Why the Department of Education’s New RISE Rule Could Harm the Future of Mental Health Care

A Growing Concern for the Counseling Profession

The mental health field is facing a major policy shift that could affect counselors, students, and communities across the country. Recently, the U.S. Department of Education finalized its Reimagining and Improving Student Education (RISE) rule, a decision that excludes master’s-level Mental Health Counseling programs from “professional degree” status.

The National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) strongly opposes this ruling, arguing that it unfairly targets counseling programs despite the extensive education, clinical training, and licensure requirements counselors must complete to practice independently.

For those of us who work in mental health—or who have personally experienced the impact therapy can have—this issue feels deeply personal. Access to quality mental health care depends on having trained professionals available to serve communities. Policies that create barriers to entering the counseling profession affect far more than students alone.

What the RISE Rule Changes

Under the new rule, counseling students may lose access to higher federal student loan limits traditionally available to graduate students pursuing professional degrees. According to NBCC, annual federal loan access for counseling students could drop from $50,000 to $20,500.

That reduction may not sound dramatic at first glance, but counseling programs often require:

60+ graduate credit hours
600–1,000 hours of supervised clinical training
Thousands of additional post-graduate supervised hours before licensure

Most counseling students already face significant financial pressure while completing years of education and clinical experience. Reducing federal financial aid could force many students to leave programs, delay graduation, or avoid entering the field entirely.

Why This Matters Beyond the Counseling Profession

The United States already faces a serious mental health workforce shortage. According to federal data cited by NBCC, more than 163 million Americans live in areas with inadequate mental health care access, and the country could face a shortage of 88,000 counselors by 2037.

At the same time, demand for services continues to rise. Communities are navigating increasing rates of anxiety, depression, trauma, substance use concerns, and suicide risk—especially among young people.

Policies that make counselor education less accessible could have long-term consequences for:

rural communities,
schools,
crisis response systems,
community mental health centers,
and families seeking affordable care.

The burden may fall especially hard on first-generation college students, working-class students, and students from underserved communities. These are often the very professionals who return to serve areas where mental health care is already difficult to access.

Counseling Is a Profession—And Should Be Recognized as One

One of the most concerning aspects of the RISE rule is the message it sends about the counseling profession itself.

Licensed counselors complete rigorous graduate education, extensive supervised clinical experience, and state licensure requirements. Federal systems already recognize counselors as essential mental health providers through Medicare, Medicaid, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and TRICARE.

Yet this ruling excludes counseling programs from the same professional classification granted to other health-related fields with comparable or even less extensive training requirements.

For many counselors and mental health advocates, this feels like more than a bureaucratic decision. It feels like a broader devaluation of mental health care and the professionals who provide it.

Why Advocacy Matters

Mental health care affects all of us. Whether someone has personally attended therapy, supported a loved one through a mental health challenge, or relied on community mental health resources, access to qualified providers matters.

NBCC has pledged to continue advocating through congressional engagement, legal avenues, public awareness efforts, and collaboration with professional organizations. But meaningful change often requires public voices as well.

Advocacy does not have to be complicated. Staying informed, sharing accurate information, and contacting elected representatives can all help bring attention to policies that affect mental health care access.

Community members who want to support access to mental health care can stay informed, share accurate information, and contact their elected representatives about policies affecting counselor education and workforce access.

The future of counseling will shape the future of mental health support in communities across the country. Protecting access to counselor education helps protect access to care itself.