The Goal of the ICF Regulatory Committee:
To research, monitor, evaluate, and proactively contribute to government and regulatory bodies in order to educate, articulate, and develop our growing profession of coaching as a self-regulated profession.
The ICF Regulatory Committee was appointed in the summer of 2002 to support the ICF Mission Statement and to protect and preserve the integrity of the Coaching profession.
International Coach Federation Mission Statement (created 10/2002):
To be the global forum for the art and science of coaching, where we inspire transformational conversations, advocate excellence, and expand awareness of the contribution coaching is to the future of humankind.
Summary of the initial Regulatory Committee Charter:
Phase 1. Develop and initiate a list of regulations that affect coaches and the practice of coaching. Learn the US sub-committees regulations specific to each state. Initial investigation in Colorado, Florida, Minnesota, Washington, and California where there is contention or loose regulations that affect coaching as it borders on psychotherapy, counseling and other mental health regulations. Post information on ICF website for member reference.
Phase 2. Develop ways to help members stay in compliance with the regulations uncovered in phase 1.
Phase 3. Work with other established professions to develop guidelines about when (and how) a coach should make a referral.
Phase 4. Depending on findings, document training guidelines for coach training organizations.
Phase 5. AFTER completing the above, the committee will be a force for changing or creating the proper regulations.
Phase 6. Actively communicate with members, the public and the press to keep them informed about this issue - how we differ from other professions (like CPAs, Lawyers, and therapists).
Summary of the ICF Regulatory Committee initial findings:
Colorado, Minnesota, Washington and California are states where coaching is considered by regulators to be part of the mental health field and as such may require coaches to register as unlicensed therapists or counselors. It is not the committee’s intent to focus only on coaching versus counseling, however, this is the primary area of concern faced by coaches in the key states investigated. Preliminary discussions with Colorado legislators indicate resistance to changing the current thinking that incorporates coaching within the Mental Health Professions. While we as a coaching community understand the distinction between coaching and therapy or counseling, some within the legislative community fear coaches may be practicing therapy without training or license.
In the fall of 2002 New York passed a new law defining Mental Health Practitioner to be implemented in January 2005. The intent of the law is to stop those who are counseling or performing any form of psychotherapy without the qualifications and license. The states we reviewed are listed below along with the website containing the detailed statutes.
Coaching is a profession that has grown exponentially over the past 10 years and not all those representing themselves as coaches are trained professionals within the field. The ICF Code of Ethics, Complaint Process and Credentialing Process establish a foundation for self-regulation. However, only those coaches who are members of the ICF fall under this form of self-regulation.
The Legislators point of View:
The intent of the legislator is to "protect the public from harm." The fear from a regulatory perspective is that an unlicensed, unregulated field such as coaching may pose a risk to the general public. This premise results in the view that coaching falls within the Mental Health professions. As coaches, we recognize the distinction between coaching and therapy or counseling as well as other professions. Our goal is to establish coaching as a distinct industry.
Colorado has taken the lead in regulatory activity within the USA. The current view of some within the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) is that coaching belongs under the Mental Health Law. This law is up for “sunset review ” this legislative year and Pat Williams, ICF Regulatory Committee Chair along with the Colorado Coalition of Coaches (C3) are creating resolution language to move forward within the legislative process. Rewriting legislation is not an easy task though the group is committed to working together as a coaching community to effect positive change in the legislation.
Reference information available to ICF Membership Members Only section on pages 28-32 of the ICF Regulatory Report
What you can do:
We recommend ICF member coaches review the reference information posted on the ICF website, stay informed through their ICF Chapter and through Coaching World. The ICF Regulatory Chapter Representatives are listed on the website in the Chapters section. Questions may be sent to Regulatory Committee via Email: regulatory@coachingfederation.org.
Our Next Steps:
- Provide Teleclasses for ICF Members on Professional Language for Greater Public Understanding.
- Establish the Chapter/State/Country Regulatory Representative Subcommittee of the ICF Regulatory Committee with the assistance of the Chapter Leaders expanding the focus to an international level.
- Facilitate monthly calls for the Regulatory Representative Network to provide feedback to and from the ICF Regulatory Committee and to stay up-to-date with issues/regulatory concerns and opportunities around the world.
- Provide updates on committee and regulatory issues to members through Coaching World and communication with Regulatory Representative Network.
- Continued discussion with the larger coaching community outside of the ICF.
1 A sunset law is a law that automatically terminates a state regulatory agency, board, or function of government on a certain date. A state legislature must act to continue the entity or function by passing a bill. |