(1) For the purpose of 37-23-202, MCA, a planned graduate program of study is one which requires 60 semester hours (90 quarter hours), primarily counseling in nature, six semester hours (nine quarter 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. An institution accredited to offer such a degree program is a college or university accredited by various associations of colleges and secondary schools. The planned graduate program shall be recognized by the department chairman or an equivalent position. The applicant's planned graduate program shall meet the following minimum board requirements:

(a) an identifiable starting date evidenced by a letter of admission to the program, or other similar document;

(b) completion of Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) core courses as evidenced by submission of a summary sheet on education on a form prescribed by the board;

(c) acceptance of a maximum of 12 post-baccalaureate graduate semester (18 quarter) credits or up to 20 semester (30 quarter) credits of a completed graduate counseling degree transferred from other institutions or programs; and

(d) acceptance of credits granted six years or less from the applicant's date of graduation from the planned graduate program.

(2) "Advanced counseling practicum" shall include:

(a) Supervision by licensed program faculty to include:

(i) a minimum of 30 hours individual face-to-face consultation and review with supervisor;

(ii) a minimum of 45 hours small group supervisory consultation with supervisor and peers in practicum program;

(b) A minimum of 200 clock hours of service to clients which includes:

(i) a minimum of 80 hours offering face-to-face direct service to individual, family and group clients;

(ii) an additional 45 hours which may include any of the above plus audio and videotape review, two-way mirror observations, research, writing case notes, collateral contacts and any other nonspecified activities deemed appropriate by the practicum supervisor to enhance the student's expertise in providing services to the client population.

(3) "3000 hours" is defined as clock hours of experience working in a counseling setting. The hours shall have been completed in their entirety at the time of submission of the application.

(a) 1500 of these hours may be obtained prior to completion of the academic degree. This can include hours earned in practicums, internships and work sites approved by the program faculty.

(i) Exclusive of the advanced practicum requirement, the degree candidate shall receive one hour of face-to-face supervision and/or consultation for every 15 hours of work from a licensed mental health professional, a licensed member of the faculty staff or an on-site counseling professional deemed appropriate by the faculty staff.

(ii) Appropriate sites for this predegree counseling experience is left to the discretion of the counseling faculty of the institution offering the degree.

(iii) All treatment interventions and assessment results and interpretations shall be reviewed and approved by the supervisor or appropriate faculty prior to their use or implementation.

(b) At least 1500 hours must be obtained post-degree and after all of the academic requirements have been completed, which shall include at least:

(i) 1000 hours direct face-to-face client contact in a clinical setting. No more than 250 client contact hours of which may be in a group or co-facilitative counseling situation.

(ii) Clinical setting is defined as any public and/or private agency whose primary functions are:

(A) conducting psychosocial assessments and diagnoses for the purpose of establishing treatment goals and objectives;

(B) planning, implementing and evaluating treatment plans that use treatment interventions to facilitate human development and to identify and remediate mental, emotional or behavioral disorders and associated distresses that interfere with mental health, social functioning, or the functioning of established social units;

(C) selecting, administering, scoring, and interpreting psychosocial assessment instruments to assess personal characteristics and using nonstandardized methods and techniques for understanding human behavior in relation to coping with or adapting to changing life situations;

(D) implementing counseling treatment interventions using those cognitive, affective, behavioral sciences that are specifically implemented in the context of a therapeutic relationship; or

(E) evaluating information to identify needs or problems of an individual or social units to determine the advisability of referral to other specialists, informing the individual(s) of the judgment, and communicating as requested or considered appropriate with the referral sources.

(c) All reports and/or assessment interpretations and results sent to other public or private agencies that affects the current social status of a client must be reviewed by and contain the approval and signature of the trainee's supervisor. These reports shall identify the supervisee's "in training" nonlicensed status.

(d) All therapeutic interventions and the assessment results and interpretations used in the planning and/or implementation of those therapeutic interventions shall be reviewed and preapproved by the trainee's supervisor on a continual and on-going basis.

(e) All professional communications, both private and public, including advertisements, shall clearly indicate the supervisee's "in-training" and nonlicensed status.

(f) The applicant must receive a minimum of one hour of face-to-face supervision and consultation for every 20 hours of work experience. No more than 80 hours of work experience may transpire without receiving the required hours of supervision and/or consultation. Less frequent supervision may take place only with prior approval of the licensure board. Any hours earned without appropriate supervision will not be counted towards licensure.

(g) The supervision guidelines are as follows:

(i) must be a licensed mental health professional in the state of residence;

(ii) the supervision agreement shall be in writing and in a format approved by the board. The agreement shall include, but not be limited to:

(A) the applicant's and supervisor's names, signatures and dates;

(B) terms of the agreement including financial compensation, frequency and method of supervision, duration and termination provision; and

(C) a statement of confidentiality and the supervisor's qualifications.

(iii) supervisor's relationship with applicant shall not constitute a conflict of interest, such as, but not limited to, being in a cohabitation or financially dependent relationship with the applicant, or being the applicant's parent, child, spouse or sibling;

(iv) a record of supervision must be maintained by the applicant and may be requested by the board in its review of the application. The record of supervision must include:

(A) date and length of supervision in increments not less than 15 minutes;

(B) names of applicant, supervisor (including type of license and number) and signatures of both;

(C) content summary (excluding confidential information);

(D) evidence of the applicant's minimal competencies in the areas of an identified theory base, application of a differential diagnosis, establishing and monitoring a treatment plan, development and appropriate use of the professional relationship, assessing the client for risk of imminent danger, and implementing a professional and ethical relationship with clients and colleagues; 

(E) content demonstrating the applicant's developing competence in the areas identified in (3)(g)(iv)(D); and

(F) attestation of the record of supervision by the supervisor. Falsification or misrepresentation of the record of supervision shall be considered unprofessional conduct and may result in discipline of the supervisor's license.

(v) supervisor must attest to the above under penalty of law. Falsification or misrepresentation of any of the above may be considered misrepresentation and a violation of professional ethics, which may result in discipline of the supervisor's license.

(4) If an applicant fails the examination, the applicant may retake the examination upon payment of the exam fee.

(5) Notwithstanding the above 60 semester hour requirement, an applicant otherwise qualified for licensure, may apply for licensure if they possess a minimum 45 semester hour graduate degree that is primarily related to counseling and is from an institution accredited to offer a graduate program in counseling, if they complete such additional graduate hours approved by this board as necessary to fulfill the requirements of (1)(a) within five years from the date of review by this board.