Saint Paul -- Governor Tim Pawlenty today announced the appointment of Freddie Davis-English and Kaarin Long to the Board of Behavioral Health and Therapy. Both appointees are initial members of this board which was created in 2003.

Freddie Davis-English, of Plymouth, has been employed by the Hennepin County Department of Community Corrections for over 32 years, and currently serves as co-chair of the management team for the Teen Parent Connection. She also serves on the board of directors of African American Family Services and as a member of the Supreme Court Race Bias Task Force. Davis-English was educated at Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Missouri, Tulsa University in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and at the University of Minnesota's Hubert Humphrey Institute. She is appointed as a public member for a term expiring January 3, 2005.

Kaarin Long, of St. Paul, is Staff Attorney for the Sexual Violence Justice Institute at the Minnesota Coalition Against Sexual Assault. An experienced felony level prosecutor, she previously served as an Assistant County Attorney in Dakota County and as Senior Assistant County Attorney in Olmsted County. Long received a B.A. in Psychology and a J.D. from the University of South Dakota. She also previously served in the Iowa Air National Guard. She is appointed as a public member for a term expiring January 2, 2006.

The Board of Behavioral Health and Therapy is responsible for licensing and disciplining Licensed Professional Counselors (LPCs) and Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselors (LADCs). The board will create the LPC license in Minnesota. The board is made up of 13 members appointed by the Governor.