Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 505-3-.67 - School Counselor Program
(1)
Purpose. This rule states field-specific content standards for
approving programs that prepare individuals for certification in the Service
(S) field of School Counseling and to serve as school counselors in grades
P-12. This rule supplements requirements in GaPSC Rule
505-3-.01, REQUIREMENTS AND STANDARDS
FOR APPROVING EDUCATOR PREPARATION PROVIDERS AND EDUCATOR PREPARATION PROGRAMS.
School counselors in Georgia are expected to function as both counselors and
educators and to support the academic success, career preparedness, and whole
child wellness of all P-12 students.
(2)
Requirements.
(a) To receive approval, a GaPSC-approved
educator preparation provider shall offer a preparation program at the Master's
degree or higher level for school counselors described in program planning
forms, catalogs, and syllabi as addressing the following standards adapted from
the standards published in July 2024 by the Council for Accreditation of
Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).
1.
Professional Counseling
Orientation and Ethical Practice.
(i) Candidates demonstrate awareness of the
history and philosophy of the counseling profession and its specialized
practice areas;
(ii) Candidates
demonstrate awareness of the multiple professional roles and functions of
counselors across specialized practice areas;
(iii) Candidates demonstrate awareness of the
counselors' roles, responsibilities, and relationships as members of
specialized practice and interprofessional teams, including collaboration and
consultation, community outreach, and emergency response management;
(iv) Candidates demonstrate awareness of the
role and process of the professional counselor advocating on behalf of and with
individuals receiving counseling services to address systemic, institutional,
architectural, attitudinal, disability, and social barriers that impede access,
fairness, and success for all students;
(v) Candidates demonstrate awareness of the
role and process of the professional counselor advocating on behalf of the
profession;
(vi) Candidates
demonstrate awareness of the professional counseling organizations, including
membership benefits, activities, services to members, and current
issues;
(vii) Candidates
demonstrate awareness of the professional counseling credentialing across
service delivery modalities, including certification, licensure, and
accreditation practices and standards for all specialized practice
areas;
(viii) Candidates
demonstrate awareness of the legislation, regulatory processes, and
government/public policy relevant to and impact on service delivery of
professional counseling across service delivery modalities and specialized
practice areas;
(ix) Candidates
demonstrate awareness of the current labor market information and occupational
outlook relevant to opportunities for practice within the counseling
profession;
(x) Candidates
demonstrate awareness of the ethical standards of professional counseling
organizations and credentialing bodies, and applications of ethical and legal
considerations in professional counseling across service delivery modalities
and specialized practice areas;
(xi) Candidates demonstrate awareness of the
self-care, self-awareness, and self-evaluation strategies for ethical and
effective practice; and
(xii)
Candidates demonstrate awareness of the purpose of and roles within counseling
supervision in the profession.
2.
Social and Cultural Identities
and Experiences.
(i) Candidates
demonstrate awareness of the theories and models of multicultural counseling,
social justice, and advocacy;
(ii)
Candidates demonstrate awareness of the influence of heritage, cultural
identities, attitudes, values, beliefs, understandings, within-group
differences, and acculturative experiences on individuals'
worldviews;
(iii) Candidates
demonstrate awareness of the influence of heritage, cultural identities,
attitudes, values, beliefs, understandings, within-group differences, and
acculturative experiences on help-seeking and coping behaviors;
(iv) Candidates demonstrate awareness of the
effects of historical events, multigenerational trauma, and current issues on
varied cultural groups in the United States and globally;
(v) Candidates demonstrate awareness of the
effects of stereotypes;
(vi)
Candidates demonstrate awareness of the effects of various socio-cultural
influences, including public policies, social movements, and cultural values,
on mental and physical health and wellness;
(vii) Candidates demonstrate awareness of the
disproportional effects of poverty, income disparities, and health disparities
toward people with marginalized identities;
(viii) Candidates demonstrate awareness of
the principles of independence, participation, choice and self-empowerment, and
access to services within and outside the counseling relationship;
(ix) Candidates demonstrate awareness of the
strategies for identifying and eliminating barriers;
(x) Candidates demonstrate awareness of the
guidelines developed by professional counseling organizations related to social
justice, advocacy, and working with individuals with a variety of multicultural
identities; and
(xi) Candidates
demonstrate awareness of the role of religion and spirituality in clients' and
counselors' psychological functioning.
3.
Lifespan
Development.
