NCAPP Board Members & Consultants

History of NCAPP and the Path to SL 2025-37

In 1994, Licensed Psychological Associates (LPAs) across North Carolina became increasingly concerned about their ability to maintain employment and continue providing services. At that time, insurance companies had begun reimbursing only independent practitioners, and the growing cost burden placed on employers to provide ongoing supervision for LPAs was becoming untenable. These changes placed LPAs at a significant disadvantage compared to other master’s-level mental health providers, such as social workers and licensed professional counselors, who were able to practice independently.

During the North Carolina Psychological Association’s annual convention that year, approximately twenty LPAs convened to discuss these concerns. Through extensive discussion, it became clear that LPAs were steadily losing professional ground and that the absence of a pathway to independent practice was a critical barrier to employment, professional parity, and access to care. As a result, the group agreed to form a new organization dedicated specifically to addressing these issues.

One month later, approximately fifteen LPAs met to develop a strategy, ultimately concluding that a statewide meeting was necessary to gather broader input and build consensus. That meeting was held soon thereafter and was attended by roughly sixty LPAs from across the state. Participants agreed to formally organize, initially adopting the temporary name LPA Advocates. Officers were nominated and elected, with Henry Tonn serving as president, Tom Haifley as vice president, Nancy Webb as secretary, and Katherine Ridley (now Smith) as treasurer. LPAs from multiple regions volunteered for leadership and support roles, and the first board meeting was held in Greensboro due to its central location.

In the months that followed, a core group of twelve to twenty LPAs met monthly to draft a constitution and bylaws. After significant deliberation, the organization was formally renamed the North Carolina Association of Professional Psychologists (NCAPP), prevailing by a single vote over the alternative name North Carolina Society of Psychologists. With financial support raised through member contributions, NCAPP retained Al Adams, a prominent lobbyist, and—under the legislative leadership of Flora Dunbar—drafted its first bill to establish a pathway to independent practice. A legislative sponsor was secured, and the bill was introduced the following year.

Despite extensive grassroots advocacy in 1995—including direct engagement with legislators both in Raleigh and in local districts—the bill failed to reach a vote on the House floor. Although it passed both a subcommittee and a full committee, it ultimately stalled in the Finance Committee without a vote. A subsequent legislative effort two years later met the same outcome.

In the early 2000s, the North Carolina Psychological Association convened a Task Force to examine the issue of independent practice for LPAs. Nine licensed psychologists and nine LPAs met regularly in Raleigh and ultimately concluded that LPAs should be afforded a pathway to independent practice in North Carolina. Although a new bill was drafted, it lacked sufficient consensus among all stakeholders and was not introduced.

Over the following years, NCAPP remained dedicated to advancing the professional practice of psychology, with continued—though intermittent—efforts to revisit the issue of independence. In 2015, NCAPP began developing a renewed and more strategic approach, grounded in evolving workforce needs, access-to-care challenges, and national trends in mental health licensure. This work culminated in a formal petition and sustained advocacy efforts that would span nearly a decade.

In the years immediately preceding 2025, NCAPP focused its advocacy squarely on ending career-long supervision for Licensed Psychological Associates. Although statutory changes had reduced required supervision to four hours per year, the continued requirement for supervision perpetuated a restricted license status. This restriction created persistent barriers to insurance credentialing, professional mobility, employment opportunities, and—most importantly—access to psychological services for the citizens of North Carolina.

After more than thirty years of advocacy, collaboration, education, and persistence, these efforts culminated in the historic passage of Session Law 2025-37 (SL 2025-37). This landmark legislation established a clear statutory pathway to independent practice for Licensed Psychological Associates, marking a transformative moment for the profession in North Carolina. SL 2025-37 represents not only the removal of career-long supervision, but also long-overdue recognition of LPAs as competent, ethical, and essential providers within the state’s mental health system.

NCAPP, now more than twenty-five years old, continues its mission of advocating for professional fairness, expanding access to care, and ensuring that Licensed Psychological Associates can practice to the full extent of their education, training, and competence.

Thank you for your continued support of NCAPP and its mission.