LANSING, MI (Michigan News Source) – A Michigan bill introduced in Lansing earlier this year is pushing to allow professional counselors from other states to practice in Michigan, with hopes of alleviating a mental health care shortage.
A counseling compact.
Sponsored by State Rep. Karl Bohnak (R-Deerton), the legislation would add Michigan to the Counseling Compact, an interstate agreement to allow residing professional counselors to practice among all participating states. As of June 2025, 36 states are a part of the compact.
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“This interstate agreement is a great step forward in enhancing access to mental health services for all Michiganders,” said Bohnak in a statement. “Joining the compact would expand access to care by allowing qualified professionals to practice in our most underserved areas.”
The bill stems from the growing need for mental health care professionals in Michigan. The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services keeps track of areas with unmet medical needs, and reported in 2024 that Michigan has over 3.6 million people within designated mental health care professional shortage areas and that only 40% of the mental health needs are met across the state.
House Bill 4591 seeks to alleviate this shortage by allowing licensed professional counselors from other states to practice in Michigan, which Bohnak said is a small step to solving the larger problem.
“Many mental health crises need immediate attention and cannot wait for an appointment to open up weeks down the line,” Bohnak said in the statement. “Joining this compact would clear the way for these professionals to enter our communities without regulatory barriers. It would also allow rural residents to utilize telehealth services from any professional located in a compact member state. Everyone should have access to mental health services at the time they need them without significant delay.”
Regulation roadblocks.
While they appreciate the cross-state collaboration, the Michigan Mental Health Counselors Association is opposed to the bill because of the limitations on states to regulate practice with their own laws. According to a Facebook post, the organization said the Counseling Compact requires states to subscribe to the compact’s counseling regulations, which would overrule current regulations in Michigan.
“We are not willing to open up our law and jeopardize our hard-fought gains or to give up the authority of the Michigan Board of Counseling to regulate the practice of counseling in our state to an outside entity as referenced above,” the post reads. “Thus, the basic premise of this approach is not one that we can support.”
Michigan is a member of one other interstate licensure compact, the Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact, which allows licensed psychologists to practice across participating states.