Source: https://mn.gov/boards/behavioral-health/lpc-and-lpcc/faqs.jsp
Timestamp: 2019-07-16 10:09:03
Document Index: 284509202

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 2150', 'art 3', 'art 3', 'art 2150', 'art 2150', 'art 3']

LPC and LPCC FAQs / Minnesota Board of Behavioral Health and Therapy
What can I do if I don't have the 700 hours of supervised field experience Is there a variance
Because this is a statutory requirement, the Board is not permitted by law to grant a variance. Currently, Minnesota Statutues section 148B.53, subd. 1(a)(3) states that an applicant must have, in addition to other requirements, anda supervised field experience of NOT FEWER than 700 hours that is counseling in nature.and The question of the 700 hour field experience requirement (which includes practicum and internship) has been discussed at great length by the Board since it recognizes this issue may impact some members of the profession. Such discussion has included input from the Board's legal counsel from the Attorney Generals Office. Accordingly, the applicant's graduate records must be able to support 700 hours of supervised field experience.
The 700 hours of supervised field experience must be supported by a letter from your Graduate Program sent directly from the program to the board office if that information is not documented on your transcript.
Minnesota Statutes section 148B.531, passed in the 2005 legislative session and effective July 1, 2005, permits persons who did not complete 700 hours of supervised field experience in their graduate program to complete the hours post-degree. The hours must be completed through an accredited (CHEA or CACREP) institution and taken and passed for credit.
What is the fee for license application?
The application fee is $250.00.
Under which statutory provision should I seek licensure?
Most applicants apply under Minnesota Statutes section 148B.53. Licensed Psychologists qualify for licensure under Minnesota Statutes section 148B.53, subd. 1(d). LPCs or LPC equivalents with active licensure from other states may apply for licensure by reciprocity according to Minnesota Statutes section 148B.56. You can read more about the routes to licensure on the Board's LPC Application Requirements webpage.
Do I need to take the National counseling Examination (NCE)?
New graduates or previously unlicensed persons who have not taken the exam will be required to take and pass the National Counseling Examination (NCE) or an equivalent national examination as determined by the Board. More information about the NCE and other approved exams can be obtained from the Board's Examination for Professional Counselors webpage.
I don't have a MN Tax ID number?
Many applicants will not have a Minnesota Tax ID number. You may mark this question with a N?A. But remember to include you Social Security Number on the same form.
What if I don't have 48 semester or 72 quarter hours from my graduate degree program?
Minnesota Statutes section 148B.53, subd. 1(a)(3) requires that an applicant must have completed a master's degree program in counseling that includes a minimum of 48 semester or 72 quarter hours.
Minnesota Statutes section 148B.531, passed during the 2005 legislative session and effective July 1, 2005, enables persons whose degree program included less than 48 semester hours or 72 quarter hours to complete credits post-degree in order to seek licensure. This means you may count graduate credits in counseling earned after the degree upon which licensure is to be based toward licensure requirements. The maximum number of credits that may be completed post-degree is 20 semester or 30 quarter hours unless the credits were part of an organized sequence of study.
You should also be aware that at the completion of the first four years of licensure, every licensee must provide evidence to the board of completion of 12 additional postgraduate semester credit hours (or its equivalent) in counseling, except that no licensee is required to show evidence of greater than 60 semester hours or its equivalent.
Where and how do I locate an approved supervisor to meet my requirement for 2000 hours of supervised practice?
The supervisor must already hold the Approved Supervisor designation of the Board or must be qualified to apply to become an Approved Supervisor.
Supervisor qualifications are listed in Minnesota Statutes section 148B.50, subd. 2 and Minnesota Rules part 2150.5010, subpart 3. The supervisor must have at least 4 years of professional counseling experience and be able to document to the board the completion of 45 hours of formal training in providing counseling supervision. The rules requiring 45 hours of formal training in supervision became effective on July 5, 2005. All supervisors approved by the board before July 5, 2005, are considered to have me the requirements of subpart 3 of the rules and will maintain their approved supervisor designation. The supervisor is required to have a Letter of Standing sent directly to BBHT from their licensing board.
The Public List of Approved Supervisors for LPCs and the Supervisor Application are both available on this website.
If my Graduate School only required 600 hours of supervised field experience am I not eligible for LPC licensure?
If you are able to provide documentation acceptable to the board that the actual number of hours you worked for your supervised field experience (practicum and/or internship) was 700 hours, you may be able to meet this requirement. Acceptable documentation includes a letter from the program director (or equivalent) of your graduate program verifying 700 hours of supervised field experience, or a letter from the person(s) supervising the field experience(s) verifying you worked 700 hours.
