in psychology, usually a class or a session. They would often take a written and an oral examination.
Opponents of the new plan indicated that this will lead to a worse shortage of counselors than before. People who agree with the rule changes stated that this will guarantee that residents of Oklahoma will be able to enter drug treatment programs with the same quality that people with mental illness receive.
Janis Mayer’s case is one example of the new regulations having an effect on a licensed counselor. She was a counselor at Valley Hope in Oklahoma City but said she lost her job due to the fact that she only had a bachelor’s degree.
Mayer believes that 27 years working as a counselor should qualify her to work
with any patient in a drug treatment program and that having gone through drug addiction makes her more relatable to patients. She added that she does not wish to stop treating patients.
Author: Robert B. Hayek
Robert B Hayek is a reporter for Addiction Now and covers features and local spotlight stories. He previously worked for Fox Sports as a production assistant as well as a writer and reporter for an online website called Real Talk Sports Network. He has lived in Southern California his entire life, is a lover of books and writing and also surfs. Contact Robert at roberth@addictionnow.com
