Representative Croft,

 
My name is JJ Oden, and I am a school counselor for Junction City Middle School in
Junction City, Kansas. On behalf of the counselors of the state of Kansas, I would like to
state my support for HB 2288 and request that you allow this bill to come before the
house for a vote before the end of this session.
 
As counselors, we want to be able to help people in all areas of our lives, including
crossing state lines. The counseling compact would allow more mobility for counselors,
not just from Kansas to other states, but from other states to Kansas. One of the major
barriers for our profession is the need to get re-licensed in every state we wish to
practice in. This barrier keeps some of the world’s greatest social-emotional helpers
from being able to practice their passion within our state and decreases the likelihood
that they would move here. Voting for HB2288 would allow these counselors to freely
move here and would help them bypass a potential barrier that may be keeping them
away.
 
I appreciate your service to our state and your constituents in what you do and would
once again humbly request you allow this bill to come before the house for a vote this
week.
 
Regards,
 
JJ Oden
 
JJ Oden
School Counselor
Junction City Middle School