37-23-202. Licensure requirements. (1) An applicant for licensure must have satisfactorily:
(a) completed a planned graduate program of 60 semester hours, primarily counseling in nature, 6 semester hours of which were earned in an advanced counseling practicum that resulted in a graduate degree from an institution accredited to offer a graduate program in counseling;
(b) completed 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) passed an examination prepared and administered by:
(i) the national board of certified counselors; or
(ii) the national academy of certified clinical mental health counselors; and
(d) completed an application.
(2) The board shall provide by rule for licensure of a person who possesses a graduate degree that consists of a minimum of 45 semester hours 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.
(3) As a prerequisite to the issuance of a license, the board shall require the applicant to submit fingerprints for the purpose of fingerprint checks by the Montana department of justice and the federal bureau of investigation as provided in 37-1-307.
(4) If an applicant has a history of criminal convictions, then pursuant to 37-1-203, the applicant has the opportunity to demonstrate to the board that the applicant is sufficiently rehabilitated to warrant the public trust, and if the board determines that the applicant is not, the license may be denied.