Alabama Administrative Code › Title 255 - ALABAMA BOARD OF EXAMINERS IN COUNSELING › Chapter 255-X-3 - QUALIFICATIONS FOR LPC AND ALC; SUPERVISING COUNSELOR; EXCEPTIONS FOR SUPERVISION BY SUPERVISING COUNSELOR; SUPERVISING ASSOCIATE › Section 255-X-3-.01 - Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)

Current through Register Vol. 42, No. 9, June 28, 2024
(1) General. All applicants must meet the
			 qualifications specified in
Code of Ala. 1975
, §
								34-8A-7(l) through
			 (6).
(2) Education.
(a) Prior to January 1, 2024, a master's
			 degree in counseling is defined as a conferred/awarded master's degree in
			 counseling, consisting of a minimum of forty-eight (48) graduate semester hours
			 or seventy-two (72) graduate quarter hours at a regionally accredited college
			 or university (e.g., Southern Association of Colleges and Schools). The
			 master's degree must contain and encompass the academic areas specified in
			 paragraph 2(b). Beginning January 1, 2024, a master's degree in counseling is
			 defined as a conferred/ awarded master's degree in counseling from a CACREP
			 (Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs), a
			 CORE (Commission on Rehabilitation and Education) accredited program, or a
			 content equivalent, regionally accredited program, (e.g., Southern Association
			 of Colleges and Schools), consisting of a minimum of sixty (60) graduate
			 semester hours, or ninety (90) graduate quarter hours. The master's degree must
			 contain and encompass the academic areas specified below in paragraph
			 2(b).
(b) All applicants shall have
			 a master's degree from a CACREP, CORE or a content equivalent, regionally
			 accredited program in the hours specified above in paragraph 2(a). Content
			 equivalent is minimally defined as graduate course work in each of the
			 following academic areas (acceptable area content must be based on focal
			 content (primary) rather than ancillary (secondary) emphasis in the courses
			 used to meet each area requirement:
1.
			 Counseling Theory: Includes studies of theories, principles and techniques of
			 clinical mental health counseling and their application to professional
			 counseling settings and treatment of mental health and emotional
			 disorders.
2. Human Growth and
			 Development: Includes studies that provide a broad understanding of the nature
			 and needs of individuals at all developmental levels; normal and abnormal human
			 behavior; psychopathology; personality theory; life-span theory; and learning
			 theory within cultural context.
3.
			 Social and Multicultural Foundations: Includes studies that provide a broad
			 understanding of societal changes and trends; human roles; societal subgroups;
			 social and mores and interaction patterns; multicultural and pluralistic
			 trends; differing lifestyles; and major societal concerns including trauma
			 crisis, stress, person abuse, substance abuse, discrimination and methods for
			 alleviating these concerns.
4. The
			 Helping Relationship: Includes studies that provide a broad understanding of
			 philosophic bases of helping processes; counseling theories and their clinical
			 applications; basic and advanced helping skills; consultation theories and
			 their applications; client and helper self-understanding and self-development;
			 facilitation of client or consultee change diagnostic process including
			 differential diagnosis; etiology, nomenclature, treatment, referral, and
			 prevention of mental and emotional disorders.
5. Group Dynamics, Processing and Counseling:
			 Includes studies that provide a broad understanding of group development,
			 dynamics, and counseling theories; group leadership styles; basic and advanced
			 group counseling methods and skills; and other group approaches.
6. Lifestyle and Career Development: Includes
			 studies that provide a broad understanding of career development theories;
			 occupational and educational information sources and systems; career and
			 leisure counseling, guidance, and education; lifestyle and career
			 decisionmaking; career development program planning, resources, and
			 effectiveness evaluation.
7.
			 Appraisal of Individuals: Includes studies that provide a broad understanding
			 of group and individual educational and psychometric theories and approaches to
			 appraisal and assessment; data and information gathering methods; validity and
			 reliability; psychometric statistics; factors influencing appraisals; and use
			 of appraisal results in diagnostic and helping processes. Additionally, the
			 specific ability to administer and interpret tests and inventories to assess
			 abilities, behaviors, interests, and identify career options is
			 necessary.
8. Research and
			 Evaluation: Includes studies that provide a broad understanding of types of
			 research and their application and use in clinical mental health counseling
			 practices; basic statistics; research-report development; research
			 implementation; program evaluation; needs assessment; publication of research
			 information; and ethical and legal considerations.
9. Professional Orientation: Includes studies
			 that provide a broad understanding of clinical mental health counseling roles
			 and functions; professional goals and objectives; professional organizations
			 and associations; professional history and trends; ethical and legal standards
			 of clinical mental health counseling; clinical mental health counselor
			 preparation standards; professional licensure and credentialing; and
			 legislation and government policy relevant to clinical mental health
			 counseling.
10. Practicum: Provides
			 for the development of individual and group counseling skills under
			 supervision. The practicum must be taken through a regionally accredited
			 institution, for a total of one hundred (100) clock hours. A minimum of forty
			 (40) clock hours must be direct service work with clients. At least 80% of the
			 direct service work with clients in the practicum must be in counseling
			 sessions with clients. Assessment activities with clients may not account for
			 more than 20% of the direct services in the practicum. A minimum of one (1)
			 clock hour per week must be of individual supervision by program faculty, and a
			 minimum of one and one-half (1 1/2) clock hours per week must be group
			 supervision.
11. Internship:
			 Provides an opportunity for the student to perform all the activities that a
			 regularly employed staff member in the setting would be expected to perform.
			 The internship must be a minimum of six hundred (600) clock hours, to include:
			 a minimum of two hundred and forty (240) hours of direct service work with
			 clients. At least 80% of the direct service work with clients in the internship
			 must be in counseling sessions with clients. Assessment activities with clients
			 may not account for more than 20% of the direct services in the internship. A
			 minimum of (1) clock hour per week must be of individual supervision by
			 program-by-program faculty, and a minimum of one and one-half (1 1/2 clock
			 hours per week must be group supervision.