What is the name of the Regulatory Board for LMHCs?

Our regulatory board is called the Mental Health Practitioners Board.  

 

Who is licensed under the Article 163 licensure law?

There are 4 professions.  They are: Mental Health Counselors, Marriage and Family Therapists, Psychoanalysts, and Creative Arts Therapists.  Due to the wording under the mental health counselor part of the law, Rehabilitation Counselors can be licensed to practice their profession but with the license title of Mental Health Counselor.

 

What are the educational and experiential requirements of the licensure law?

Mental health counselors need a Master's degree of at least 60 graduate hours to be licensable.  Counselors also need at least 3000 hours of post-Master's supervised experience in order to be licensed.  Fifteen hundred of those hours need to be direct client contact hours.

 

What does the law allow counselors to do?

Under the law, counselors are authorized to assess, evaluate, develop treatment plans and treat clients. Clients can be individuals, couples, families or groups.  We are allowed to use the DSM and other diagnostic criteria as well as assessment instruments.  

 

What exam is the state using to test counselors for this license?

Since the license is for counselors who work in clinical settings the exam is the Clinical Mental Health Counselor Exam (NCMHCE).  NYMHCA offers individual, small and large group examination preparation training for the exam.  Webinars are also provided.  Check the Licensure Examination Workshop page on this website for more information.

 

What are the educational requirements to be licensed?

The educational requirements in our licensure law are at least 60 hours of graduate education that include:

• Human growth and development
  
• Social and cultural foundations of counseling
  
• Counseling theory and practice and psychopathology
  
• Group dynamics
  
• Lifestyle and career development
  
• Assessment and appraisal of individuals, couples, and families and groups
  
• Research and program evaluation
  
• Professional orientation and ethics
  
• Foundations of mental health counseling and consultation
  
• Clinical instruction; and
  
• Include a minimum one year supervised internship or practicum in Mental Health Counseling where one year means at least 600 clock hours
   
  

How can I get a license application?

Go to the Office of Professions website and download an application:  www.op.nysed.gov/mhpcontact.htm#lic

How do I apply for a limited permit while I accrue my 3,000 hours?

Please read through the entire application packet. It includes the application for the limited permit.  You must send in your licensure application minus the limited permit application a few months before you have graduated with your Master's or doctoral degree.  Once the state has approved your education, you are then eligible for a limited permit.  As soon as you obtain employment you must immediately send in your limited permit application for approval by the state.  The clock will start on your permit on the day your permit it issued.

Is my limited permit renewable?

Your limited permit is for 2 years and is renewable for two additional years. 

How do I count my hours of experience?

Counselors are allowed to count all of the time required in the counseling of clients (1500 hours at least). They can also count the time for note-taking, scheduling sessions and other tasks related to the therapeutic process.  No hours accrued during your internship or work done before you received a graduate degree and your limited permit can count toward licensure.  You can use hours accrued in a volunteer (unpaid) position as long as you are being supervised by a licensed mental health professional.  You cannot work in your own private practice and receive outside supervision in order to qualify for licensure.  You CAN work for someone else's private practice and receive supervision from them. You must be an employee of the practice to earn your hours; you cannot work as an independent contractor (1099) while working under a limited permit.

Who can supervise me as I accrue my hours?

Counselors can be supervised by: psychiatrists, Ph.D psychologists, psychiatric nurses, and licensed clinical social workers, in addition to licensed mental health counselors.  LMSW's are not considered fully licensed since they must work under the supervision of LCSW's and therefore are not qualified to supervise mental health counselors.  You cannot receive supervision from Marriage and Family Therapists, Psychoanalysts and Creative Arts Therapists.

When I receive my license will I be able to admit clients to a hospital?

Our licenses do not include hospital privileges at this time.

How often do I have to renew my license?  Do I have to have continuing education hours in order to maintain and renew my license?  

Your license will require a registration renewal every 3 years.  The state will notify you when the renewal is coming due.  There is a continuing education requirement of 36 contact hours (CEU's) for every 3-year license renewal period

What is the difference between a license and a national certification?

Licenses are offered by a state government and a national credential (NCC, ACS, CRC) is offered by national professional credentialing bodies.  The national counselor exam is used in some states as a licensure exam, but in New York we have the clinical mental health counselor exam as our licensure exam.

I understand that in our licensure law it says that we have to refer clients to a physician if we believe them to have serious mental illnesses.  Do they need to be referred to a psychiatrist?  What if the client refuses to go?  

The standards of practice and code of ethics for mental health counselors include the need for referral for an evaluation when serious physical or mental illness is suspected.  The client can be referred to either a physician or a psychiatrist depending upon the presenting problem.  If the client refuses it is required that we end the treatment process until such time as they comply.  You should inform your clients about this legal requirement when they begin the counseling process with you.

Our law does not include the word "diagnosis" but does include the synonyms:  assess, evaluate, identify disorders and test.  It also says we can use diagnostic criteria such as the DSM as approved by the State Education Department. 

LMHC's who want to use diagnostic testing need to have been adequately trained to do so.  If you are unsure if you have the expertise to use diagnostic tests, go to:  http://aac.ncat.edu/resources.html and scroll down to where it says "Key Documents."  There you will find the standard for our profession for testing expertise.

Will my license allow me to be eligible to receive 3rd party reimbursements from insurance companies?

At this writing almost all of the major insurers doing business in New York State accept LMHC's into their networks.  NYMHCA is working to gain acceptance into the networks of those companies that still don't accept us.

Will LMHC's be considered qualified providers for Medicaid?

Mental health counselors are Medicaid reimbursable when working in state agencies. In 2021, a new law was passed which will allow mental health counselors to enroll in Medicaid as billing providers. The application process is expected to begin in the Fall of 2022.

I am a certified school counselor.  Can I be licensed as a mental health counselor?  Can I use my experience as a school counselor toward licensure?

School counselors can be eligible for licensure but will need to take additional courses as a matriculated student in a mental health counselor Master's program.  They would also need to take an additional internship in a clinical setting.  A clinical setting is one where clients are diagnosed and treated.  It is also a setting where a licensed mental health professional is providing on-site supervision.  

When I receive my license should I register with national registries in order to enhance my acceptance onto provider panels?

All counselors wishing to be providers for insurance companies will need to have a national provider number to be in compliance with HIPAA.  To obtain that number (once you are licensed) go to: www.nppes.cms.hhs.gov, and apply online.  It takes about a day to get the number.

If you are thinking about moving to or practicing in a different state in addition to being accepted onto provider panels, go to the CAQH.org website and register with them too.  The CAQH is a registry established by national insurance companies so they can share information about providers.  This too can inrcease the liklihood that you will be accepted on provider panels.  Unfortunately you must be accepted by at least one insurance company as a provider and have a CAQH# before you can apply to the CAQH registry.