On the recordJune 10, 2015
I thank the ranking member for yielding. As you know, TRICARE provides coverage to over 9.5 million people worldwide, including Active Duty, activated Guard and Reserve members, retiree survivors, and their families. To ensure coverage, they must choose between independently practicing TRICARE certified medical health counselors and/or supervised mental health counselors. I entered my amendment and withdrew it, but it is important that we get this on the Record. The independent providers must have a master's degree from a mental health counseling program accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs, which we call CACREP. They must also pass the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Exam by January 1, 2017. But this rule unfortunately has unintended consequences that require counselors to complete their education at an institution that only has been accredited by CACREP. This freezes out some of our most respected institutions, including Harvard, Columbia, and, in my home State of Michigan, the University of Michigan and Michigan State University. I am extremely concerned about and would ask for the committee's support in addressing this issue. With more time, we can get this right, ensure our military members have as much access to care as possible.
