"Practice of mental health counseling" means a specialty that:

1. (1) uses counseling and psychotherapeutic techniques based on principles, methods, and procedures of counseling that assist people in identifying and resolving personal, social, vocational, intrapersonal, and interpersonal concerns;
2. (2) uses counseling to provide a mental health diagnosis and treat emotional and mental problems and conditions in a variety of settings, including mental and physical health facilities, child and family service agencies, or private practice, and including the use of accepted evaluation classifications;
3. (3) administers and interprets appraisal instruments that the mental health counselor is qualified to employ by virtue of the counselor's education, training, and experience;
4. (4) uses information and community resources for personal, social, or vocational development;
5. (5) uses individual and group techniques for facilitating problem solving, decision making, and behavioral change;
6. (6) uses functional assessment and vocational planning guidance for persons requesting assistance in adjustment to a disability or disabling condition;
7. (7) uses referrals for individuals who request counseling services; and
8. (8) uses and interprets counseling research.

As added by P.L.147-1997, SEC.24. Amended by P.L.138-2021, SEC.5.