Administration - Licensed Professional Clinical Counselors - Business & Professions - CA

Section § 4999.10

This section simply says that the law around Licensed Professional Clinical Counselors is officially called the Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor Act.

This chapter constitutes, and may be cited as, the Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor Act.

Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor Clinical Counseling Professional Licensing

Section § 4999.11

This law acknowledges that the job of a licensed professional clinical counselor is different from that of a marriage and family therapist or a clinical social worker. Because of these differences, it's important to test therapists and social workers who want to become counselors on how their new role would be different.

In enacting this chapter, the Legislature recognizes that licensed professional clinical counselors practice a separate and distinct profession from the professions practiced by licensed marriage and family therapists and licensed clinical social workers. As such, the Legislature recognizes the need to appropriately test licensed marriage and family therapists and licensed clinical social workers seeking to become licensed professional clinical counselors on the difference in practice between the professions.

licensed professional clinical counselors marriage and family therapists clinical social workers

Section § 4999.12

This section of the law defines key terms for the chapter. It explains that the 'Board' refers to the Board of Behavioral Sciences, and describes 'accredited' and 'approved' schools as those recognized or approved by certain authoritative bodies. An 'applicant for licensure' is someone who has completed education and experience requirements but isn't yet licensed. An 'LPCC' or Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor is someone licensed under this chapter. 'Associates' and 'clinical counselor trainees' are unlicensed individuals who meet specific criteria for registration or are in an educational program, respectively. 'Supervisors' must meet several qualifications, including having certain licenses and training, maintaining a professional boundary, and ensuring they are not related to or biased toward their supervisee. Other definitions clarify what 'client-centered advocacy', 'advertising', 'referral', 'research', 'supervision', and 'clinical setting' entail. These definitions are crucial for ensuring clarity and consistency in professional practices within this field.

For purposes of this chapter, the following terms have the following meanings:

(a) “Board” means the Board of Behavioral Sciences.

(b) “Accredited” means a school, college, or university accredited by a regional or national institutional accrediting agency that is recognized by the United States Department of Education.

(c) “Approved” means a school, college, or university that possessed unconditional approval by the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education at the time of the applicant’s graduation from the school, college, or university.

(d) “Applicant for licensure” means an unlicensed person who has completed the required education and required hours of supervised experience for licensure.

(e) “Licensed professional clinical counselor” or “LPCC” means a person licensed under this chapter to practice professional clinical counseling, as defined in Section 4999.20.

(f) “Associate” means an unlicensed person who meets the requirements of Section 4999.42 and is registered with the board.

(g) “Clinical counselor trainee” means an unlicensed person who is currently enrolled in a master’s or doctoral degree program, as specified in Section 4999.32 or 4999.33, that is designed to qualify the person for licensure and who has completed no less than 12 semester units or 18 quarter units of coursework in any qualifying degree program.

(h) “Supervisor” means an individual who meets all of the following requirements:

(1) Has held an active license for at least two years within the five-year period immediately preceding any supervision as either:

(A) A licensed professional clinical counselor, licensed marriage and family therapist, psychologist licensed pursuant to Chapter 6.6 (commencing with Section 2900), licensed clinical social worker, licensed educational psychologist, or equivalent out-of-state license. A licensed educational psychologist may only supervise the provision of educationally related mental health services that are consistent with the scope of practice of an educational psychologist, as specified in Section 4989.14.

(B) A physician and surgeon who is certified in psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, or an out-of-state licensed physician and surgeon who is certified in psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.

(2) For at least two years within the five-year period immediately preceding any supervision, has practiced psychotherapy, provided psychological counseling pursuant to paragraph (5) of subdivision (a) of Section 4989.14, or provided direct clinical supervision of psychotherapy performed by marriage and family therapist trainees, associate marriage and family therapists, associate professional clinical counselors, or associate clinical social workers. Supervision of psychotherapy performed by a social work intern or a professional clinical counselor trainee shall be accepted if the supervision provided is substantially equivalent to the supervision required for registrants.

(3) Has received training in supervision as specified in this chapter and by regulation.

(4) Has not provided therapeutic services to the supervisee.

(5) Has and maintains a current and active license that is not under suspension or probation as one of the following:

(A) A marriage and family therapist, professional clinical counselor, clinical social worker, or licensed educational psychologist issued by the board.

(B) A psychologist licensed pursuant to Chapter 6.6 (commencing with Section 2900).

(6) Is not a spouse, domestic partner, or relative of the supervisee.

(7) Does not currently have or previously had a personal, professional, or business relationship with the supervisee that undermines the authority or effectiveness of the supervision.

