Board staff raises concerns about Counseling Compact database rollout and data-sharing; $30 administrative fee adopted

Board staff reported on the Counseling Compact’s implementation status, telling members the compact’s shared database and application remain under development and that Florida — an early adopter — is part of the beta testing group. The staff report described missed deliverables from the vendor building the compact clearinghouse and requested greater transparency from the contractor.

The staff member reported that the compact’s project manager and vendor failed to present comprehensively at the compact’s annual meeting. The board heard that commissioners were told an application is anticipated in August 2025 but that the project lacked a clear implementation timeline. The board’s representative said the vendor demonstrated the system to certain executive staff on March 5 and that recordings and preliminary onboarding materials were being evaluated by Florida’s operations staff.

Board members discussed fees proposed by compact rules committees. A $30 administrative fee passed at the compact level; board staff said that in Florida the fee likely will be implemented as an approximately $35 charge to applicants who elect to participate in the compact if the commission’s application becomes available here. The board also reviewed the compact’s need for background screening in advance of compact participation, noting Florida’s current background-screening schedule and the compact’s screening requirements could require process and application updates on the board’s side.

A major concern the board raised was whether states would be asked to upload information for all licensees — including clinicians who do not elect compact participation. Board staff warned that uploading non-consenting licensees’ personal information could raise legal problems. The staff member reported that legal counsel was evaluating the issue and that the board intended to push for clearer rules; she said Florida will not upload data for clinicians who have not met the compact’s participation and background-screening requirements.

Board staff recommended developing a “home state” application for Florida licensees who want to elect compact portability, updating the existing exam application to include a compact election option, and preparing to incorporate background-screening steps for applicants who sign up before statutory background-screening timelines would otherwise apply. The board’s representative said she will continue to push for transparency from the vendor and plans to participate in upcoming rules committee meetings to address the data-sharing and implementation questions.

Why it matters: The counseling compact, once operational, will let eligible clinicians practice across member states through a home-state credentialing process. Delays or unclear rules about what data is shared and when could affect clinicians’ privacy, the board’s administrative workload, and the timing for clinicians who hope to use the compact to deliver telehealth or temporary services across state lines.

Next steps: Board staff will work with counsel and a board member to draft any needed application changes, thread background-screening requirements into local processes, and continue to press for vendor transparency and concrete implementation steps for the database and application.