(i) Candidates
demonstrate awareness of the theories of individual and family development
across the lifespan;
(ii)
Candidates demonstrate awareness of the theories of cultural identity
development;
(iii) Candidates
demonstrate awareness of the theories of learning;
(iv) Candidates demonstrate awareness of the
theories of personality and psychological development;
(v) Candidates demonstrate awareness of the
theories and neurobiological etiology of addictions;
(vi) Candidates demonstrate awareness of the
structures for affective relationships, bonds, couples, marriages, and
families;
(vii) Candidates
demonstrate awareness of the models of resilience, optimal development, and
wellness in individuals and families across the lifespan;
(viii) Candidates demonstrate awareness of
the models of psychosocial adjustment and adaptation to illness and
disability;
(ix) Candidates
demonstrate awareness of the role of sexual development and sexuality related
to overall wellness;
(x) Candidates
demonstrate awareness of the biological, neurological, and physiological
factors that affect lifespan development, functioning, behavior, resilience,
and overall wellness;
(xi)
Candidates demonstrate awareness of the systemic, cultural, and environmental
factors that affect lifespan development, functioning, behavior, resilience,
and overall wellness;
(xii)
Candidates demonstrate awareness of the influence of mental and physical health
conditions on coping, resilience, and overall wellness for individuals and
families across the lifespan; and
(xiii) Candidates demonstrate awareness of
the effects of crises, disasters, stress, grief, and trauma across the
lifespan.
4.
Career Development.
(i) Candidates demonstrate awareness of the
models of career development, counseling, and decision-making;
(ii) Candidates demonstrate awareness of the
approaches for conceptualizing the interrelationships among and between work,
socioeconomic standing, wellness, disability, trauma, relationships, and other
life roles and factors;
(iii)
Candidates demonstrate awareness of the processes for identifying and using
career, avocational, educational, occupational, and labor market information
resources, technology, and information systems;
(iv) Candidates demonstrate awareness of the
approaches for assessing the conditions of the work environment on clients'
life experiences;
(v) Candidates
demonstrate awareness of the strategies for assessing abilities, interests,
values, personality, and other factors that contribute to career
development;
(vi) Candidates
demonstrate awareness of the career development program planning, organization,
implementation, administration, and evaluation;
(vii) Candidates demonstrate awareness of the
developmentally responsive strategies for empowering individuals to engage in
culturally sustaining career and educational development and employment
opportunities;
(viii) Candidates
demonstrate awareness of the strategies for advocating for employment support
for individuals facing barriers in the workplace;
(ix) Candidates demonstrate awareness of the
strategies for facilitating client skill development for career, educational,
and life-work planning and management;
(x) Candidates demonstrate awareness of the
career and postsecondary training readiness and educational
decision-making;
(xi) Candidates
demonstrate awareness of the strategies for improving access to educational and
occupational opportunities for people from marginalized groups; and
(xii) Candidates demonstrate awareness of the
ethical and legal issues relevant to career development and career
counseling.
5.
Counseling Practice and Relationships.
(i) Candidates demonstrate awareness of the
theories and models of counseling, including relevance to clients from
multicultural backgrounds;
(ii)
Candidates demonstrate awareness of the critical thinking and reasoning
strategies for clinical judgment in the counseling process;
(iii) Candidates demonstrate awareness of the
case conceptualization skills using a variety of models and
approaches;
(iv) Candidates
demonstrate awareness of the consultation models and strategies;
(v) Candidates demonstrate awareness of the
application of technology related to counseling;
(vi) Candidates demonstrate awareness of the
ethical and legal issues relevant to establishing and maintaining counseling
relationships across service delivery modalities;
(vii) Candidates demonstrate awareness of the
culturally sustaining and responsive strategies for establishing and
maintaining counseling relationships across service delivery
modalities;
(viii) Candidates
demonstrate awareness of the counselor characteristics, behaviors, and
strategies that facilitate effective counseling relationships;
(ix) Candidates demonstrate awareness of the
interviewing, attending, and listening skills in the counseling
process;
(x) Candidates demonstrate
awareness of the counseling strategies and techniques used to facilitate the
client change process;
(xi)
Candidates demonstrate awareness of the strategies for adapting and
accommodating the counseling process to client culture, context, abilities, and
preferences;
(xii) Candidates
demonstrate awareness of the goal consensus and collaborative decision-making
in the counseling process;
(xiii)
Candidates demonstrate awareness of the developmentally relevant and culturally
sustaining counseling treatment or intervention plans;
(xiv) Candidates demonstrate awareness of the
development of measurable outcomes for clients;
(xv) Candidates demonstrate awareness of
evidence-based counseling strategies and techniques for prevention and
intervention;
(xvi) Candidates
demonstrate awareness of record-keeping and documentation skills;
(xvii) Candidates demonstrate awareness of
the principles and strategies of caseload management and the referral process
to promote independence, optimal wellness, empowerment, and engagement with
community resources;
(xviii)
Candidates demonstrate awareness of the classification, effects, and
indications of commonly prescribed psychopharmacological medications;
(xix) Candidates demonstrate awareness of the
suicide prevention and response models and strategies;
(xx) Candidates demonstrate awareness of
crisis intervention, trauma-informed, community-based, and disaster mental
health strategies; and
(xxi)
Candidates demonstrate awareness of the processes for developing a personal
model of counseling grounded in theory and research.
