impose the Office of Personnel Management to develop an occupational series for Licensed Professional Counselors.

Access to care in behavioral/mental health, especially for veterans and active duty military personnel, has suffered significantly. Access to Care has changed to Denial of Care mainly because the federal government continues to exclude an entire population of behavioral/mental health workers, Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC) and Mental Health Counselors (MHC). The VA suffered greatly leading to the resignation of Eric Shinseki. Active duty military personnel are affected due to the inability to receive effective treatment for PTSD and other behavioral/mental health issues. There is research establishing the competency of LPC/MHC. The Institute of Medicine conducted a study reflecting our ability yet the federal government as a whole has not made any efforts. Our military suffer