A staff member who provides counseling or therapy services must have at least a master’s degree in social work, counseling, psychology, or other behavioral science, or a bachelor’s degree in an accredited social or behavioral science and at least three years of experience working with difficult adolescents. The staff member must hold current licensure or certification if such is available in the staff member’s applicable field of practice. For purposes of this section, counseling and therapy services include individual, group, and family therapy; assessment of the needs of children in care; assessment of the needs of the children’s families; and development, review, and revision of the comprehensive treatment plans.

The staff member may not have on record a substantiated report of child abuse or neglect.

Cross-References: Revocation or refusal to issue or renew license or registration for child abuse or violence, SDCL 26-6-23.1; Screening for substantiated reports of abuse and neglect, § 67:42:01:05.02.

Source: 32 SDR 33, effective August 31, 2005; 34 SDR 200, effective January 30, 2008.

General Authority: SDCL 26-6-16.

Law Implemented: SDCL 26-6-16.