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IC 25-23.6-8.5-1
Application; requirements
Sec. 1. An individual who applies for a license as a mental health
counselor must meet the following requirements:
(1) Furnish satisfactory evidence to the board that the individual
has:
(A) received a master's or doctor's degree in an area related
to mental health counseling from:
(i) an eligible postsecondary educational institution that
meets the requirements under section 2 of this chapter; or
(ii) a foreign school that has a program of study that meets
the requirements under section 2 of this chapter;
(B) completed the educational requirements under section 3
of this chapter; and
(C) completed the experience requirements under section 4
of this chapter.
(2) Furnish satisfactory evidence to the board that the individual
does not have a conviction for a crime that has a direct bearing
on the individual's ability to practice competently.
(3) Furnish satisfactory evidence to the board that the individual
has not been the subject of a disciplinary action by a licensing
or certification agency of another state or jurisdiction on the
grounds that the individual was not able to practice as a mental
health counselor without endangering the public.
(4) Pass an examination provided by the board.
(5) Pay the fee established by the board.
As added by P.L.147-1997, SEC.71. Amended by P.L.2-2007,
SEC.340.
IC 25-23.6-8.5-2
Requirements for institution attended by applicant
Sec. 2. An applicant under section 1 of this chapter must have
received a master's or doctor's degree in an area related to mental
health counseling from an eligible postsecondary educational
institution that meets the following requirements:
(1) If the institution was located in the United States or a
territory of the United States, at the time of the applicant's
graduation the institution was accredited by a regional
accrediting body recognized by the Commission on Recognition
of Postsecondary Accreditation.
(2) If the institution was located in Canada, at the time of the
applicant's graduation the institution was a member in good
standing with the Association of Universities and Colleges of
Canada.
(3) If the institution was located in a foreign country other than
Canada, at the time of the applicant's graduation the institution:
(A) was recognized by the government of the country where
the school was located as a program to train in the practice
of mental health counseling or psychotherapy counseling;
and
(B) maintained a standard of training substantially
equivalent to the standards of institutions accredited by a
regional accrediting body recognized by the Commission on
Recognition of Postsecondary Accreditation.
As added by P.L.147-1997, SEC.71. Amended by P.L.2-2007,
SEC.341.
IC 25-23.6-8.5-3
Educational requirements
Sec. 3. An applicant under section 1 of this chapter must complete
the following educational requirements:
(1) Complete sixty (60) semester hours of graduate course work
in counseling that must include either a master's degree that
required not less than forty-eight (48) semester hours or a
doctor's degree in counseling. The graduate course work must
include the following content areas:
(A) Human growth and development.
(B) Social and cultural foundations of counseling.
(C) Helping relationship, including counseling theory and
practice.
(D) Group dynamics, processes, counseling, and
consultation.
(E) Lifestyle and career development.
(F) Assessment and appraisal of individuals.
(G) Research and program evaluation.
(H) Professional orientation and ethics.
(I) Foundations of mental health counseling.
(J) Contextual dimensions of mental health counseling.
(K) Knowledge and skills for the practice of mental health
counseling and psychotherapy.
(L) Clinical instruction.
(2) Not less than one (1) supervised clinical practicum,
internship, or field experience in a counseling setting, which
must include a minimum of one thousand (1,000) clock hours
consisting of one (1) practicum of one hundred (100) hours, one
(1) internship of six hundred (600) hours, and one (1) advanced
internship of three hundred (300) hours with at least one
hundred (100) hours of face to face supervision. This
requirement may be met by a supervised practice experience
that took place away from an eligible postsecondary educational
institution but that is certified by an official of the eligible
postsecondary educational institution as being equivalent to a
clinical mental health graduate level practicum or internship
program at an institution accredited by an accrediting agency
approved by the United States Department of Education or the
Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada.
As added by P.L.147-1997, SEC.71. Amended by P.L.2-2007,
SEC.342.
IC 25-23.6-8.5-4
Clinical experience requirements
Sec. 4. (a) The applicant must have at least three thousand (3,000)
hours of post-graduate clinical experience over a two (2) year period.
