Wyo. Code R. 078-0001-3
Effective Date: 02/10/1994 to 07/01/1997
Rule Type: Superceded Rules & Regulations
Reference Number: 078.0001.3.02101994
Section 1. General Requirements. No license shall be issued until the applicant has provided satisfactory evidence to the Board that they are of majority age, have not been convicted of a felony, and meet the educational, experience, professional and examination requirements established herein.
Section 2. Education. The applicant shall have received a clinical master's or clinical doctorate degree in the discipline in which they are seeking licensure from an accredited program and institution of higher education, which is professional in content and which meets the academic and training content standards established herein.
(a) For Professional Counseling.
(i) All educational requirements for licensure must be met through the completion of a forty-eight (48) semester hour or seventy-two (72) quarter hour master's or a doctoral degree program in counseling from an accredited program obtained from a regionally accredited college or university.
(ii) Applicants who have completed non-accredited counselor programs prior to July 1, 1995 may be deemed to have met the educational requirement provided they meet the following criteria.
(A) The program was completed at a regionally accredited college or university.
(B) The program was substantially similar in content as required by CACREP including instructor qualifications, quality of clinical supervision and course work.
(C) The official transcripts, course prefixes, and course descriptions clearly identify the educational program as preparing persons to be professional counselors.
(D) Course work was completed in each of the core areas defined herein:
(I) Practicums, Internships or Field Experience.
(II) Human Growth and Development- studies that provide an understanding of the nature and needs of individuals at all developmental levels, normal and abnormal human behavior; personality theory; and learning theory within cultural contexts.
(III) Social and Cultural Foundations- studies that provide understanding of societal changes and trends; human roles; societal sub-groups; social mores and interaction patterns; and differing lifestyles.
(IV) Helping Relationships- studies that provide an understanding of philosophic bases of helping processes; counseling theories and their applications; helping skills; consultation theories and their applications; helper self-understanding and self-development; and facilitation of client or consultee change.
(V) Groups- studies that provide an understanding of group development, dynamics, and counseling theories; group leadership styles; group counseling methods and skills; and other group approaches.
(VI) Lifestyles and Career Development- studies that provide an understanding of career development theories, occupational and educational information sources and systems; career and leisure counseling, guidance, and education; life-style and career decision-making; and career development program planning, resources, and evaluation.
(VII) Appraisal- studies that provide an understanding of group and individual educational and psychometric theories and approaches to appraisal; data and information gathering methods, validity and reliability; psychometric statistics, factors influencing appraisals, and use of appraisal results in helping process.
(VIII) Research and Evaluation- studies that provide an understanding of types of research; basic statistics; research report development; research implementation, program evaluation; needs assessment; and ethical and legal considerations.
(IX) Professional Orientation- studies that provide an understanding of professional roles and functions; professional goals and objectives; professional organizations and associations; professional history and trends, ethical and legal standards; professional preparation standards; and professional credentialing.
(X) Environmental and Specialty Standards for Community Counseling. Community Counseling includes specialized areas of counselor training other than those for which specialty standards have been developed.
(1.) Environmental Studies- The program includes curricular experiences related to the general environment system in which the student intends to practice. Environmental studies include such general areas as knowledge of history, philosophy, trends, purposes, ethics, legal aspects, standards, and professional roles. Additional general information is included such as organizational and administrative structures, staffing patterns, typical physical facilities, employment and evaluation procedures, operational resources, provisions for continuing professional development, and relationships between the various counseling and helping services within that system.
(2.) Specialized Studies- The program includes curricular experiences related to the specific and unique knowledge and skills needed for the particular setting in which, or client population with which, the student intends to work. Specialized studies include such areas of study as knowledge of characteristics of clients typically served in the setting; specifically appropriate skills unique to the particular setting; resources available for gaining information and developing skills uniquely applicable to the particular work setting.
(i) All educational requirements for licensure must be met through the completion of a master's or a doctoral degree program in marriage and family therapy from an accredited program or a graduate degree from a regionally accredited educational institution and completion of an equivalent course of study as defined herein.
