Quarterly Newsletter, December 2008, Vol. 17 No.4

APPLYING FOR LICENSURE (LPC) AMPLIFIED INSTRUCTIONS

 When a Counselor Intern complete their required three thousand hours of supervised experience, they are ready to apply to the LPC board for licensure. This may seem like an uncomplicated task (and in most cases it is), but there is always the few who will complicate the uncomplicated.

 The format for applying for licensure is on the LPC board’s website – lpcboard.org. It lists the documents needed to complete this task.  

• Verification of NCE score – This need to be sent directly from NBCC if the exam registration form was not obtained through the LPC board office. It would be beneficial to check with the LPC board before (approximately 2-3 months prior) you send in your licensure application to ensure it is in their possession.
• Completed Application Form – This form must be notarized. Even though this is listed on the summary of instructions, some applications are being submitted without being notarized.
• A recent photograph – It is necessary to submit a 2 in. x 3 in. photograph along with the application. The photograph must also be signed on the back. It does not matter if the picture is in color or black and white, allowing room for the head and shoulders to be seen in the photograph. A recent photo should have been taken preferably within the past thirty days.
• Nonrefundable20application fee – The amount of $200.00 in the form of a money order, cashier’s check, or bank draft is acceptable. Personal checks are not accepted and fees are nonrefundable. It is advisable to ensure that all your documentation is in order and you have checked with your supervisor to preclude and delay in issuing your license.
• Official transcripts – These should be sent directly from any college or university you have attended. Counselor Interns should have their transcripts on file and do not need to send another one unless they have taken additional coursework. This additional coursework is supervised hours earned in post-masters degree courses in counseling or in a doctoral degree program in counseling toward the required hours of supervised experience in addition to exercising the option of substituting 30 graduate semester hours earned beyond the master's degree for 500 hours of supervised experience.
• Documentation of Experience Form – This form must be completed and sent to the LPC board directly from your clinical supervisor.  It is advisable to obtain a copy of the completed form from your supervisor. Do not combine all your supervisory hours on one form if you have=2 0had several supervisors. If you have had more than one supervisor during your supervisory experience, you must obtain a documentation of experience form from each supervisor you had registered with. Each form should indicate only the dates and hours that you accumulated under that particular supervisor.
• Declaration of Practices and Procedures – A sample of this form is on the website. It is highly recommended that you follow the sample as closely as possible. With this document you are applying for licensure. As such, any references to counselor intern should be removed. This includes your supervisor’s address since you are no longer under supervision. You may make any other changes necessary to accurately reflect how you conduct your counseling practices.
• Transcript Form – Submit this form if you have elected to substitute a maximum of 500 hours of supervised experience for each 30 graduate semester hours earned beyond the required master’s degree. These hours must be clearly related to the field of mental health counseling, earned from a regionally accredited institution, and are acceptable to the board.
• Copy of your licensure file – This is needed if you are licensed in another state and wish to become licensed in Louisiana.

After completing the application, mail all correspondence to the address on the website. You are ultimately responsible to ensure that all required documents reach the board’s office in a timely manner. The board meets on the third Friday of most months. Hopefully these amplified instructions will assist you in effortlessly applying for licensure.  If you have any questions about the process, please call or e-mail the board. 

 BOARD ACTION

As of September 30, 2008 there were:              

LPCs                                       2053                                                   LMFTs                       931                         

Counselor Interns                835                                                     MFT Interns             126

 136 LPC Applications Reviewed                                          14 LMFT Applications Reviewed

  49 Approved for Licensure                                                  5 LMFTs Approved for Licensure

  69 Counselor Interns Registered for Supervision             8 MFT Interns Registered for Supervision

 21  Counselor Interns Changed Supervisor                        1 MFT Intern Changed Supervisor

 DISCIPLINE REPORT

Ten complaints have been filed in FY 02/03.  None remain under investigation

 Eleven complaints have been filed in FY 03/04.  None remain under investigation.

Ten complaints have been filed in FY 04/05.  None remain under investigation

Eight complaints have been filed in FY 05/06. None remains under investigation

Eighteen complaints have been filed in FY 06/07. Three remain under investigation

Eighteen complaints have been filed in FY 07/08. Eight remain under investigation

Four complaints have been filed in FY 08/09.  Four remain under investigation.

IN MEMORY OF GARY GRAND 

Gary Grand, Member at Large, passed away on November 19, 2008.  Gary served on the LPC Board from September 24, 1999 to September 13, 2003, and was Board Chair during part of this term.  Gary was re-appointed to the Board again on May 4, 2008.  Gary made significant contributions to the Board and will be missed by all.

NCE Exam Information for 2008

Examination schedule for 2009:

v       February ’09                       02/02 – 02/07

v       March ’09                           03/02 – 03/07

v       April ’09                             04/13 – 04/18

v       May ’09                              05/04 – 05/09

v       June ’09                              06/01 – 06/06

v       July ’09                               07/06 – 07/11

v       August ’09                          08/03 – 08/08

v       September ’09                     09/14 – 09/26

v       October ’09                         10/05 – 10/10

v       November ’09                     11/02 – 11/07

v       December ’09                      12/07 – 12/12 

Exam registration forms can be obtained by calling the LPC Board office at 225/765-2515 or the LPC Board website at www.lpcboard.org and also on the NBCC website at www.nbcc.org/stateboardmap.  

Fee $165.00 make checks payable to NBCC.

Questions about the Exam:  Tel: 336/547-0607  FAX:  336/547-0017

E-mail: nbcc@nbcc.org 

2009 Board Meeting Dates

February                     20

March                         13

April                            17 

May                            15

June                            19

July                             17

August                        21

September`                 18

October                       16

November                   20

December                   11

BOARD MEMBERS AND MFT ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBERS