2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWENTY - Examining Boards and Professional Colleges (§§ 1 — 6033) › Chapter 104 - Professional Counselors (§§ 3241 — 3256) › § 3241 - Definitions

For the purposes of this chapter, the following terms shall have the meaning set forth below:
(a) Professional counselor. — Refers to a person who holds a license granted according to the provisions of this chapter. The use of such title shall be restricted to those persons with the academic training required by this chapter, and having experience in the application of a combination of theories and procedures, and the rendering of human development and personal welfare services that integrate a multicultural model of human behavior, that have also obtained the license issued by the Professional Counselors Examining Board created by this chapter, in effect. This model is designed to assist persons, couples, families, students or groups, in organizations, corporations, institutions, government agencies, educational institutions, or the public in general. The professional counselors are prepared to help persons and groups to achieve mental, emotional, physical, social, moral, educational and occupational development and stability throughout the life cycle.
(b) Professional counselor with provisional license. — Refers to any person has been granted a temporary or provisional authorization by the Board created by this chapter to offer counseling services, as defined in this chapter, and under the supervision that it requires.
(c) Certified mentor. — Refers to every licensed professional counselor who has been certified by the Board created by this chapter, to supervise the practice of those who hope to obtain the license herein provided and assumes the professional and civil responsibility for the professional counselors with a provisional license to whom he/she serves as a mentor.
(d) Professional counseling practice. — Refers to those engaged in the practice of the profession through the use of strategies and methods that include, but are not limited to:
(1) Counseling. — Means the assistance process that takes place through a personal and direct relationship in which theories, principles, methods and strategies based on scientific knowledge are used to promote the development and integral welfare of the persons.
(2) Evaluation. — Means the selection, administration and interpretation of instruments designed to evaluate personal characteristics and the use of methods and techniques to observe, measure and understand human behavior in relation to their way of facing, adapting and modifying life situations.
(3) Consulting. — Means the application of theories, principles and scientific procedures of counseling and human development to provide assistance and understanding, and resolving current or potential situations that a [sic] faces with regard to another person, or a group or organization.
(4) Referral. — Means the recommendation to consult other specialists, after having identified and evaluated the needs of a client to determine the convenience of having said consultation, and coordinating it with the selected specialist.
(5) Investigation. — Means the systematic effort of compiling, analyzing and interpreting information or data through scientific, quantitative or qualitative methods to describe the social characteristics, conduct and transactions of persons or organizations.
(e) Board. — Means the Professional Counselors Examining Board created by virtue of this chapter.
(f) Department. — Means the Department of Health of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, to which the Professional Counselors Examining Board created by virtue of this chapter, is attached.
(g) Secretary. — Means the Secretary of Health of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
(h) License. — Means the professional counselor license, which is established by this chapter.
History —Aug. 9, 2002, No. 147, § 2.