(ii) An equivalent course of study consists of completion of a program substantially equivalent to the following curriculum. (Each course must be equivalent to a three-credit semester or a four-credit quarter course.)
(A) Human Development (3 courses)
(B) Marital and Family Studies (3 courses) (C) Marital and Family Therapy (3 courses) (D) Research (1 course)
(E) Professional Studies (1 course)
(F) Clinical Practicum
(iii) These courses may be completed in a master's or doctoral program or subsequent graduate-level course work.
(c) For Clinical Social Work. All educational requirements for licensure must be met through the completion of a clinical master's or doctoral degree program in social work from an accredited program.
(i) All educational requirements for licensure must be met through the completion of a graduate degree program with a concentration in addictionology, chemical dependency, or substance abuse from an accredited program. Applicants with graduate degrees in other human services areas shall generally be accepted with the listed twenty (20) semester hours of course work (either graduate or undergraduate) including:
(A) A minimum of ten (10) semester credits from the following four (4) specific areas:
(I) Counseling Theories-3Cr. Theories and principles of counseling and psychotherapy.
(II) Counseling Skills-3Cr. Methods and techniques of individual and group counseling.
(III) Practicum in Addictions/Chemical Dependency Counseling-3Cr.
(IV) Counseling Ethics 2-3Cr.
(B) A minimum of ten (10) semester credits from any combination of the following seven (7) areas:
(I) Alcoholism: 2-3Cr. To include biochemical, socio-cultural, and psychological factors.
(II) Drugs and Behavior: 2-3Cr. A survey of drugs with abuse potential other than alcohol that affect behavior including psychopharmacological information.
(III) Addictions/Chemical Dependency and Special Populations: 1-3Cr. (i.e., adolescents, women, ethnic groups, elderly, adult children of alcoholics, the impaired family, impaired professional, etc.).
(IV) Addictions/Chemical Dependency Education & Prevention: 1-3Cr.
(V) Addictive Behaviors: 1-3Cr. Gambling, eating disorders, sexual addictions, cults, compulsive behaviors of non-ingestive nature, etc.
(VI) Addictions/Chemical Dependency Assessment: 1-3Cr. Appraisal, assessment, testing, diagnosis/dual diagnosis.
(VII) Organization and Administration of Addictions/Chemical Dependency Services: 1-3Cr. Treatment planning, client management, intervention, relapse prevention, chemical dependency agency management, etc.
(ii) Four (4) quarter credits equals three (3) semester credits.
(iii) Official college transcripts and course descriptions will be necessary to validate credit. Credit for training in category (B) above may be awarded for training certified by NAADAC, NBCC, AAMFT, CAMFTE or CSWE or their state affiliates.
(a) General.
(i) A minimum of three thousand (3,000) hours of satisfactory supervised clinical training/work experience in the discipline for which licensure is sought are required for all applicants. Of the three thousand (3,000) hours, a minimum of one thousand five hundred (1,500) hours must be post master's supervised clinical experience obtained at a training institution.
(A) Practicums, internships, field experiences and paid on-the-job supervised work experience may be counted towards meeting this requirement.
(B) Guidelines for supervised training/work experience are from the professional and training standards of the appropriate professional associations: The ACA, AAMFT, NASW, and NAADAC;
(ii) A minimum of one hundred (100) hours of direct, verifiable, individual face-to-face clinical supervision with a qualified clinical supervisor is required. Group supervision is not acceptable towards completion of the individual face-to-face clinical supervision requirement.
(b) Interns.
(i) The title 'counselor intern,' 'social work intern,' 'marriage and family intern' or 'addictions intern' shall only be used after:
(A) The individual has completed a master's degree in the discipline that is acceptable to the Board; and
(B) The individual has met all other requirements for licensure except supervised clinical experience and examination.
