Quarterly Newsletter, March 2008, Vol. 17 No.1
Louisiana‘s Position on Internet Counseling
For the record, it is the position of this Board that mental health services delivered over the internet are rendered where the patient is situated.
This position is based on assertions that all counselors serving Louisiana residents will be licensed in Louisiana and will otherwise adhere to all applicable state laws relative to the practice of mental health counseling.
LPC License Renewals for 2008
Renewal applications for the June 30, 2008 renewal period will be mailed out the first week of April 2008. Please advise the Board office if you have new address. There is a rule which gives you thirty days to notify the Board of any and all changes in name, address and phone number. Failure to comply with this rule will result in a $50.00 fine. You can change your address by e-mailing lpcboard@eatel.net, faxing 225/765-2514, or by calling the Board office 225/765-2515.
To complete the renewal process complete the renewal form and attach to it any required documentation. You only need to fill out the front page on the renewal form if you did not receive an orange audit slip. If you received an orange audit slip, please complete the back of the form and submit materials verifying your continuing education activities (e.g. certificates, transcripts, letters). As soon as your application is processed, you will receive a renewal card stating your next expiration date of June 30, 2010. In order to be considered on time, all renewals must be postmarked on or before June 30, 2008. If all materials are not received in the Board office postmarked by June 30, 2008, your license will become inactive. All renewal applications postmarked after this date will be assessed a $50.00 late fee and any application assessed a late fee will be required to include documentation of continuing education. If you have any questions regarding the renewal process, please contact the Board office.
SUPERVISION WORKSHOP
A Supervision Workshop is being held May 2 and 3 and June 7, 2008 at the Days Inn at I-12 and Airline. The tuition is $310 if registration is received by Apr 19, 2008 and $325 after that day. Space is limited to 10 participants. If interested. you can contact Stan Mahaffey at 318.237-0711 or through e-mail ruin2fun2@hotmail.com.
2008 Board Meeting Dates
April 18, 2008
May 9, 2008
June 20, 2008
July 18, 2008
August 15, 2008
September 19, 2008
October 17, 2008
November 21, 2008
December 12, 2008
DECLARATORY STATEMENT NO. 08-01
A question has been raised concerning the propriety of employment of counseling practicum students as interns during times when the university is closed (such as during semester breaks) and the students in question are not actively “enrolled” in a practicum or internship class at that time.
If the school affirmatively acknowledges that the individuals in question are "students" and provides the same level of supervision as that provided during the semester, as otherwise required by applicable Board rules, this practice is permissible and the students in question would meet the “student” exception to licensing requirements. Unless both of these requirements are met, this activity would constitute practicing without a license.
ADDRESS CHANGES FOR: LPC/COUNSELOR INTERNS/LMFT/MFT INTERNS
Notify the Board in writing of your change of address. Be sure to let us know what address you wish to use for correspondence and what address you wish to use for the website. There is a rule which gives you 30 days to notify the Board of any and all changes in name, address, and phone number. Failure to comply with this rule will result in a $50.00 fine. It is very important that the Board have a current address for all of their licensees especially at renewal time.. Please help us by sending in your changes. You can change your address by e-mailing lpcboard@eatel.net, faxing 225/7652514, or by calling the Board office 225/7652515. mailto:lpcboard@eatel.net,
What’s In a Name: The Proper Use of the Counselor Intern Designation
Since becoming a board member, my awareness has been raised concerning the proper use of the Counselor Intern designation. I have noticed that the designation is not always being used in the proper context of the law and the rules governing the Licensed Professional Counselors requirements. There are numerous titles being used in lieu of the proper designation. Some of the titles being used erroneously include LPCI – Licensed Professional Counselor Intern, LCI – Licensed Counselor Intern, LCT – Licensed Counseling Therapist, and my favorite, PCI – Professional Counselor Intern. You may have even seen others in use by well-meaning Counselor Interns who are unaware of the inaccuracy and illegitimacy of the usage. Even though the use of the titles may seem innocuous, there is a provision in the law governing Licensed Professional Counselors which could involve penalties when used improperly.
For the record, a Counselor Intern is defined as “An individual who has received a letter from the board certifying that he has met all the requirements for counselor intern as defined in Chapter 7, para.705” (Ch.5, para. 503 A j). In addition, RS 37:1113 which outlines exclusions of licensing requirements, states that “The supervisee must use the title “counselor intern” and shall not represent himself to the public as a licensed professional counselor.”
The proper use of the designation specifies what a person can expect when they see Counselor Intern. The rules specifically spell out the qualifications and requirements for being a Counselor Intern. This will be any person with a master's degree in counseling while practicing counseling under the board approved supervision of a licensed professional counselor. The public can rest assured that a person with the designation of Counselor Intern is in the process of documenting a minimum of 3,000 hours of post-master's experience in professional mental health counseling under the clinical supervision of a board-approved supervisor, with the supervision occurring over a period of no less than two years and not more than seven years from the original date such supervision was approved. This person must also have provided proof of completion of a supervised practicum and internship as listed in paragraph 503. The counselor intern will also be involved in developing expertise in the methods of the professional mental health counseling practice and in developing self-appraisal and professional development strategies.