6.
Group Counseling and Group
Work.
(i) Candidates demonstrate
awareness of the theoretical foundations of group counseling and group
work;
(ii) Candidates demonstrate
awareness of the dynamics associated with group process and
development;
(iii) Candidates
demonstrate awareness of the therapeutic factors of group work and how they
contribute to group effectiveness;
(iv) Candidates demonstrate awareness of the
characteristics and functions of effective group leaders;
(v) Candidates demonstrate awareness of the
approaches to group formation, including recruiting, screening, and selecting
members;
(vi) Candidates
demonstrate awareness of the application of technology related to group
counseling and group work;
(vii)
Candidates demonstrate awareness of the types of groups, settings, and other
considerations that affect conducting groups;
(viii) Candidates demonstrate awareness of
the culturally sustaining and developmentally responsive strategies for
designing and facilitating groups;
(ix) Candidates demonstrate awareness of the
ethical and legal considerations relative to the delivery of group counseling
and group work across service delivery modalities; and
(x) Candidates demonstrate awareness of the
direct experiences in which counseling students participate as group members in
a small group activity, approved by the program, for a minimum of 10 clock
hours over the course of one academic term.
7.
Assessment and Diagnostic
Processes.
(i) Candidates
demonstrate awareness of the historical perspectives concerning the nature and
meaning of assessment and testing in counseling;
(ii) Candidates demonstrate awareness of the
basic concepts of standardized and non-standardized testing, norm-referenced
and criterion-referenced assessments, and group and individual
assessments;
(iii) Candidates
demonstrate awareness of the statistical concepts, including scales of
measurement, measures of central tendency, indices of variability, shapes and
types of distributions, and correlations;
(iv) Candidates demonstrate awareness of the
reliability and validity in the use of assessments;
(v) Candidates demonstrate awareness of the
culturally sustaining and developmental considerations for selecting,
administering, and interpreting assessments, including individual
accommodations and environmental modifications;
(vi) Candidates demonstrate awareness of the
ethical and legal considerations for selecting, administering, and interpreting
assessments;
(vii) Candidates
demonstrate awareness of the use of culturally sustaining and developmentally
appropriate assessments for diagnostic and intervention planning
purposes;
(viii) Candidates
demonstrate awareness of the use of assessments in academic/educational,
career, personal, and social development;
(ix) Candidates demonstrate awareness of the
use of environmental assessments and systematic behavioral
observations;
(x) Candidates
demonstrate awareness of the use of structured interviewing, symptom
checklists, and personality and psychological testing;
(xi) Candidates demonstrate awareness of the
diagnostic processes, including differential diagnosis and the use of current
diagnostic classification systems;
(xii) Candidates demonstrate awareness of
substance abuse, addictions and co-occurring conditions;
(xiii) Candidates demonstrate awareness of
the procedures for assessing and responding to risk of aggression or danger to
others, self-inflicted harm, and suicide;
(xiv) Candidates demonstrate awareness of the
procedures for assessing clients' experience of trauma;
(xv) Candidates demonstrate awareness of the
procedures for identifying and reporting signs of abuse and neglect;
(xvi) Candidates demonstrate awareness of the
procedures to identify client characteristics, protective factors, risk
factors, and warning signs of mental health and behavioral disorders;
and
(xvii) Candidates demonstrate
awareness of the procedures for using assessment results for referral and
consultation.
8.
Research and Program Evaluation.