(ii) Supervised clinical experience shall be obtained within or approved for a total of thirty-six (36) months. The Board may extend the period upon a showing of good cause.
(iii) Interns shall provide full written and verbal disclosure of their title and supervised nature of their employment to every client.
(iv) Interns shall not bill or be paid directly by clients.
(v) Interns shall practice under supervision in only those areas or disciplines for which they are trained.
(vi) Intern applicants for licensure shall be qualified for examination only after completion of supervised clinical experience and as approved by the Board.
(vii) Supervised clinical experience obtained in another jurisdiction may be acceptable if approved by the Board in its discretion.
(c) Qualified Clinical Supervisor.
(i) The assigned clinical supervisor of the intern shall be licensed by the Board or hold a current comparable license in another jurisdiction. Precautions should be taken to avoid conflictual dual relationships in supervision.
(ii) The supervisor shall have been licensed and practicing for a minimum of two (2) years prior to beginning supervision.
(iii) The Board may require an evaluation of the qualifications and roles of any supervisor and may approve supervision in its discretion.
(iv) The supervisor shall provide a minimum one (1) hour of face-to-face clinical supervision for every thirty (30) hours of experience. These hours shall be reasonably distributed over the course of at least twelve (12) months.
(v) The supervisor shall keep records verifying the training and evaluation of the intern, including the precise nature and number of hours of post master's experience. These reports shall be required for licensure of the intern.
(vi) The supervisor shall co-sign all reports and correspondence of a professional nature intended for distribution outside the training institution, including correspondence with the Board.
(vii) A supervisor shall not serve as supervisor for more than three (3) interns at any time.
(viii) The supervised clinical experience shall be generally conducted within the primary location of the training institution.
(ix) The supervisor shall assume equal responsibility for all acts and omissions of the intern within the scope of the internship.
(x) Supervision shall be approved by the Board.
Section 4. Professional Recommendation. Every applicant must demonstrate their integrity, professionalism and character in the profession in which licensure is sought through professional recommendations which attest to the applicant's abilities and professional performance.
(a) General. Examinations will be offered a minimum of once per year for each discipline.
(i) Applicants failing the identified examination for a discipline, upon payment of a new examination fee, may be eligible for re-examination. An applicant who fails two (2) examinations may re-apply only after completing two (2) additional years of clinical training or experience.
(ii) The whole raw score must be at or above one half of one standard deviation below the national mean on the examination for that administration of the examination to be considered a passing score.
(iii) Any applicant approved for examination must make their first sitting for the exam within one (1) calendar year from the date of approval. If a second examination is necessary, the applicant must sit for the exam at the next scheduled administration. The Board will accept a passing score on the following examinations for each discipline:
(b) For Professional Counselor.
(i) The National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) National Counselor Examination (NCE).
(ii) Other examinations as may be approved by the Board.
(c) For Clinical Social Worker.
(i) The American Association of State Social Work Boards (AASSWB) Examination at the Advanced or Clinical Level.
(ii) Other examinations as may be approved by the Board.
(d) For Marriage and Family Therapy.
(i) The Association of Marital and Family Therapists Regulatory Boards (AMFTRB) Examination.
(ii) Other examination as may be approved by the Board.
(e) For Addictions Therapy.
(i) National Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors (NAADAC), NCAC Level II or III exam.
(ii) Other examination as may be approved by the Board.
Section 6. Persons Licensed in Other Jurisdictions. Persons holding a current license in good standing in one (1) of the disciplines described in the Act issued by another jurisdiction may be issued a license by the Board provided that the applicant presents proof satisfactory to the Board that, at the time of application for Wyoming license the applicant possesses credentials and qualifications equal to those required by the Act and these rules. Those credentials and qualifications which will be considered are those as set forth in Chapter 4, Section 3 of these rules.
Section 7. Re-licensure. A Licensee who has allowed their license to lapse may apply for re-licensure within five (5) years of the license expiration date without being required to take the examination, however, applicants will be required to meet the current licensure standards in place at the time of application.