Minnesota Statutes section 148B.531, passed during the 2005 legislative session and effective July 1, 2005, allows individuals to make up shortfalls in their hours of supervised field experience in order to meet licensure requirements. The supervised field experience hours must be completed through an accredited institution and must be taken and passed for credit.
Do I need to have supervision during the first 2000 hours of professional practice as an LPC if I've been working in the field for several years?
Yes, unless you are able to provide evidence acceptable to the board that you have already received supervision meeting the boards requirements (all or in part). Applicants seeking to receive credit for all or part of the 2000 hour requirement should document these hours on the andVerification of Supervised Professional Practiceand form with their application.
Will past supervision that I received apply towards the 2,000 supervised professional practice hours?
It is possible that past supervised practice you completed may count towards the 2,000 hour licensure requirement. The Board must determine whether your supervisor met the supervisor requirements for the period of time that supervision occurred. This means that the supervisor cannot meet the requirements, such as completing supervision training, post-supervision.
Any past supervision you would like to have reviewed will need to be documented on the section I form titled Verification of Past Supervised Professional Practice. If all supervision occurred prior to July 5, 2005 your supervisor must also complete the Supervisor Credential Verification Form. If any portion of the supervision occurred on or after July 5, 2005 your supervisor must submit the Supervisor Application.
If the Board finds that past supervision is not acceptable as conducted you will be required to arrange a Supervision Plan to complete the 2,000 hours.
Also, if past supervision hours were less than 2,000 you must submit with your application a Supervision Plan under a Board-approved supervisor.
Where can I get information about what's on the NCE?
Go to www.nbcc.org. The National Board for Certified Counselors has information about the National Counseling Exam and also has materials you can download for free to use as study guides.
How can I find out what the post degree supervision requirements are?
Licensed Professional Counselors must complete 2,000 hours of post-degree supervised professional practice. The law permits the Board to consider supervision that was completed pre-licensure. Those applicants whose pre-licensure supervision is rejected or those who did not complete pre-licensure supervision must arrange a supervision plan that complies with the statutes and formal supervision rules of the Board. This plan can be considered to be the applicant's contract with the Board; it demonstrates the applicant's intent to complete supervision according to the Board's requirements. An applicant who has an acceptable supervision plan in place and meets all other licensing requirements can be licensed before completing any of the supervision requirements. However, supervision must commence upon licensure. (Licensees who are unemployed and not doing volunteer work at the time of licensure must begin supervision as soon as they are employed or begin volunteer work.)
Supervision that occurred prior to licensure must be documented on the application form titled Section I: Verification of Past Supervised Professional Practice and submitted as part of the license application. Additionally, the supervisor must submit either the Supervisor Credential Verification Form or the Supervisor Application (if he/she has not previously done so) depending on the timeframe in which supervision was completed. If all of the supervision being considered occurred prior to July 5, 2005, the Supervisor Credential Verification Form should be submitted. If any part of the supervision occurred on or after July 5, 2005, the supervisor must submit the Supervisor Application. Supervision occuring on or after July 5, 2005, must also comply with the Board's formal supervision rules.
Supervision that commences upon licensure must be arranged on the application form titled Section H: Supervision Plan and submitted as part of the license application. Additionally, the supervisor must be approved via submission of the Supervisor Application. It is also acceptable to back date the start date of supervision on a supervision plan if the following is true: (1) the supervisor was an approved supervisor at the start of supervision; (2) the supervision complied at all times with the supervision plan requirements; (3) the supervision began on or after July 5, 2005; and (4) the supervision is still occuring at the time that the plan is submitted to the Board. If these four circumstances are true, the applicant need only complete the Supervision Plan form and does not need to have the supervisor fill out application section I.
Once a supervision plan is approved by the Board, the licensee is bound to conduct the supervision with the supervisor listed on the plan and according to the plan requirements. Minnesota Rules part 2150.5010, subpart J requires that a new supervision plan be submitted to the Board if (1) the licensee has a new supervisor; (2) the scope or content of the counseling practice changes substantially during the course of the supervision; or (3) the licensee begins a new counseling position. Subpart K states, Failure to submit changes to the supervision plan as required by item J shall result in hours accrued during this time period not counting towards the supervised practice requirement. If changes occur, the supervisee and supervisor should complete the form titled, LPC Supervision Plan Change.
How many hours of supervision must an applicant complete before they receive their LPC?
How do I document my supervision to the Board? Do I need to submit anything before I apply for licensure?
Your past supervision or supervision plan will be documented as part of your license application.Application sections H and I relate to post-degree supervision.You do not need to submit anything to the Board prior to applying for licensure.However, if you plan to begin supervision before applying for licensure your supervisor should immediately submit theSupervisor Applicationform to the Board (if your supervisor is not already approved) so that it can determine whether your supervisor is qualified.
