§ 8402. Mental health counseling.
1.Definition of the practice of\nmental health counseling. The practice of the profession of mental\nhealth counseling is defined as:\n (a) the evaluation, assessment, amelioration, treatment, modification,\nor adjustment to a disability, problem, or disorder of behavior,\ncharacter, development, emotion, personality or relationships by the use\nof verbal or behavioral methods with individuals, couples, families or\ngroups in private practice, group, or organized settings; and\n (b) the use of assessment instruments and mental health counseling and\npsychotherapy to identify, evaluate and treat dysfunctions and disorders\nfor purposes of providing appropriate mental health counseling services.\n 2. Practice of mental health counseling and use of the
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§ 8402. Mental health counseling. 1. Definition of the practice of\nmental health counseling. The practice of the profession of mental\nhealth counseling is defined as:\n (a) the evaluation, assessment, amelioration, treatment, modification,\nor adjustment to a disability, problem, or disorder of behavior,\ncharacter, development, emotion, personality or relationships by the use\nof verbal or behavioral methods with individuals, couples, families or\ngroups in private practice, group, or organized settings; and\n (b) the use of assessment instruments and mental health counseling and\npsychotherapy to identify, evaluate and treat dysfunctions and disorders\nfor purposes of providing appropriate mental health counseling services.\n 2. Practice of mental health counseling and use of the titles "mental\nhealth counselor" and "licensed mental health counselor". Only a person\nlicensed or exempt under this article shall practice mental health\ncounseling or use the title "mental health counselor". Only a person\nlicensed under this article shall use the title "licensed mental health\ncounselor" or any other designation tending to imply that the person is\nlicensed to practice mental health counseling.\n 3. Requirements for a professional license. To qualify for a license\nas a "licensed mental health counselor", an applicant shall fulfill the\nfollowing requirements:\n (a) Application: File an application with the department;\n (b) Education: Have received an education, including a master's or\nhigher degree in counseling from a program registered by the department\nor determined by the department to be the substantial equivalent\nthereof, in accordance with the commissioner's regulations. The graduate\ncoursework shall include, but not be limited to, the following areas:\n (i) human growth and development;\n (ii) social and cultural foundations of counseling;\n (iii) counseling theory and practice and psychopathology;\n (iv) group dynamics;\n (v) lifestyle and career development;\n (vi) assessment and appraisal of individuals, couples and families and\ngroups;\n (vii) research and program evaluation;\n (viii) professional orientation and ethics;\n (ix) foundations of mental health counseling and consultation;\n (x) clinical instruction; and\n (xi) completion of a minimum one year supervised internship or\npracticum in mental health counseling;\n (c) Experience: An applicant shall complete a minimum of three\nthousand hours of post-master's supervised experience relevant to the\npractice of mental health counseling satisfactory to the board and in\naccordance with the commissioner's regulations. Satisfactory experience\nobtained in an entity operating under a waiver issued by the department\npursuant to section sixty-five hundred three-a of this title may be\naccepted by the department, notwithstanding that such experience may\nhave been obtained prior to the effective date of such section\nsixty-five hundred three-a and/or prior to the entity having obtained a\nwaiver. The department may, for good cause shown, accept satisfactory\nexperience that was obtained in a setting that would have been eligible\nfor a waiver but which has not obtained a waiver from the department or\nexperience that was obtained in good faith by the applicant under the\nbelief that appropriate authorization had been obtained for the\nexperience, provided that such experience meets all other requirements\nfor acceptable experience;\n (d) Examination: Pass an examination satisfactory to the board and in\naccordance with the commissioner's regulations;\n (e) Age: Be at least twenty-one years of age;\n (f) Character: Be of good moral character as determined by the\ndepartment; and\n (g) Fees: Pay a fee of one hundred seventy-five dollars for an initial\nlicense and a fee of one hundred seventy dollars for each triennial\nregistration period.\n