Section 49.13. Licensed professional counselor

(a) Conditions for licensure. To be issued a license to hold oneself out as a licensed professional counselor, an applicant shall provide proof satisfactory to the Board, that the applicant has met the following conditions:

(1) Satisfied the general requirements for licensure of § 49.12 (relating to general qualifications for licensure).

(2) Passed the examination required by § 49.11 (relating to licensure examination).

(3) Successfully met one of the following education requirements:

(i) Has successfully completed a planned program of 60 semester hours or 90 quarter hours of graduate coursework in counseling or a field closely related to the practice of professional counseling as defined in § 49.1 (relating to definitions) including one of the following:

(A) A master’s degree granted on or before June 30, 2009, in professional counseling from an accredited education institution.

(B) A master’s degree granted on or before June 30, 2009, in a field closely related to the practice of professional counseling as defined in § 49.1 from an accredited educational institution.

(ii) Has successfully completed a planned program of 60 semester hours or 90 quarter hours of graduate coursework in counseling or a field closely related to the practice of professional counseling as defined in § 49.1 including one of the following:

(A) A 48 semester hour or 72 quarter hour master’s degree in professional counseling from an accredited education institution.

(B) A 48 semester hour or 72 quarter hour master’s degree in a field closely related to the practice of professional counseling as defined in § 49.1 from an accredited educational institution.

(iii) Holds a doctoral degree in counseling from an accredited educational institution.

(iv) Holds a doctoral degree in a field closely related to the practice of professional counseling as defined in § 49.1 from an accredited education institution.

(4) Has met the following experience requirements:

(i) Individuals who met the educational requirements of paragraph (3)(i) or (ii), shall have completed at least 3,000 hours of supervised clinical experience meeting the criteria in subsection (b), obtained after the completion of 48 semester hours or 72 quarter hours of graduate coursework. Supervision for the supervised clinical experience shall be provided by a supervisor as defined in § 49.1 and § 49.3 (relating to qualifications for supervisors).

(ii) Individuals who meet the educational requirements of paragraph (3)(iii) or (iv) shall have completed at least 2,400 hours of supervised clinical experience meeting the criteria in subsection (b), 1,200 hours of which was obtained subsequent to the granting of the doctoral degree. Supervision for the supervised clinical experience shall be provided by a supervisor as defined in § § 49.1 and 49.3.

(b) Supervised clinical experience. Experience acceptable to the Board means experience as a supervisee in a setting that is organized to prepare the applicant for the practice of counseling consistent with the applicant’s education and training.

(1) At least one-half of the experience shall consist of providing services in one or more of the following areas:

(i) Assessment.

(ii) Counseling.

(iii) Therapy.

(iv) Psychotherapy.

(v) Other therapeutic interventions.

(vi) Consultation.

(vii) Family therapy.

(viii) Group therapy.

(2) Supervision for the clinical experience shall be provided by a supervisor as defined in § 49.1. At least 1/2 of the required hours shall be supervised by a supervisor meeting the qualifications in § 49.3(1) and (3).

(3) A supervisee shall disclose his status as a supervisee to each patient and obtain written permission to discuss the patient’s case with the supervisor.

(4) The supervisor shall oversee, direct, recommend and instruct the professional counseling activities of the supervisee.

(i) A supervisor who is temporarily unable to provide supervision shall designate another supervisor as a substitute.

(ii) Although the supervisor shall continue to bear the ultimate responsibility for supervision, those to whom supervisory responsibilities are delegated shall be individually responsible for activities of the supervisee performed under their supervision.

(5) The supervisor, or one to whom supervisory responsibilities have been delegated, shall meet with the supervisee for a minimum of 2 hours for every 40 hours of supervised clinical experience. At least 1 of the 2 hours shall be with the supervisee individually and in person, and 1 of the 2 hours may be with the supervisee in a group setting and in person.

(6) A supervisor shall supervise no more than 6 supervisees at the same time. If this paragraph creates an undue hardship on a supervisee, the supervisor and supervisee may request an exception to this paragraph. The request shall state, in writing, the reasons why this paragraph creates a hardship on the supervisee and why the supervisee is not able to obtain a supervisor who meets the requirements of this paragraph. Before making a determination, the Board may require a personal appearance by the supervisee and supervisor.

(7) A supervisor who wishes to terminate supervision during the training period shall give the supervisee 2 weeks written notice to enable the supervisee to obtain another qualified supervisor. A supervisor may not terminate supervision when termination would result in abandonment of the supervisee’s client/patient.

(8) Supervised work activity will be counted toward satisfying the experience requirement only if it takes place in a single setting for either, first, at least 30 hours per week but no more than 40 hours per week during at least a 3-month period or, second, at least 15 hours per week for at least 6 months.

(9) The supervised clinical experience shall be completed in no less than 2 years and no more than 6 years, except that no less than 500 hours and no more than 1,800 hours may be credited in any 12 month period.

(c) Supervised clinical experience obtained within 5 years prior to March 2, 2002.

(1) For hours of supervised clinical experience obtained within 5 years prior to March 2, 2002, the applicant shall present evidence of having acquired at least one-half of those hours under the supervision of a professional counselor. The applicant shall also have acquired hours of supervision at a ratio of 2 hours of supervision per 40 hours of supervised clinical experience, one-half of which may be in group supervision and at least one-half of which shall be provided by a professional counselor.

(2) Supervised clinical experience obtained under this subsection is not subject to the requirements of § 49.14 (relating to standards for supervision).

The provisions of this § 49.13 amended October 10, 2014, effective October 11, 2014, 44 Pa.B. 6557. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (325249) to (325251).

Notation

Authority

The provisions of this § 49.13 amended under section 6(2) of the Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists and Professional Counselors Act (63 P. S. § 1906(2)).

Cross References

This section cited in 49 Pa. Code § 49.14 (relating to standards for supervisors).