VBPC Positions

Dear Debi:

Virginia Beach Psychiatric Center prides itself on being an equal
employment opportunity employer, but discriminates against licensed
professional counselors and licensed marriage and family therapists in
its employment advertisements. Both the Director of Clinical Services
and the Program Coordinator for the Partial Hospital Program positions
are advertised as requiring an LCSW. Licensed professional counselors
have credentials equal or superior to those of LCSW's. (Licensure for an
LPC in Virginia requires 60 graduate semester hours in 13 core areas;
4000 hours of supervised experience; 200 hours of face-to-face
supervision.) Many local LPC's admit patients to Virginia Beach
Psychiatric Center and would likely be disheartened to find that they
are not eligible for employment within the hospital.

I hope that you will review the concerns of the Virginia Association of
Clinical Counselors with your marketing director and medical director,
and reconsider your employment policies. I look forward to sharing your
response with our membership.

Michael E. Nahl, LPC
VACC Professional Advocacy Chair
(757-714-4762)