Washington Administrative Code (Law for LMHC)

Question 1

One year exemption option.

Answer 1

Persons who submit an application for licensure as a mental health counselor by July 1, 2010, and who have held a registered counselor credential issued under chapter 18.19 RCW in good standing for five consecutive years since obtaining their master’s degree in an approved field, are deemed to have met the supervised postgraduate experience requirements of WAC 246-809-230. Applicants must meet the education requirements in WAC 246-809-220 and the examination requirements of WAC 246-809-240.

Question 2

Approved educational program

Answer 2

Any college or university accredited by an accreditation body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) or the United States Department of Education.

Question 3

Approved setting

Answer 3

includes facilities, agencies, or private practice where an applicant works with individuals, families, couples, or groups under the supervision of an approved supervisor.

Question 4

Approved supervisor

Answer 4

A qualified licensed mental health counselor or equally qualified licensed mental health practitioner who has been licensed without restrictions for at least two years.

Question 5

Equally qualified licensed mental health practitioner

Answer 5

A licensed marriage and family therapist, licensed clinical social worker, licensed psychologist, licensed physician practicing as a psychiatrist, or licensed psychiatric nurse practitioner.

Question 6

Group supervision

Answer 6

Face-to-face supervision with an approved supervisor, involving one supervisor and no more than six licensure candidates.

Question 7

Immediate supervision

Answer 7

A meeting with an approved supervisor, involving one supervisor and no more than two licensure candidates.

Question 8

Licensure candidate

Answer 8

An individual that is accruing supervised clinical experience required for licensure.

Question 9

Peer

Answer 9

A co-worker who is not the licensure candidate’s employer or supervisor.

Question 10

Supervision of supervision

Answer 10

Supervision by an approved supervisor for the purpose of training and qualifying a licensee to act as an approved supervisor for purposes of chapter 18.225 RCW and WAC 246-809-234.

Question 11

Education requirements for licensure as a mental health counselor or mental health counselor associate

Answer 11

(1) An applicant must have a master’s or doctoral degree in mental health counseling or a master’s or doctoral degree in a behavioral science field relating to mental health counseling from an approved school
(2) Any supplemental course work must be from an approved school.
(3) Applicants who hold a behavioral science master’s or doctoral degree in a related field may complete supplemental course work through an approved educational program to satisfy any missing program equivalencies. Postgraduate experience hours acquired concurrently with the additional course work counts toward the supervised postgraduate experience under WAC 246-809-230.
(4) A person who is a Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC) or a Certified Clinical Mental Health Counselor (CCMHC) through the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC) is considered to have met the education requirements of this chapter. Verification must be received by the department directly from NBCC.

Question 12

Approved supervisor

Answer 12

1) The approved supervisor must hold a license as defined in WAC 246-809-210. The supervisor must be licensed without restrictions and have been in good standing for the previous two years.
(2) The approved supervisor must not be a blood or legal relative or cohabitant of the licensure candidate, licensure candidate’s peer, or someone who has provided psychological services to the licensure candidate within the past two years.
(3) Before beginning supervision, the approved supervisor must provide the licensure candidate a declaration stating that the supervisor has met the requirements of WAC 246-809-234 and qualifies as an approved supervisor. The declaration must be on a form provided by the department.

(4) The approved supervisor must have completed the following:
(a) A minimum of fifteen clock hours of training in clinical
supervision obtained through:
(i) A supervision course; or
(ii) Continuing education credits on supervision; or
(iii) Supervision of supervision; and
(b) Twenty-five hours of experience in supervision of clinical
practice.
(5) The approved supervisor shall attest to having thorough knowledge of the licensure candidate’s practice activities including:
(a) Recordkeeping, as outlined in WAC 246-809-035;
(b) Financial management;
(c) Ethics of clinical practice;
(d) Practice setting; and
(e) The licensure candidate’s backup plan for coverage in
times when the licensure candidate is not available to
their clients.
(6) Applicants whose supervised postgraduate experience began before September 30, 2006, are exempt from the requirements of subsection (4) of this section.

Question 13

Examination for licensed mental health counselors.

Answer 13

(1) Applicants for licensure as a mental health counselor must pass an examination administered by the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC). Applicants who pass the National Certification Examination (NCE) or the National Clinical Mental Health Counselor Examination (NCMHCE), as administered by the NBCC, meet the examination requirements to be licensed as mental health counselors. The department of health must receive passing exam results directly from NBCC before licensure can be granted.
(2) The department of health shall accept the passing score established by the NBCC for licensed mental health counselor examinations.