2016 Colorado Revised Statutes
Title 12 - Professions and Occupations
Health Care
Article 43 - Mental Health
Part 2 - General Provisions
§ 12-43-215. Scope of article - exemptions

(1) Any person engaged in the practice of religious ministry shall not be required to comply with the provisions of this article; except that such person shall not hold himself or herself out to the public by any title incorporating the terms "psychologist", "social worker", "licensed social worker", "LSW", "licensed clinical social worker", "clinical social worker", "LCSW", "licensed marriage and family therapist", "LMFT", "licensed professional counselor", "LPC", "addiction counselor", "licensed addiction counselor", "LAC", "certified addiction counselor", or "CAC" unless that person has been licensed or certified pursuant to this article.

(2) The provisions of this article shall not apply to the practice of employment or rehabilitation counseling as performed in the private and public sectors; except that the provisions of this article shall apply to employment or rehabilitation counselors practicing psychotherapy in the field of mental health.

(3) The provisions of this article shall not apply to employees of the department of human services, employees of county departments of social services, or personnel under the direct supervision and control of the department of human services or any county department of social services for work undertaken as part of their employment.

(4) The provisions of this article shall not apply to persons who are licensed pursuant to section 22-60.5-210, C.R.S., and who are not licensed under this article for work undertaken as part of their employment by, or contractual agreement with, the public schools.

(5) Nothing in this section limits the applicability of section 18-3-405.5, C.R.S., which applies to any person while he or she is practicing psychotherapy as defined in this article.

(6) The provisions of this article shall not apply to mediators resolving judicial disputes pursuant to part 3 of article 22 of title 13, C.R.S.

(7) (Deleted by amendment, L. 2011, (SB 11-187), ch. 285, p. 1302, § 31, effective July 1, 2011.)

(8) The provisions of section 12-43-702.5 shall not apply to employees of community mental health centers or clinics as those centers or clinics are defined by section 27-66-101, C.R.S., but such persons practicing outside the scope of employment as employees of a facility defined by section 27-66-101, C.R.S., shall be subject to the provisions of section 12-43-702.5.

(9) The provisions of this article shall not apply to a person who resides in another state and who is currently licensed or certified as a psychologist, marriage and family therapist, clinical social worker, professional counselor, or addiction counselor in that state to the extent that the licensed or certified person performs activities or services in this state, if the activities and services are:

(a) Performed within the scope of the person's license or certification;

(b) Do not exceed twenty days per year in this state;

(c) Are not otherwise in violation of this article; and

(d) Disclosed to the public that the person is not licensed or certified in this state.

(10) The provisions of this article do not apply to a professional coach, including a life coach, executive coach, personal coach, or business coach, who has had coach-specific training and who serves clients exclusively as a coach, as long as the professional coach does not engage in the practice of psychology, social work, marriage and family therapy, licensed professional counseling, psychotherapy, or addiction counseling, as those practices are defined in this article.