1. A. A professional specialty designation area may be established by the Department upon receipt of a petition signed by fifteen qualified persons who are currently licensed as licensed professional counselors, who have acquired at least sixty (60) semester hours, to increase to seventy-five (75) hours on and after January 1, 2000, of graduate credit in counseling-related course work from a regionally accredited college or university, and who meet the recognized minimum standards as established by appropriate nationally recognized certification agencies; provided, however, if a nationally recognized certification does not exist, the Department may establish minimum standards for specialty designations.
2. B. Upon receipt of credentials from the appropriate certification agency, the Department may grant the licensed professional counselor the appropriate specialty designation. The licensed professional counselor may attain specialty designation through examination. A licensed professional counselor shall not claim or advertise a counseling specialty and shall not incorporate the specialty designation into the professional title of such licensed professional counselor, unless the qualifications and certification requirements of that specialty have been met and have been approved by the Department and the appropriate certification agency.

Laws 1985, HB 1163, c. 145, § 17, eff. September 1, 1985; Amended by Laws 1995, HB 1551, c. 167, § 12, eff. November 1, 1995; Amended by Laws 1998, HB 2279, c. 295, § 14, eff. November 1, 1998 (superseded document available).