The clinical experience must consist of one hundred (100) hours of
face to face supervision under the supervision of a licensed mental
health counselor or an equivalent supervisor, as determined by the
board.
(b) A doctoral internship may be applied toward the supervised
work experience requirement.
(c) Except as provided in subsection (d), the clinical experience
requirement may be met by work performed at or away from the
premises of the supervising mental health counselor.
(d) The clinical work requirement may not be performed away
from the supervising mental health counselor's premises if:
(1) the work is the independent private practice of mental health
counseling; and
(2) the work is not performed at a place that has the supervision
of a licensed mental health counselor or an equivalent
supervisor, as determined by the board.
As added by P.L.147-1997, SEC.71.
IC 25-23.6-8.5-5
Eligibility for examination
Sec. 5. An individual who satisfies the requirements of sections
1 and 2 of this chapter may take the examination provided by the
board.
As added by P.L.147-1997, SEC.71.
IC 25-23.6-8.5-6
Examination; times and places
Sec. 6. The board shall provide for examinations to be given at
least once each year at times and places established by the board.
As added by P.L.147-1997, SEC.71.
IC 25-23.6-8.5-7
Issuance of license
Sec. 7. The board shall issue a license to an individual who:
(1) achieves a passing score, as determined by the board, on the
examination provided under this chapter; and
(2) is otherwise qualified under this article.
As added by P.L.147-1997, SEC.71.
IC 25-23.6-8.5-8
Duration of license; renewal
Sec. 8. (a) A license issued by the board is valid for the remainder
of the renewal period in effect on the date the certificate was issued.
(b) An individual may renew a license by:
IC 25-23.6-8.5-9
Reinstatement of invalid license
Sec. 9. (a) The board may reinstate an invalid license up to three
(3) years after the expiration date of the license if the individual
holding the invalid license meets the requirements under IC 25-1-8-6.
(b) If more than three (3) years have elapsed since the date a
license expired, the individual holding the license may reinstate the
invalid license by satisfying the requirements for reinstatement
established by the board and meeting the requirements under
IC 25-1-8-6.
As added by P.L.147-1997, SEC.71. Amended by P.L.269-2001,
SEC.23.
IC 25-23.6-8.5-10
Temporary permit
Sec. 10. (a) The board may issue a temporary permit to an
individual to profess to be a mental health counselor if the individual
pays a fee and the individual:
(1) has a valid license or certificate to practice from another
state and the individual has applied for a license from the board;
(2) is practicing in a state that does not license or certify mental
health counselors, but is certified by a national association
approved by the board and the individual has applied for a
license from the board; or
(3) has been approved by the board to take the examination and
has graduated from a school or program approved by the board
and the individual has completed any experience requirement.
(b) A temporary permit expires the earlier of:
(1) the date the individual holding the permit is issued a license
under this article; or
(2) the date the board disapproves the individual's license
application.
(c) The board may renew a temporary permit if the individual
holding the permit was scheduled to take the next examination and
the individual:
(1) did not take the examination; and
(2) shows good cause for not taking the examination.
(d) A permit renewed under subsection (c) expires on the date the
individual holding the permit receives the results from the next
examination given after the permit was issued.
As added by P.L.147-1997, SEC.71.
IC 25-23.6-8.5-12
Exemption from examination requirement
Sec. 12. An individual who applies for a license under this article
may be exempted by the board from the examination requirement
under this chapter if the individual:
(1) is licensed or certified to practice as a mental health
counselor in another state; or
(2) has engaged in the practice of mental health counseling for
not less than three (3) of the previous five (5) years;
(3) has passed a licensing examination substantially equivalent
to the licensing examination required under this article;
(4) has passed an examination pertaining to the mental health
counseling laws and rules of this state; and
(5) has not committed any act or is not under investigation for
any act that constitutes a violation of this article;
and is otherwise qualified under sections 1 and 2 of this chapter and
pays an additional fee.
As added by P.L.147-1997, SEC.71.