I wish to begin supervision before applying for licensure. Can I do this?
Yes.However, supervision must be commenced after the graduate degree is granted, must be provided by an approved supervisor, and must comply with the Supervision Plan that is part of the licensure application.If it is found to be deficient in meeting these requirements, it will be rejected.
Do all licensed professional counselors have to receive supervision after they are licensed?
No.LPCs who documented 2,000 past supervised practice hours that were found acceptable to the Board, who applied by reciprocity under a license requiring at least 2,000 supervised practice hours prior to licensure, or who applied by the transition provision for currently licensed Minnesota psychologists, do not need to be supervised post-licensure.
Furthermore, all licensees who have completed their supervision plan (totaling at least 2,000 supervised practice hours) and received notification from the Board that they may practice independently no longer need to be supervised.
How many hours of client contract do I need for professional supervision?
Board rules do not specify a minimum of required client contract hours.
Are the 2000 hours based on client contact hours or on something else?
They are based on andprofessional practiceand hours. This is generally understood as the number of on-the-job hours that are worked or volunteered. For example, if you are employed in the field of counseling for a 40 hour week you will apply 40 hours towards the 2,000 hour requirement.
How many hours of supervision are required for the 2000 hours?
100 hours. The board's rules set the ratio at 2 hours of supervision per 40 hours of professional practice. Because the ratio is defined, supervision cannot be accrued at a lesser ratio (for example, at 1 hour of supervision per 40 hours of professional practice).
Do I need to have supervision during my first year of LPC licensure if I’ve been working in the field for several years?
Yes, unless you are able to provide evidence acceptable to the board that you have already received supervision (all or in part) meeting the boards requirements. Applicants seeking to receive credit for all or part of the 2000 hour requirement should document these hours on the andSection I: Verification of Past Supervised Professional Practiceand form with their application.
No. They will apply to the 700 hours of supervised field experience that is required pre-degree.
I did more than 700 hours in my internship/practicum. Can I use the extra hours towards the 2000 professional supervision hours?
No.Only post-degree supervision can be considered towards the 2000 required hours.
The supervisor must already hold the Approved Supervisor designation of the Board or must be qualified to become an Approved Supervisor. A supervisor that is not already approved can apply by filling out the Supervisor Application.
Supervisor qualifications are listed in Minnesota Statutes section 148B.50, subd. 2 and Minnesota Rules part 2150.5010, subp. 3. The supervisor must have at least 4 years of professional counseling experience, must request that a license verification be sent directly to the BBHT from their licensing board, and must be able to document to the board the completion of 45 hours of formal training in providing counseling supervision. The rules requiring 45 hours of formal training in supervision became effective on July 5, 2005. All supervisors approved by the board before July 5, 2005 are considered to have met the requirements of subpart 3 of the rules and will maintain their approved supervisor designation.
The Public List of Approved Supervisors for LPCs and the Supervisor Application are both available on this website. (Please note that the public list of supervisors includes names of only those Approved Supervisors who wish to be included in publications of the Board. If you wish to verify whether someone not on the list is approved, please call the Board office at 651/201-2756.)
Can Board staff take a look at my past supervision to determine if it will be accepted towards the 2,000 hours?
Board staff members are unable to review the circumstances of your past supervision to determine if it will meet the 2,000 hour requirement. You will need to complete applicationSection I: Verification of Past Supervised Professional Practiceand submit it to the Board with your completed application for licensure. Additionally, your supervisor must complete the appropriate supervisor form (Supervisor Credential VerificationorSupervisor Application). When your file is reviewed for licensure eligibility by the Board's Application and Licensure Committee, it will determine whether or not to accept your past supervision.
Can Board staff take a look at my employment responsibilities and let me know if they are acceptable for supervision?
Board staff members are unable to perform this type of a review. The Boards Application and Licensure Committee will determine if the work you do is appropriate for supervised professional practice when it reviews your application for licensure. However, it will benefit you to review the definition of professional counseling and the scope of practice for professional counselors to better gauge the appropriateness of your supervised professional experience.
My supervision didn't meet the exact ratios that the board's rules require, but overall I have the appropriate supervision hours. For example, I worked 30 hours a week and obtained 1 hour of supervision each week during a two year period, so I have more than 100 hours of supervision. But I realize it wasn't at least 2 hours of supervision per 40 hours of practice like the rule requires. Will my supervision count?
No. When the rules refer to a ratio, that ratio is not flexible. Obtaining a lesser ratio of supervision cannot be accepted.
