65-5804a. Application for licensure; requirements; practice of licensed clinical professional counselor; approval of colleges or universities, criteria; temporary license.
(a) Applications for licensure as a professional counselor shall be made to the board on a form and in the manner prescribed by the board. Each application shall be accompanied by the fee fixed under K.S.A. 65-5808, and amendments thereto.
(b) Each applicant for licensure as a professional counselor shall furnish evidence satisfactory to the board that the applicant:
(1) Is at least 21 years of age;
(2) has completed 60 graduate semester hours including a graduate degree in counseling or a related field from a college or university approved by the board and that includes 45 graduate semester hours of counseling coursework distributed among each of the following areas:
(A) Counseling theory and practice;
(B) the helping relationship;
(C) group dynamics, processing and counseling;
(D) human growth and development;
(E) life-style and career development;
(F) appraisal of individuals;
(G) social and cultural foundations;
(H) research and evaluation;
(I) professional orientation; and
(J) supervised practicum and internship;
(3) has passed an examination required by the board; and
(4) has satisfied the board that the applicant is a person who merits the public trust.
(c) (1) Applications for licensure as a clinical professional counselor shall be made to the board on a form and in the manner prescribed by the board. Each applicant shall furnish evidence satisfactory to the board that the applicant:
(A) Is licensed by the board as a licensed professional counselor or meets all requirements for licensure as a licensed professional counselor;
(B) has completed 15 credit hours, as part of or in addition to the requirements under subsection (b), supporting diagnosis or treatment of mental disorders with use of the American psychiatric association's diagnostic and statistical manual through identifiable study of the following content areas: Psychopathology, diagnostic assessment, interdisciplinary referral and collaboration, treatment approaches and professional ethics;
(C) has completed a graduate level supervised clinical practicum of supervised professional experience including psychotherapy and assessment with individuals, couples, families or groups, integrating diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders with use of the American psychiatric association's diagnostic and statistical manual, with not less than 350 hours of direct client contact or additional postgraduate supervised experience as determined by the board;
(D) has completed not less than two years of postgraduate supervised professional experience in accordance with a clinical supervision plan approved by the board of not less than 4,000 hours of supervised professional experience, including at least 1,500 hours of direct client contact conducting psychotherapy and assessments with individuals, couples, families or groups and not less than 150 hours of clinical supervision, including not less than 50 hours of person-to-person individual supervision, integrating diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders with use of the American psychiatric association's diagnostic and statistical manual, except that one-half of the requirement of this subparagraph may be waived for persons with a doctor's degree in professional counseling or a related field acceptable to the board;
(E) for persons earning a degree under subsection (b) prior to July 1, 2003, in lieu of the education requirements under subparagraphs (B) and (C), has completed the education requirements for licensure as a professional counselor in effect on the day immediately preceding the effective date of this act;
(F) for persons who apply for and are eligible for a temporary permit to practice as a licensed professional counselor on the day immediately preceding the effective date of this act, in lieu of the education and training requirements under subparagraphs (B), (C) and (D), has completed the education and training requirements for licensure as a professional counselor in effect on the day immediately preceding the effective date of this act;
(G) has passed an examination approved by the board; and
(H) has paid the application fee fixed under K.S.A. 65-5808, and amendments thereto.
(2) A person who was licensed or registered as a professional counselor in Kansas at any time prior to the effective date of this act, who has been actively engaged in the practice of professional counseling as a registered or licensed professional counselor within five years prior to the effective date of this act and whose last license or registration in Kansas prior to the effective date of this act was not suspended or revoked, upon application to the board, payment of fees and completion of applicable continuing education requirements, shall be licensed as a licensed clinical professional counselor by providing demonstration of competence to diagnose and treat mental disorders through at least two of the following areas acceptable to the board:
(A) Either: (i) Graduate coursework; or (ii) passing a national, clinical examination;
(B) either: (i) Three years of clinical practice in a community mental health center, its contracted affiliate or a state mental hospital; or (ii) three years of clinical practice in other settings with demonstrated experience in diagnosing or treating mental disorders; or
(C) attestation from one professional licensed to diagnose and treat mental disorders in independent practice or licensed to practice medicine and surgery that the applicant is competent to diagnose and treat mental disorders.
