Md. Code Regs. 10.58.12.05

Current through Register Vol. 51, No. 22, November 1, 2024

Section 10.58.12.05 - Licensed Clinical Professional Counselors

A. To qualify for licensure as a clinical professional counselor the applicant shall have:

(1) A graduate professional counselor license or other credential approved by the Board;

(2) For an applicant holding a master's degree, completed a minimum of 3 years and 3,000 hours of experience in clinical professional counseling, of which:

(a) A minimum of the 1,500 hours shall be direct clinical counseling services;

(b) A maximum of 1,500 hours may consist of indirect clinical counseling services;

(c) A minimum of 2,000 hours of supervised clinical experience as a licensed graduate professional counselor shall be completed after the awarding of the master's degree under a Board-approved supervisor;

(d) A maximum of 1,000 hours of supervised clinical experience may be acquired as supervised field experience as defined under Regulation .04A(2)(k) of this chapter;

(e) At least half of the requisite direct and indirect hours included as supervised clinical experience hours shall be completed under the supervision of a Board-approved supervisor who is a licensed clinical professional counselor;

(f) No more than half of the requisite direct and indirect hours included as supervised clinical experience hours shall be completed under a Board-approved supervisor as defined in Regulation .02Bof this chapter; and

(g) 100 hours of face-to-face clinical supervision hours shall be completed within 2 years of the awarding of the master's degree, of which:

(i) A minimum of 50 hours shall be individual face-to-face clinical supervision; and

(ii) A maximum of 50 hours may be face-to-face group clinical supervision;

(3) For an applicant holding a doctoral degree, completed a minimum of 2,000 hours of experience in clinical professional counseling, of which:

(a) A minimum of 1,000 hours shall be face-to-face direct clinical counseling services and a maximum of 1,000 hours may consist of indirect clinical counseling services;

(b) 1,000 hours shall be acquired after the doctoral degree has been awarded;

(c) A maximum of 1,000 hours of clinical experience may be acquired before the awarding of the doctoral degree;

(d) At least half of the requisite direct and indirect hours included as supervised clinical experience hours shall be completed under the supervision of a Board-approved supervisor who is a licensed clinical professional counselor;

(e) No more than half of the requisite direct and indirect hours included as supervised clinical experience hours shall be completed under a Board-approved supervisor as defined in Regulation .02Bof this chapter; and

(f) 50 hours of face-to-face clinical supervision hours shall be completed within 1 year of the awarding of the doctoral degree, including:

(i) 25 hours shall be individual face-to-face clinical supervision; and

(ii) A maximum of 25 hours may be face-to-face group clinical supervision;

(4) Completed the required course work set forth under Regulation .04A(2) of this chapter;

(5) Achieved a passing score on:

(a) A national certification exam approved by the Board; and

(b) An examination of:

(i) Health Occupations Article, Title 17, Annotated Code of Maryland; and

(ii) This subtitle;

(6) Met all of the requirements set forth under Regulation .03 of this chapter; and

(7) Complied with:

(a) Health Occupations Article, Title 17, Annotated Code of Maryland; and

(b) The code of ethics as set forth in COMAR 10.58.03.

B. An applicant who fails an examination for licensure:

(1) May retake the exam if:

(a) It is within the time frame set by the applicable testing authority; or

(b) A waiver is approved by the Board to extend the testing deadline upon proof of exceptional circumstances; or

(2) Shall be required to:

(a) Submit a new application; and

(b) Pay the nonrefundable fee set forth in COMAR 10.58.02.

C. The Board shall act upon applications as set forth under Regulation .03B of this chapter.

D. The Board may include hours of clinical supervised experience obtained in another jurisdiction toward the total 3,000 required hours of supervised experience required for the licensed clinical professional counselor, if the clinical experience hours:

(1) Were obtained in accordance with the rules and regulations of that jurisdiction; and

(2) Included the course work requirements set forth under Regulation .06D of this chapter.

E. Renewal.

(1) To renew a clinical professional counselor license, the applicant shall:

(a) Submit a completed Board-approved application;

(b) Pay the required application fee set forth in COMAR 10.58.02; and

(c) Attest to completion of continuing education activities as specified in COMAR 10.58.05.05 and .06.

(2) A licensed clinical professional counselor shall comply with the renewal requirements as provided in Health Occupations Article, § 17 "504, Annotated Code of Maryland.

(3) An individual who fails to renew licensure is not authorized to and may not practice clinical professional counseling.

F. Reinstatement.

(1) Within 5 calendar years after the license renewal date, the Board may reinstate the license of a licensed clinical professional counselor otherwise entitled to reinstatement under Health Occupations Article, §17-505(b), Annotated Code of Maryland, whose license was not renewed for any reason, if the licensee:

(a) Completes within that 5-year period the minimum of 20 CEUs required for each year; and

(b) Pays the reinstatement fee set by the Board in COMAR 10.58.02.

(2) CEUs which are acquired in order to reinstate under COMAR 10.58.05.05 and .06 may be credited only once and may not be credited for any future renewals.

(3) For any licensed clinical professional counselor whose license has expired more than 5 calendar years before the request for reinstatement, a new application for licensure shall be completed and the current licensure requirements shall be met.

(4) An individual who fails to reinstate licensure is not authorized to and may not practice clinical professional counseling.

G. Inactive Status.

(1) In accordance with Health Occupations Article, §17-505, Annotated Code of Maryland, a request to transfer a license to inactive status shall be granted upon receipt of the:

(a) Completed Board-approved application; and

(b) Payment of the required, nonrefundable, annual fee set forth in COMAR 10.58.02.

(2) An individual may apply for inactive status only if the individual's license is still active at the time application for inactive status is made.

(3) An individual on inactive status is not authorized to and may not practice clinical professional counseling.

(4) Within 5 calendar years after being placed on inactive status, an individual seeking to be reinstated to active status shall be required, as a condition of reinstatement, to submit proof of having completed 20 CEUs for each year of inactive status, at least 40 of which shall have been obtained within the 2-year period immediately preceding the application for reinstatement.

(5) If an individual on inactive status seeks to be reinstated beyond the required 5-year period and conditions set forth under § G(4) of this regulation, the individual shall be required to:

(a) Submit a new application; and

(b) Pay the nonrefundable fee set forth in COMAR 10.58.02.

Md. Code Regs. 10.58.12.05

Regulations .05 adopted effective 48:13 Md. R. 508, eff. 6/28/2021