Dr. Mark Schwarze, associate professor in the Department of Human Development and Psychological Counseling in the Reich College of Education (RCOE), was appointed as chair of the North Carolina Board for Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselors (NCBLCMHC) on July 1, 2022.
"The NCBLCMHC is excited to have Dr. Schwarze as the Chair of our board,” said Melonie Davis, Executive Director of NCBLCHMC. “He will bring progressive leadership to the field of counseling in North Carolina and help our board address difficult issues while including diverse voices."
"I am very honored to be elected as Chair by my colleagues on the board,” said Schwarze. “The work that we do shapes the practice of mental health counseling in North Carolina, and I am excited to be a part of that.”
In 2020, Schwarze was appointed by Governor Roy Cooper to the NCBLCMHC. The mission of the NCBLCMHC under NC GS Article 24 section 90-329 states that it is declared to be the public policy of this State that the activities of persons who render counseling services to the public be regulated to ensure the protection of the public health, safety, and welfare. The NCBLCMHC was established under provisions of the Licensed Professional Counselor Act (LPC Act), which became effective July 1, 1994. Since the implementation of the LPC Act in 1994, the Board has had the responsibility of administering and enforcing the provisions of the practice act. In that capacity, the Board uses national standards of counselor preparation and ethical codes of the counseling profession for guidance.
“Our students in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program are getting a first-hand view of the regulation and administration of the licensure process of counselors in North Carolina. I am proud to model that level of leadership and advocacy for our students."
“Our students in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program are getting a first-hand view of the regulation and administration of the licensure process of counselors in North Carolina,” he noted. “I am proud to model that level of leadership and advocacy for our students."
Schwarze coordinates the Addiction Counseling Certificate housed in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program. He earned his Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision from North Carolina State University and a master’s degree in Service Agency Counseling from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke. He is a Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor, Nationally Certified Counselor, Licensed Clinical Addiction Specialist, and Certified Clinical Supervisor. His research interests include mindfulness interventions in counseling, addictions therapy improvement, and counselor education program development.
About the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program
The CMHC program is designed to prepare counselors and other helping professionals to work in a wide variety of human service agencies, including mental health centers, social service agencies, employment and rehabilitation centers, and business and industry employee assistance programs. Students can choose from the following concentrations:
Mark Schwarze
