purdue University, and Southern University as an adjunct instructor.
King is the CEO of the Greensboro Children’s Museum and has worked in the nonprofit field for over 30 years in a variety of leadership roles. She is a past president of the Junior League of Greensboro, has served on the board of Family Services of the Piedmont, Family Life Council, and the Campaign Cabinet for the United Way of Greater Greensboro. She currently serves on the Advisory Board for the Guilford County Cooperative Extension Service. Public Member Marian King, MA Greensboro, North Carolina Director Trigg Even PhD, LPC-S, NCC, ACS Dr. Even received a master’s in community counseling and a PhD in counselor education and supervision, both from Texas A&M Commerce. He is the owner of Rhitmus Consulting and a therapist for Performance Brain Health in Colorado. He has taught and supervised in clinical mental health and school counseling program tracks and leads program assessment and accreditation efforts at three universities.
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