National credentialing first became a reality in 1973 when certification was offered by which organization?

• A. Council on Rehabilitation Education (CORE)
• B. National Academy for Certified Mental Health Counselors (NACMHC)
• C. American Counseling Association (ACA)
• D. American Psychological Association (APA)

Answer: (A)

National credentialing first took shape when the Council on Rehabilitation Education began offering certification for rehabilitation counselors in 1973. This established the first national standard recognizing professional competence across settings, rather than credentials tied to a single state or program. That move not only gave rehabilitation counselors a portable hallmark of qualification but also set a precedent that helped drive broader national certification efforts within the counseling field later on. The other organizations listed are either professional associations that did not initiate the first national credential for counselors or, in some cases, are not the entity that introduced this pioneering credentialing step.