Q: Can I reach out to a Board member if I don’t like a decision coming from the Board office?
A: It is not appropriate to contact individual Board members to attempt to lobby for a particular position, for example a policy opinion or a past or pending decision of the Board on a compliance issue. Board members are not able to speak as individuals about a Board matter or make any individual decisions outside of the full Board.
Q: Can I get an exception?
A: Oftentimes, the Board must render decisions or provide information that some individuals may find unfavorable. The Board is a governmental regulatory agency charged with setting certain standards and enforcing specified Oregon law. State agencies cannot set standards and then chose not to apply them to just some individuals or decide not to follow the rules or statutes established by the Oregon State Legislature. Such practices are not only unfair and arbitrary but are also illegal. The Board and its staff cannot grant variances to law, rule, or ethical code provisions. A somewhat common area of confusion is the expiration of licensure applications or lapsing of licenses for those who fail to complete the process. While Board staff do put forth significant effort to strengthen awareness through advisory articles, web materials, and courtesy reminders, licensees, residents, and applicants are personally responsible for understanding and fulfilling the requirements to achieve and maintain professional licensure in Oregon. Requests for exception to the administrative rules cannot be granted by the Board.
Q: Why won’t the Board to take a position on pending legislation that will benefit LPCs and LMFTs?
A: Many stakeholders are not aware of this, but the Governor’s Office requires that Oregon State agencies, including the Board, must not take a position on any legislation other than to support bills introduced by the Board itself or the Governor’s office.