La. Admin. Code tit. 46, § LX-605 - Supervised Practice Requirements

A. PLPC Supervision Requirements

1. This shall define and establish the minimum standards for supervised practice of PLPCs. Supervision is defined as a process in which the PLPC, engages in a collaborative relationship with a LPC Supervisor. The goal of supervision is to enhance and evaluate the PLPCs professional competence, monitor the quality of services provided, maintain the ethical standards of practice, protect the welfare of the public and providing a gatekeeping function for entry into the mental health profession.

2. Pursuant to R.S. 37:1107(A), a supervisee must document a minimum of 3,000 hours of post-master's experience in professional mental health counseling under the clinical supervision of a board-approved supervisor, with said supervision occurring over a period of no less than two years and not more than six years from the original date such supervision was approved. A supervisee must remain under supervision of a board-approved supervisor until receiving written notification of approval for licensure.

a.

i. Based on the above, the required 3,000 hours of counseling/psychotherapeutic experience shall be accrued in the following manner.

(a). Direct Hours. A minimum of 1,900 hours in direct counseling/psychotherapeutic services involving individuals, couples, families, or groups:

(i). an applicant may utilize supervised direct hours earned in post-master's degree practicum and internship courses in counseling (from a regionally accredited university) toward the required 1900 hours of direct counseling/psychotherapeutic services. In order to be counted, the direct hours earned in practicum and internship courses must have occurred after the applicant has been approved for provisional licensure and is under the supervision of the applicants board-approved supervisor. An applicant may not count hours spent supervising others (i.e., supervision courses, doctoral students supervising masters level students) as direct hours.

(b). Indirect Hours. A minimum of 1,000 indirect hours in counseling-related activities (i.e., client contact, case notes, staffing, case consultation, or testing/assessment of clients) or education at the graduate level in the field of mental health counseling as defined in R.S. 37:1101-1123:

(i). five hundred indirect hours of supervised experience may be gained for each 30 graduate semester hours earned beyond the required masters degree provided that such hours are clearly related to the field of mental health counseling, are earned from a regionally accredited institution, and are acceptable to the board. Practicum and internship courses may not be included in the 30 graduate semester hours that are used to substitute for 500 hours of supervised experience if they are used to count toward an applicants direct hours.

(c). Supervision Hours. A minimum of 100 hours of face-to-face supervision by a LPC Supervisor. Up to 100 percent of the supervision hours may be conducted by synchronous videoconferencing on a HIPAA compliant platform:

(i). supervision may not take place via mail, email, or telephone. Telephone, mail, or email contacts with supervisor may be counted under Subclause A.2.a.i.(b) of this Section (i.e., consultation), however, it cannot be counted as face to face supervision as defined in Subclause A.2.a.i.(c) of this Section.

ii. Acceptable modes for supervision of direct clinical contact are the following.

(a). Individual Supervision. The supervisory session is conducted by the LPC Supervisor with one PLPC present.

(b). Group Supervision. The supervisory session is conducted by the supervisor(s) with 2 and no more than 10 PLPCs present.

iii. Supervision hours include individual and/or group supervision as described below.

(a). A minimum of 50 of these 100 hours must be individual supervision.

(b). The remaining hours may be either individual supervision or group supervision.

3. Supervised experience hours for PLPC and PLMFT may be accrued concurrently, after receiving notification of approval from the board certifying that all the requirements for both provisional licensed professional counselor and the provisional licensed marriage and family therapist have been met. If approval was not obtained on the same date for each provisional license, then concurrent accrual of hours cannot begin until the second provisional license has been approved. Retroactive supervision experience hours are not permitted.

4. Current PLPCs are required to remain under active supervision as defined in Chapter 5 until fully licensed.

B. Responsibility of Supervisee under Board-Approved Supervision

1. During the period of supervised counseling/psychotherapy experience, the only proper identification title is provisional licensed professional counselor or PLPC. Provisional licensed professional counselors shall not identify or represent themselves by any other term or title, including "licensed", "fully licensed", "licensed professional counselor", "LPC", or "counselor".

2. Each provisional licensed professional counselor must provide his/her clients with a disclosure statement (as outlined in the appendix of the code of conduct) that includes:

a. his/her training status; and

b. the name of his/her supervisor for licensure purposes.

3. Provisional licensed professional counselors must comply with all laws and regulations relating to the practice of mental health counseling (R.S. 37:1101-1123).

4. The provisional licensed professional counselor must maintain contact with his/her board-approved supervisor to ensure that active supervision requirements (as defined in Chapter 5 of this Part) are met.

5. Provide updates to the board and board-approved supervisor regarding changes in status on forms provided by the board within 30 days of said change. Failure to comply may result in a fine, loss of supervised experience hours, and/or disciplinary action. Changes in status include changes in:

a. relevant personal information, including contact information, physical address, name;

b. relevant practice setting information, including job title/duties, employment status;

c. status with the justice system, including notification of arrest, charges, convictions;

d. status with another licensure/credentialing body, including notification of suspension, revocation, or other disciplinary proceedings/actions;

e. the use of any narcotics, controlled substances, or any alcoholic beverages in a manner that is dangerous to the public or in a manner that impairs the supervisees ability to provide mental health services to the public;

f. any medical condition which may in any way impair or limit the supervisees ability to provide mental health services to the public with reasonable skill or safety.

6. The supervisee must maintain documentation of all supervised experience hours by employment location and type of hour (indirect, direct, and face to face supervision). It is recommended that a supervisee obtain the signature of the board-approved supervisor indicating review and approval of documentation at regular intervals.

7. The supervisee must renew his/her provisional license in accordance with §611 of this Chapter and maintain a valid provisional license in order to practice mental health counseling.

Notes

La. Admin. Code tit. 46, § LX-605

Promulgated by the Department of Health and Hospitals, Licensed Professional Counselors Board of Examiners, LR 41715 (4/1/2015), Amended by the Department of Health, Licensed Professional Counselors Board of Examiners LR 45278 (2/1/2019), Amended LR 471529 (10/1/2021).

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 37:1101-1123.