(3) A licensed clinical professional counselor may engage in the independent practice of professional counseling and is authorized to diagnose and treat mental disorders specified in the edition of the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders of the American psychiatric association designated by the board by rules and regulations. When a client has symptoms of a mental disorder, a licensed clinical professional counselor shall consult with the client's primary care physician or psychiatrist to determine if there may be a medical condition or medication that may be causing or contributing to the client's symptoms of a mental disorder. A client may request in writing that such consultation be waived and such request shall be made a part of the client's record. A licensed clinical professional counselor may continue to evaluate and treat the client until such time that the medical consultation is obtained or waived.
(4) A licensed professional counselor may diagnose and treat mental disorders specified in the edition of the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders of the American psychiatric association designated by the board by rules and regulations only under the direction of a licensed clinical professional counselor, licensed psychologist, person licensed to practice medicine and surgery or person licensed to provide mental health services as an independent practitioner and whose licensure allows for the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. When a client has symptoms of a mental disorder, a licensed professional counselor shall consult with the client's primary care physician or psychiatrist to determine if there may be a medical condition or medication that may be causing or contributing to the client's symptoms of a mental disorder. A client may request in writing that such consultation be waived and such request shall be made a part of the client's record. A licensed professional counselor may continue to evaluate and treat the client until such time that the medical consultation is obtained or waived.
(d) The board shall adopt rules and regulations establishing the criteria that a college or university shall satisfy in order to be approved by the board. The board may send a questionnaire developed by the board to any college or university for which the board does not have sufficient information to determine whether the school meets the requirements for approval and rules and regulations adopted under this section. The questionnaire providing the necessary information shall be completed and returned to the board in order for the college or university to be considered for approval. The board may contract with investigative agencies, commissions or consultants to assist the board in obtaining information about colleges and universities. In entering such contracts, the authority to approve college and universities shall remain solely with the board.
(e) A person who is waiting to take the examination required by the board may apply to the board for a temporary license to practice as a licensed professional counselor by: (1) Paying an application fee of no more than $150; and (2) meeting the application requirements as stated in K.S.A. 65-5804a(b)(1), (2) and (4), and amendments thereto.
(f) (1) A temporary license may be issued by the board after the application has been reviewed and approved by the board and the applicant has paid the appropriate fee set by the board for issuance of new licenses.
(2) Absent extenuating circumstances approved by the board, a temporary license issued by the board shall expire upon the date the board issues or denies a license to practice professional counseling or six months after the date of issuance of the temporary license. No temporary license will be renewed or issued again on any subsequent application for the same license level. The preceding provisions in no way limit the number of times an applicant may take the examination.
(g) A person practicing professional counseling with a temporary license may not use the title "licensed professional counselor" or the initials "LPC" independently. The word "licensed" may be used only when followed by the words "by temporary license," such as licensed professional counselor by temporary license, or professional counselor licensed by temporary license.
(h) No person may practice professional counseling under a temporary license except under the supervision of a person licensed by the behavioral sciences regulatory board at the independent level.
(i) Nothing in this section shall affect any temporary license to practice issued under this section prior to the effective date of this act and in effect on the effective date of this act. Such temporary license shall be subject to the provisions of this section in effect at the time of its issuance and shall continue to be effective until the date of expiration of the temporary license provided under this section at the time of issuance of such temporary license.
History: L. 1987, ch. 315, § 4; L. 1988, ch. 243, § 14; L. 1988, ch. 263, § 1; L. 1988, ch. 245, § 4; L. 1989, ch. 276, § 1; L. 1996, ch. 153, § 4; L. 1999, ch. 108, § 1; L. 1999, ch. 117, § 3; L. 2001, ch. 154, § 6; L. 2006, ch. 61, § 1; L. 2018, ch. 29, § 1; July 1.