(1) An applicant for a certified agency affiliated counselor credential must:

(a) Be employed by, or have a current offer of employment from, an agency or facility identified in WAC 246-810-016;

(b) Have a bachelor's degree in counseling or one of the social sciences from an accredited college or university as specified in RCW 18.19.090;

(c) Meet the minimum coursework requirements in WAC 246-810-0153; and

(d) Have a minimum of five years' supervised experience gained in accordance with subsection (2) of this section.

(2) Supervised experience must be:

(a) In direct treatment of persons with a mental disorder;

(b) Gained under the supervision of a mental health professional who can independently assess and diagnose within the scope of practice of their credential;

(c) Obtained after the completion of their degree or through an internship or practicum that is part of their degree program requirements; and

(d) Obtained under a credential to practice counseling or through a supervised internship or practicum.

(3) For an applicant whose experience was obtained prior to January 1, 2025, the department accepts supervised experience provided by a registered agency affiliated counselor who was designated as a mental health professional.

(4) For an applicant who obtains supervised experience in private practice, supervision must be provided by a mental health professional as defined in RCW 71.05.020.

(5) Experience earned out-of-state may be considered if:

(a) The applicant held a credential in that state that was substantially equivalent to a counselor as defined in this chapter or a mental health professional as defined in RCW 71.05.020; and

(b) Supervised experience met the requirements described in subsection (2) of this section.