2009 Rhode Island Code
Title 5 - Businesses and Professions
CHAPTER 5-63.2 - Mental Health Counselors and Marriage and Family Therapists
§ 5-63.2-9 - Qualifications of licensed clinical mental health counselors.

SECTION 5-63.2-9

   § 5-63.2-9  Qualifications of licensed clinical mental health counselors. – (a) An applicant for licensure shall submit to the board written evidence on forms furnished by the division of professional regulation verified under oath that the applicant:

   (1) Is of good character; and

   (2) Has received a graduate degree specializing in counseling/therapy from a college or university accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, or an equivalent regional accrediting agency, and which has the approval by a cognizable national or regional certifying authority; and

   (3) Has completed sixty (60) semester hours or ninety (90) quarter hours within their graduate counseling/therapy program; and

   (4) Has completed a minimum of twelve (12) semester hours or eighteen (18) quarter hours of supervised practicum and a minimum of one calendar year of supervised internship consisting of twenty (20) hours per week or its equivalent with emphasis in mental health counseling supervised by the department within the college or university granting the requisite degree or by an accredited postgraduate clinical training program recognized by the United States Department of Education, or education and/or experience which is deemed equivalent by the board; and

   (5) Has completed a minimum of two (2) years of relevant postgraduate experience, including at least two thousand (2,000) hours of direct client contact offering clinical or counseling or therapy services with emphasis in mental health counseling subsequent to being awarded a master's degree, certificate of advanced graduate study or doctorate; and

   (6) A minimum of one hundred (100) hours of post-degree supervised case work spread over a two (2) year period; provided, that the supervision was provided by a person who at the time of rendering the supervision was recognized by the board as an approved supervisor; and

   (7) Has passed to the satisfaction of the board an examination conducted by it to determine the applicant's qualification for licensure as a clinical mental health counselor or is applying for licensure under the provisions of § 5-63.2-15.

   (b) A candidate shall be held to have qualified for licensure as a clinical mental health counselor upon the affirmative vote of at least four (4) members of the board, two (2) of whom must be mental health counselors on the board.