My supervision didn't meet the exact percentages that the board's rules require, but overall I have the appropriate supervision hours. I was supervised in individual sessions for all of my supervision except the last three months; my supervisor changed the sessions during the last three months to be all in group. Overall, more than 50% of my supervision was done in individual sessions. Will my supervision count?
Yes. Where the rule refers to a percentage, the supervision can be more loosely distributed. For example, in some cases, supervisees obtain a block of group supervision for a short period of time, but have all other months of supervision conducted in an individual setting. This is acceptable if at least 50% of the overall supervision was individual; the board's rules require that at least 50% of supervision be done individually.
Does the Board have a provisional license that I should hold while I am completing my 2,000 hours of supervised practice?
Unlike many other states, the Minnesota board doesnt have a provisional license under which supervision is accrued. Applicants will need to decide between two courses of action:
First, you may choose to complete 2,000 hours of supervised, professional practice under an approved supervisor of the board before seeking licensure. The supervision must be conducted according to the Supervision Plan. The LPC supervisor webpage contains forms youll need (list of approved supervisors, Supervision Plan), found in the left column of the page. At the completion of supervision, you will then apply for licensure (your completion of supervision will be documented within the application itself) and obtain the LPC license with an independent practice designation.
Second, you may choose to apply for the LPC license immediately. You will find in the LPC application that you still need to arrange a Supervision Plan with an approved supervisor of the board. However, this process allows you to be licensed as a LPC with a supervised practice designation. You will be licensed as a LPC and begin supervision on the date that your license is issued. After you have completed supervision, your supervisor will submit the form entitled, andVerification of Completion of a Supervision Plan,and to the board and your designation will be updated to independent practice.
Who should apply using the general application method?
The Board has two application routes with unique provisions. The first, application by conversion, is for currently licensed LPCs in Minnesota whose license status is active. The second, application by reciprocity, is for currently licensed counselors in other states or jurisdictions, from which the clinical licensure requirements are substantially similar to Minnesota's LPCC licensure requirements. If you do not have a LPC license in Minnesota or you do not hold a counselor license in another state or jurisdiction, you should apply using the general LPCC application method.
Can I apply directly for the LPCC or must I obtain the LPC first?
If you meet the licensure requirements for the general application method, you can apply directly for the LPCC.
Who should apply using the reciprocity application method?
An individual holding a current, active counselor license in another state or jurisdication may apply for the LPCC using the reciprocity application. The law (Minnesota Statutes, section 148B.56) requires that the requirements for that license be found substantially similar to the requirements for the Minnesota LPCC (Minnesota Statutes, section 148B.5301, subdivisions 1 and 2).
How can I know if the license I hold will be accepted by the Board for reciprocity?
You can begin by checking to see if the license has already been considered by the Board. Visit the Board's LPCC Application by Reciprocity webpage for a listing of licenses that have been considered, along with the outcome.
If I apply by reciprocity and it turns out that the license I hold is not accepted for reciprocity, do I have to re-apply and pay new application fees in order to become licensed?
No, you do not need to reapply. You do need to write a letter to the Board in which you explain that you wish to amend your application route to a different application method. You also need to fill out the correct application form and attach it to your letter. Most applicants will be amending their application to the general application method. If you think this is a possibility, you may wish to review the general application requirements before applying by reciprocity.
I would like to ensure that my coursework meets the clinical coursework requirements. Can I stop by the Board office or mail in my transcript for review, before I decide to apply?
Board staff are unable to perform the review that you are seeking. The decision as to whether clinical coursework has been met rests on the Board's Application and Licensure Committee (ALC). Review by the ALC occurs after a completed application is received and all requested application materials have been received. Although it is understandable that many individuals are reluctant to apply unless they know for certain that their coursework meets the requirements, the ALC must make the final decision and staff cannot speculate what the outcome may be.
I graduated many years ago and no longer have copies of my syllabi. Are there other options for me for demonstrating my clinical coursework?
The burden of proof is upon the applicant to sufficiently demonstrate that a licensure requiement has been met. As such, the BBHT first recommends that you contact your school to find out if it has maintained a record of past syllabi. It is preferable to have the exact syllabi that are needed. However, if a syllabus is from a different semester or school year, the BBHT is willing to utilize the syllabus if the school will confirm in writing that the content reflected is accurate for the course that you completed.
Can I apply for the LPCC and be license while I am completing the 4,000 hours of post-master's supervised, professional practice?
No. The LPCC application requires that the 4,000 hours of professional supervision be complete before the license can be issued. If you have not completed the supervision requirements, you are encouraged to review the LPCC Supervision Contract available on this website.
Minnesota Statutes, section 245.4871, subdivision 5, defines a child as anyone UNDER 18 years of age (note that it does not include the age of 18).