Washington Administrative Code › Title 246 - Health, Department of › PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS AND LICENSING › Chapter 246-810 - Counselors › CERTIFIED COUNSELORS, CERTIFIED ADVISERS, AND HYPNOTHERAPISTS › Section 246-810-031 - Disclosure statement to be provided to clients by certified counselors and certified advisers

Current through Register Vol. 24-14, July 15, 2024
(1) Certified
				  counselors and certified advisers must provide a disclosure statement to each
				  client prior to starting a program of treatment.
(2) The following must appear in the
				  disclosure statement:
(a) The name of the
				  certified counselor or certified adviser and the name of their firm, agency, or
				  business, if any.
(b) The certified
				  counselor's or certified adviser's business address and telephone
				  number.
(c) The certified
				  counselor's or certified adviser's Washington state credential
				  number.
(d) The certified
				  counselor's or certified adviser's education, training, and
				  experience.
(e) The name and
				  description of the types of counseling provided by the certified counselor or
				  certified adviser, including the therapeutic orientation, methods, and
				  techniques employed in their practice, and a list of resources relevant to the
				  therapeutic orientation.
(f) The
				  type and duration of counseling expected, if known at the time of providing the
				  disclosure information.
(g) Fee
				  information, including:
(i) The cost for each
				  counseling session;
(ii) Billing
				  practices, including any advance payments and refunds;
(iii) A statement that clients are not liable
				  for any fees or charges for services rendered prior to receipt of the
				  disclosure statement.
(h) The limits of confidentiality under
				  RCW
				  18.19.180.
(i) Disclosure of the certified counselor's
				  or certified adviser's supervisory or consultation agreement as defined in WAC
				  246-810-025.
(j) Disclosure that the certified counselor
				  or certified adviser is not credentialed to diagnose mental disorders or to
				  conduct psychotherapy as defined in WAC
				  246-810-010(14).
(k) All of the following:
(i) Counselors practicing counseling for a
				  fee must be credentialed with the department of health for the protection of
				  the public health and safety.
(ii)
				  Credentialing of an individual with the department of health does not include a
				  recognition of any practice standards, nor necessarily imply the effectiveness
				  of any treatment.
(iii) The purpose
				  of the Counselor Credentialing Act, chapter 18.19 RCW, is to:
(A) Provide protection for public health and
				  safety; and
(B) Empower the
				  citizens of the state of Washington by providing a complaint process against
				  those counselors who would commit acts of unprofessional conduct.
(iv) Clients have the right to
				  choose counselors who best suit their needs and purposes.
(l) A copy of the acts of unprofessional
				  conduct in
				  RCW
				  18.130.180 and the name, address, and contact
				  telephone number within the department of health for complaints.
(m) Signature and date blocks for the client,
				  and the certified counselor or certified adviser, including an attestation that
				  the client agrees that the required disclosure statement has been provided and
				  that the client has read and understands the information.