(i) “Client centered advocacy” includes, but is not limited to, researching, identifying, and accessing resources, or other activities, related to obtaining or providing services and supports for clients or groups of clients receiving psychotherapy or counseling services.

(j) “Advertising” or “advertise” includes, but is not limited to, the issuance of any card, sign, or device to any person, or the causing, permitting, or allowing of any sign or marking on, or in, any building or structure, or in any newspaper or magazine or in any directory, or any printed matter whatsoever, with or without any limiting qualification. It also includes business solicitations communicated by radio or television broadcasting. Signs within church buildings or notices in church bulletins mailed to a congregation are not advertising within the meaning of this chapter.

(k) “Referral” means evaluating and identifying the needs of a client to determine whether it is advisable to refer the client to other specialists, informing the client of that judgment, and communicating that determination as requested or deemed appropriate to referral sources.

(l) “Research” means a systematic effort to collect, analyze, and interpret quantitative and qualitative data that describes how social characteristics, behavior, emotion, cognitions, disabilities, mental disorders, and interpersonal transactions among individuals and organizations interact.

(m) “Supervision” means responsibility for, and control of, the quality of mental health and related services provided by the supervisee. Consultation or peer discussion shall not be considered supervision and shall not qualify as supervised experience. Supervision includes, but is not limited to, all of the following:

(1) Ensuring the extent, kind, and quality of counseling performed is consistent with the education, training, and experience of the supervisee.

(2) Monitoring and evaluating the supervisee’s assessment, diagnosis, and treatment decisions and providing regular feedback.

(3) Monitoring and evaluating the supervisee’s ability to provide services at the site or sites where the supervisee is practicing and to the particular clientele being served.

(4) Monitoring and addressing clinical dynamics, including, but not limited to, countertransference-, intrapsychic-, interpersonal-, or trauma-related issues that may affect the supervisory or the practitioner-patient relationship.

(5) Ensuring the supervisee’s compliance with laws and regulations governing the practice of licensed professional clinical counseling.

(6) Reviewing the supervisee’s progress notes, process notes, and other patient treatment records, as deemed appropriate by the supervisor.

(7) With the client’s written consent, providing direct observation or review of audio or video recordings of the supervisee’s counseling or therapy, as deemed appropriate by the supervisor.

(n) “Clinical setting” means any setting that meets both of the following requirements:

(1) Lawfully and regularly provides mental health counseling or psychotherapy.

(2) Provides oversight to ensure that the associate’s work meets the experience and supervision requirements set forth in this chapter and in regulation and is within the scope of practice of the profession.

Board of Behavioral Sciences Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor accredited schools

Section § 4999.12

This law section updates the title for those training to become professional clinical counselors in California. The term "intern" or "registered intern" is being changed to "associate" or "registered associate." So, if you see "intern" in other statutes or regulations, it means "associate." Importantly, this name change does not alter what these individuals can or cannot do in their practice.

(a)

(1) The title “professional clinical counselor intern” or “professional clinical counselor registered intern” is hereby renamed “associate professional clinical counselor” or “registered associate professional clinical counselor,” respectively. Any reference in any statute or regulation to a “professional clinical counselor intern” or “professional clinical counselor registered intern” shall be deemed a reference to an “associate professional clinical counselor” or “registered associate professional clinical counselor.”

(2) Any reference in this chapter to the term “intern” means “associate.”

(b) Nothing in this section shall be construed to expand or constrict the scope of practice of a person licensed or registered pursuant to this chapter.

associate professional clinical counselor registered associate professional clinical counselor intern title change

Section § 4999.13

This law states that if someone claims they can provide professional clinical counseling services and charges money or accepts any form of payment, even donations, they are considered to be practicing professional clinical counseling.

A person engages in the practice of professional clinical counseling when he or she performs or offers to perform or holds himself or herself out as able to perform this service for remuneration in any form, including donations.

professional clinical counseling counseling services remuneration

Section § 4999.14

This law requires the board responsible for professional clinical counseling to share information about its activities, license requirements, and the practice of counseling with schools, supervisors, and the public. It also mandates the board to create guidelines to help educational institutions meet specific educational standards needed for licensure.

The board shall do all of the following:

(a) Communicate information about its activities, the requirements and qualifications for licensure, and the practice of professional clinical counseling to the relevant educational institutions, supervisors, professional associations, applicants, clinical counselor trainees, associates, and the public.

(b) Develop policies and procedures to assist educational institutions in meeting the educational qualifications of Sections 4999.32 and 4999.33.

professional clinical counseling licensure requirements educational qualifications