37-23-202. Licensure requirements. (1) An applicant for licensure must have satisfactorily completed:
     (a) a planned graduate program of 60 semester hours, primarily counseling in nature, 6 semester hours of which were earned in an advanced counseling practicum, which resulted in a graduate degree from an institution accredited to offer a graduate program in counseling;
     (b) 3,000 hours of counseling practice supervised by a licensed professional counselor or licensed member of an allied mental health profession, at least half of which was postdegree. The applicant must have each supervisor endorse the application for licensure, attesting to the number of hours supervised.
     (c) and passed an examination prepared and administered by:
     (i) the board, based on a national examination approved by the board;
     (ii) the national board of certified counselors; or
     (iii) the national academy of certified clinical mental health counselors; and
     (d) an application form and process prescribed by the board.
     (2) The board shall provide by rule for licensure of a person who possesses a minimum 45 semester hour graduate degree that is primarily related to counseling and that is from an institution accredited to offer a graduate program in counseling, by specifying the additional graduate credit hours necessary to fulfill the requirements of subsection (1)(a) in counseling courses in an approved program within a period of 5 years.

     History: En. Sec. 5, Ch. 572, L. 1985; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 78, L. 1987; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 197, L. 1993; amd. Sec. 10, Ch. 552, L. 1993; amd. Sec. 77, Ch. 429, L. 1995.