As such, if any designation is used other than Counselor Intern, there is no way the public can ascertain if they are receiving services by a Counselor Intern as stipulated in the rules and the law. Using the proper designation is not something to be accomplished in an arbitrary fashion. It can be misleading and confusing to the public. A key to preventing this lies in educating yourselves, as supervisors and counselor interns, to the law and rules that regulate the profession of counseling in the state of Louisiana. Information for this article was taken directly from the law and the rules that are posted on the board’s website. Avail yourselves to this information and use your designation properly.
SUPERVISORS BEWARE !!!
Supervisors Beware that there are certain issues that need attention by supervisors:
1. Supervisors must be aware of the number of hours of Direct Client Contact of their Counselor Interns – on an ongoing basis. Supervisors keep track of these hours each in their own way.
2. Supervisors MUST document the content of face-to-face supervision with their Counselor Interns.
3. WHEN CHANGING SUPERVISORS, the former Supervisor MUST, along with the Counselor Intern, complete the Documentation of Experience. If you don’t, the Counselor Intern must start accumulating hours with the NEW supervisor as if it were from the beginning of supervision.
4. DECLARATION STATEMENTS – Supervisors must review the Declaration Statement prior to the Counselor Intern turning it in to the LPC Board –BEWARE- the Board has seen Statements with Counselor Intern AND Supervisor HOME ADDRESSES and HOME PHONE NUMBERS on them. You need to understand that these Declaration Statements are being given to the Counselor Intern’s Clients. Do you want your home information given to the Clients? If so, this is not a problem. If not, this can be easily remedied by having your Counselor Intern put Office Contact information on the Declaration Statement.
ALSO –
Watch for upcoming changes in Requirements for Supervision.
BOARD ACTION
As of December 31, 2007 there were:
LPCs 1991 LMFTs 949
Counselor Interns 846 MFT Interns 119
157 LPC Applications Reviewed 11 LMFT Applications Reviewed
50 Approved for Licensure 0 LMFTs Approved for Licensure
86 Counselor Interns Registered for Supervision 6 MFT Interns Registered for Supervision
15 Counselor Interns Changed Supervisor 4 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. Twelve remain under investigation
Eleven complaints have been filed in FY 07/08. Ten remain under investigation
Supervisor Training Institute
Combining the Pre-Approved 30-Hour AAMFT Approved Supervision
Fundamentals Workshop And the 25 –Hour LPC Supervision workshop
For Clinical Members of AAMFT Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFT)
And/or Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) desiring to become Approved and/or Licensed Supervisors
Part One May 16 and 17, 2008
Part Two June 27 and 28, 2008
Sponsored by:
Our Lady of Holy Cross College
Training fees are $345.00 for MFT, or both MFT and LPC, (30 hours) and $295.00 for LPC only (25 hours). A nonrefundable registration fee of $50.00 is due by May 15, 2008.
Contact Information: If you have questions, please call or e-mail Susan Wetwiski at 504-398-2168, or e-mail her at suwetwiski@olhcc.edu, or email Dr. George Hay at ghay@olhcc.edu. More information regarding this workshop can be found on the LPC Board website at www.lpcboard.org and the LAMFT website at www.LAMFT.org
NCE Exam Information for 2008
Examination schedule for 2008:
v January ’08 01/07 – 01/12
v February ’08 02/04 – 02/09
v March ’08 03/03 – 03/08
v April ’08 03/31 – 04/05
v May ’08 05/05 – 05/10
v June ’08 06/09 – 06/14
v July ’08 07/07 – 07/12
v August ’08 08/04 – 08/09
v September ’08 09/08 – 09/13
v October ’08 10/06 – 10/11
v November ’08 11/03 – 11/08
v December ’08 12/01 – 12/06
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
BOARD MEMBERS AND MFT ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Gloria Bockrath, PhD, LPC, LMFT
Chair
Roxane L Dufrene, Ph.D., LPC, LMFT
Vice Chair
Lin Falcon, Member At Large
Secretary
June Williams, Ph.D., LPC, LMFT
Board Member
Anthony Williams, MA, LPC, LMFT
Board Member
Anna Cole, MS, LMFT
Board Member
MFT Advisory Committee Chair
Tom Moore, MA, LPC, LMFT
Board Member
MFT Advisory Committee Secretary
Lynn Pearlmutter, Ph.D., LCSW, LMFT
Board Member
MFT Advisory Committee Vice Chair
Charles A. Gagnon, M.Ed., LPC, LMFT
Board Member
Vera Triplett, Ph.D., LPC
Board Member