Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 4757.22 – License to practice as licensed professional clinical counselor

(A) The counselors professional standards committee of the counselor, social worker, and marriage and family therapist board shall issue a license to practice as a licensed professional clinical counselor to each applicant who submits a properly completed application, pays the fee established under section 4757.31 of the Revised Code, and meets the requirements specified in division (B) of this section.
(B)
1. (1) To be eligible for a licensed professional clinical counselor license, an individual must meet the following requirements:
  1. (a) The individual must be of good moral character.
  2. (b) The individual must hold from an accredited educational institution a graduate degree in counseling.
  3. (c) The individual must complete a minimum of ninety quarter hours or sixty semester hours of graduate credit in counselor training acceptable to the committee, including instruction in the following areas:
    1. (i) Clinical psychopathology, personality, and abnormal behavior;
    2. (ii) Evaluation of mental and emotional disorders;
    3. (iii) Diagnosis of mental and emotional disorders;
    4. (iv) Methods of prevention, intervention, and treatment of mental and emotional disorders.
  4. (d) The individual must complete, in either a private or clinical counseling setting, supervised experience in counseling that is of a type approved by the committee, is supervised by a licensed professional clinical counselor or other qualified professional approved by the committee, and is in the following amounts:
    1. (i) In the case of an individual holding only a master's degree, not less than two years of experience, which must be completed after the award of the master's degree;
    2. (ii) In the case of an individual holding a doctorate, not less than one year of experience, which must be completed after the award of the doctorate.
  5. (e) The individual must pass a field evaluation that meets the following requirements:
    1. (i) Has been completed by the applicant's instructors, employers, supervisors, or other persons determined by the committee to be competent to evaluate an individual's professional competence;
    2. (ii) Includes documented evidence of the quality, scope, and nature of the applicant's experience and competence in diagnosing and treating mental and emotional disorders.
  6. (f) The individual must pass an examination administered by the board for the purpose of determining ability to practice as a licensed professional clinical counselor.
2. (2) To meet the requirement of division (B)(1)(b) of this section, a graduate degree in counseling obtained from a mental health counseling program in this state after January 1, 2018, must be from a clinical mental health counseling program, a clinical rehabilitation counseling program, or an addiction counseling program accredited by the council for accreditation of counseling and related educational programs.
3. (3) All of the following meet the educational requirements of division (B)(1)(c) of this section:
  1. (a) A clinical mental health counseling program accredited by the council for accreditation of counseling and related educational programs;
  2. (b) Until January 1, 2018, a mental health counseling program accredited by the council for accreditation of counseling and related educational programs;
  3. (c) A graduate degree in counseling issued by another state from a clinical mental health counseling program, a clinical rehabilitation counseling program, or an addiction counseling program that is accredited by the council for accreditation of counseling and related educational programs;
  4. (d) Any other accredited counseling programs accepted by the board in accordance with rules adopted under division (F)(3) of this section.
(C) To be accepted by the committee for purposes of division (B) of this section, counselor training must include at least the following:
1. (1) Instruction in human growth and development; counseling theory; counseling techniques; group dynamics, processing, and counseling; appraisal of individuals; research and evaluation; professional, legal, and ethical responsibilities; social and cultural foundations; and lifestyle and career development;
2. (2) Participation in a supervised practicum and internship in counseling.
(D) The committee may issue a temporary license to an applicant who meets all of the requirements to be licensed under this section, pending the receipt of transcripts or action by the committee to issue a license to practice as a licensed professional clinical counselor.
(E) An individual may not sit for the licensing examination unless the individual meets the educational requirements to be licensed under this section. An individual who is denied admission to the licensing examination may appeal the denial in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code.
(F) The board shall adopt any rules necessary for the committee to implement this section. The rules shall do all of the following:
1. (1) Establish criteria for the committee to use in determining whether an applicant's training should be accepted and supervised experience approved;
2. (2) Establish course content requirements for qualifying counseling degrees issued by institutions in other states from clinical mental health counseling programs, clinical rehabilitation counseling programs, and addiction counseling programs that are not accredited by the council for accreditation of counseling and related educational programs and for graduate degrees from other accredited counseling programs approved by the board in accordance with rules adopted under division (F)(3) of this section;
3. (3) For purposes of divisions (B)(2)(b) and (3) of this section, establish requirements for acceptance by the committee of accredited counseling programs. Rules adopted under this division shall be adopted in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code.