(i) Candidates demonstrate awareness of the
importance of research in advancing the counseling profession, including the
use of research to inform counseling practice;
(ii) Candidates demonstrate awareness of the
identification and evaluation of the evidence base for counseling theories,
interventions, and practices;
(iii)
Candidates demonstrate awareness of the qualitative, quantitative, and mixed
methods research designs;
(iv)
Candidates demonstrate awareness of the practice-based and action research
methods;
(v) Candidates demonstrate
awareness of the statistical tests used in conducting research and program
evaluation;
(vi) Candidates
demonstrate awareness of the analysis and use of data in research;
(vii) Candidates demonstrate awareness of the
use of research methods and procedures to evaluate counseling
interventions;
(viii) Candidates
demonstrate awareness of the program evaluation designs and procedures,
including needs assessments, formative assessments, and summative assessments
to inform decision-making and advocacy;
(ix) Candidates demonstrate awareness of the
culturally sustaining and developmentally relevant outcome measures for
counseling services;
(x) Candidates
demonstrate awareness of the ethical and legal considerations relevant to
conducting, interpreting, and reporting the results of research and program
evaluation; and
(xi) Candidates
demonstrate awareness of the culturally sustaining and developmentally
responsive strategies for conducting, interpreting, and reporting the results
of research and program evaluation.
9.
School Counseling
Specialization.
(i) Candidates
demonstrate awareness of the models of school counseling programs;
(ii) Candidates demonstrate awareness of the
models of PK-12 comprehensive career development;
(iii) Candidates demonstrate awareness of the
models of school-based collaboration and consultation;
(iv) Candidates demonstrate awareness of the
development of school counseling program mission statements and
objectives;
(v) Candidates
demonstrate awareness of the design and evaluation of school counseling
curriculum, lesson plan development, wide range of classroom management
strategies, and differentiated instructional strategies;
(vi) Candidates demonstrate awareness of the
school counselor roles as leaders, advocates, and systems change agents in
PK-12 schools;
(vii) Candidates
demonstrate awareness of the qualities and styles of effective leadership in
schools;
(viii) Candidates
demonstrate awareness of advocacy for comprehensive school counseling programs
and associated school counselor roles;
(ix) Candidates demonstrate awareness of the
school counselor roles and responsibilities in relation to the school crisis
and management plans;
(x)
Candidates demonstrate awareness of school counselor consultation with
families, PK-12 and postsecondary school personnel, community agencies, and
other referral sources;
(xi)
Candidates demonstrate awareness of the skills to critically examine the
connections of social, cultural, familial, emotional, and behavioral factors to
academic achievement;
(xii)
Candidates demonstrate awareness of the skills to screen PK-12 students for
characteristics, risk factors, and warning signs of mental health and
behavioral disorders;
(xiii)
Candidates demonstrate awareness of the strategies for implementing and
coordinating school-based interventions;
(xiv) Candidates demonstrate awareness of the
techniques of social-emotional and trauma-informed counseling in school
settings;
(xv) Candidates
demonstrate awareness of evidence-based and culturally sustaining interventions
to promote academic development;
(xvi) Candidates demonstrate awareness of
approaches to increase promotion and graduation rates';
(xvii) Candidates demonstrate awareness of
the interventions to promote postsecondary and career readiness;
(xviii) Candidates demonstrate awareness of
the strategies to facilitate school and postsecondary transitions;
and
(xix) Candidates demonstrate
awareness of the strategies to promote student achievement and access to
postsecondary education opportunities for all students.
10.
Field Experiences / Clinical
Practice Requirements.
(i) The
counselor education program provides ongoing support to place candidates in
fieldwork sites that are sufficient to provide the quality, quantity, and
variety of expected experiences to prepare students for their roles and
responsibilities as professional school counselors;
(ii) Supervision of practicum and internship
candidates includes secure audio or video recordings and/or live supervision of
students' interactions with students that are in compliance with applicable
institutional, state, federal, and international privacy requirements for
school counselors;
(iii) Candidates
have the opportunity to become familiar with a variety of professional
activities and resources, including technology, as part of their practicum and
internship;
(iv) In addition to the
development of individual counseling skills, during either the practicum or
internship, candidates must lead or co-lead a counseling or psychoeducational
group; and
(v) Formative and
summative evaluations of the candidate's counseling performance and ability to
integrate and apply knowledge are conducted as part of the candidate's
practicum and internship.
(b) The program shall require a minimum of
700 clock hours of clinical practice with 280 direct service clock hours in a
school setting under the supervision of an appropriately certified site
supervisor as well as a qualified faculty member within the preparation
program. A portion of this experience should occur at each of the four grade
band requirements for P-12 initial preparation programs specified in GaPSC Rule
505-3-.01, REQUIREMENTS AND STANDARDS
FOR APPROVING EDUCATOR PREPARATION PROVIDERS AND EDUCATOR PREPARATION PROGRAMS.
To meet the grade band requirement for field experiences, these experiences may
occur during field experiences embedded in courses as well as during clinical
practice.
Notes
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