This website uses cookies to store information on your computer. Some of these cookies are used for visitor analysis, others are essential to making our site function properly and improve the user experience. By using this site, you consent to the placement of these cookies. Click Accept to consent and dismiss this message or Deny to leave this website. Read our Privacy Statement for more.
Counseling Compact
The Counseling Compact is an exciting moment in the field of Mental Health Counseling and we are following the issue as its progress moves forward.

At this time NYMHCA is taking a “watch and wait” position on the Counseling Compact. There are a few reasons for this:
  • New York is unlikely to pass legislation needed to enter the Counseling Compact.
  • New York has not participated in any extant compacts. These include compacts for nursing, psychology, and medicine. It is unlikely the legislature will consider participating in a compact for Counselors or Social Workers.

NYMHCA has not set legislative priority for participation in the Counseling Compact for these reasons:
  • The Compact is not yet active. When the compact goes life later in 2025 NYMHCA will assess the need for lobbying efforts.
  • Because New York has never joined a compact it is unlikely the legislature will consider participating in the Counseling Compact.
  • Counselors in the state of Oregon lobbied against participating in the Compact. They pointed out that counselors from less expensive states could undercut the necessary charges counselors set to sustain a business. New York counselors may face the same pricing issue if they are competing with low cost states like Mississippi or South Dakota.
What is the Counseling Compact?
The Counseling Compact is an interstate compact, or a contract among participating states, allowing professional counselors licensed and residing in a compact member state to practice in other compact member states without need for multiple licenses.

Individuals in Counseling Compact states may apply for privilege to practice in other states participating in the compact. Privilege must be applied for each individual state and there may be requirement for joining, including passing a jurisprudence examination and the payment of a fee.

To participate in the compact, a practitioner must join via their home state license. A license from a state other than the home state does not qualify.

For more information on the Counseling Compact please refer to: https://counselingcompact.gov/

New York Mental Health Counselors Association, Inc. is a 501(c)(6) non-profit organization and a state chapter of
the American Mental Health Counselors Association.
The NYMHCA Institute, Inc. is an affiliated but separate 501(c)(3) charitable non-profit organization.

Administrator Login