PDFWAC 246-809-230
Supervised postgraduate experience.
(1) The experience requirements for the mental health counselor applicant's practice area include successful completion of a supervised experience requirement. An applicant who has held an active mental health counselor license for the past year in another state, the District of Columbia, or territory, without a disciplinary record or disqualifying criminal history, is deemed to have met the supervised experience requirements for Washington state licensure in subsection (3) of this section.
(2) In accordance with RCW 18.225.090 and 18.225.095, for an applicant who can demonstrate they have practiced as a substance use disorder professional for at least three years within 10 years from the date their application for mental health counselor license is submitted to the department, the department shall reduce the minimum total required supervised hours from 3,000 hours to 2,700 hours. The requirements in subsection (3)(b)(i) and (ii) of this section shall apply regardless of the reduction of total required hours.
(3)(a) The experience requirement consists of a minimum of 36 months full-time counseling or 3,000 hours of postgraduate mental health counseling under the supervision of a qualified licensed mental health counselor or equally qualified licensed mental health practitioner in an approved setting.
(b) Of the 3,000 hours:
(i) One hundred hours spent in immediate supervision with the qualified licensed mental health counselor or equally qualified licensed mental health practitioner; and
(ii) At least 1,200 hours must be direct counseling with individuals, couples, families, or groups.
(4) An applicant who has completed a master's or doctoral program accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) will be credited with 50 hours of postgraduate supervision and 500 hours of postgraduate experience.
(5) An applicant for licensed mental health counselor associate is not required to have supervised postgraduate experience prior to becoming an associate.
(6) A licensed mental health counselor associate applicant must declare they are working toward full licensure.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 18.225.040, 18.225.090, 18.225.145, 2023 c 425, and 2024 c 371. WSR 25-11-019, s 246-809-230, filed 5/12/25, effective 6/12/25. Statutory Authority: 2019 c 444, 2019 c 446, 2019 c 351, and RCW 18.19.050, 18.205.060, 18.225.040, 43.70.110, and 43.70.250. WSR 20-12-074, § 246-809-230, filed 6/1/20, effective 7/2/20. Statutory Authority: RCW 18.225.040. WSR 17-13-082, § 246-809-230, filed 6/16/17, effective 7/17/17. Statutory Authority: Chapter 18.225 RCW. WSR 09-15-039, § 246-809-230, filed 7/8/09, effective 7/8/09. Statutory Authority: RCW 18.225.040 and [18.225.]090. WSR 06-18-043, § 246-809-230, filed 8/30/06, effective 9/30/06. Statutory Authority: 2001 c 251, RCW 43.70.250. WSR 01-17-113, § 246-809-230, filed 8/22/01, effective 9/22/01.]