§ 8402. Mental health counseling. 1. Definition of the practice of
mental health counseling. The practice of the profession of mental
health counseling is defined as:

(a) the evaluation, assessment, amelioration, treatment, modification,
or adjustment to a disability, problem, or disorder of behavior,
character, development, emotion, personality or relationships by the use
of verbal or behavioral methods with individuals, couples, families or
groups in private practice, group, or organized settings; and

(b) the use of assessment instruments and mental health counseling and
psychotherapy to identify, evaluate and treat dysfunctions and disorders
for purposes of providing appropriate mental health counseling services.

2. Practice of mental health counseling and use of the titles "mental
health counselor" and "licensed mental health counselor". Only a person
licensed or exempt under this article shall practice mental health
counseling or use the title "mental health counselor". Only a person
licensed under this article shall use the title "licensed mental health
counselor" or any other designation tending to imply that the person is
licensed to practice mental health counseling.

3. Requirements for a professional license. To qualify for a license
as a "licensed mental health counselor", an applicant shall fulfill the
following requirements:

(a) Application: File an application with the department;

(b) Education: Have received an education, including a master's or
higher degree in counseling from a program registered by the department
or determined by the department to be the substantial equivalent
thereof, in accordance with the commissioner's regulations. The graduate
coursework shall include, but not be limited to, the following areas:

(i) human growth and development;

(ii) social and cultural foundations of counseling;

(iii) counseling theory and practice and psychopathology;

(iv) group dynamics;

(v) lifestyle and career development;

(vi) assessment and appraisal of individuals, couples and families and
groups;

(vii) research and program evaluation;

(viii) professional orientation and ethics;

(ix) foundations of mental health counseling and consultation;

(x) clinical instruction; and

(xi) completion of a minimum one year supervised internship or
practicum in mental health counseling;

(c) Experience: An applicant shall complete a minimum of three
thousand hours of post-master's supervised experience relevant to the
practice of mental health counseling satisfactory to the board and in
accordance with the commissioner's regulations. Satisfactory experience
obtained in an entity operating under a waiver issued by the department
pursuant to section sixty-five hundred three-a of this title may be
accepted by the department, notwithstanding that such experience may
have been obtained prior to the effective date of such section
sixty-five hundred three-a and/or prior to the entity having obtained a
waiver. The department may, for good cause shown, accept satisfactory
experience that was obtained in a setting that would have been eligible
for a waiver but which has not obtained a waiver from the department or
experience that was obtained in good faith by the applicant under the
belief that appropriate authorization had been obtained for the
experience, provided that such experience meets all other requirements
for acceptable experience;

(d) Examination: Pass an examination satisfactory to the board and in
accordance with the commissioner's regulations;

(e) Age: Be at least twenty-one years of age;

(f) Character: Be of good moral character as determined by the
department; and

(g) Fees: Pay a fee of one hundred seventy-five dollars for an initial
license and a fee of one hundred seventy dollars for each triennial
registration period.