Licensed Mental Health Counselor Professional Profile

Licensure & Reimbursement

• Licensed in MA since 1987 

• As independent practitioners

• Providing clinical mental health services: diagnosis and treatment of emotional and behavioral disorders

• Under the Division of Professional Licensure, Board of Allied Health and Human Service Professions

• Authorized to receive third party reimbursement under Chapter 293 of Acts of 1996

• Listed as core service provider in Mental Health Parity Law, Chapter 80 of Acts of 2000

Licensure Requirements

Education

• MA degree in Counseling, Mental Health Counseling, related field (60 credits) plus

• Core Courses Include: Theories of Counseling, Psychopathology, Diagnosis, Treatment Modalities (Helping Relationships, Skills, Techniques),  Human Growth and Development, Ethics & Professional Practice, Research & Evaluation, Social and Cultural Foundations, Group Work, Career Development

• Practicum & Internship (Pre- Masters): 700 hours, supervised

Post-Masters Supervised Work Experience

• 3360 hours, supervised (2 years full time employment)

Supervisor Requirements

• LMHC, or other independent license, with 5 years clinical experience

Licensure Examination

• Successful passage of the National Certified Clinical Mental Health   Counselor Examination

Continuing Education Requirements

• 30 hours of continuing professional study every 2 year license renewal cycle

Standards of Practice

• LMHCs practice under the National Standards for Clinical Mental Health Counseling of the American Mental Health Counselors Association

• Ethical Standards, American Counseling Association, and the American Mental Health Counselors Association

Service Profile

• There are 4500+ LMHCs in Massachusetts

•  Providing mental health counseling through:

Clinics & Agencies  65%

Hospitals       7%

Schools 13%

Private  Practice 15%