Counselor Licensing Requirements in Iowa
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In the state of Iowa, the Iowa Board of Behavioral Sciences grants licensing to Mental Health Counselors. After you decide to embark on a career in Mental Health Counseling, you are going to apply for temporary licensing following your completion of graduate school. After you have completed all of your supervised practice, you will be able to apply for a permanent license.
The information that follows is a guideline for you through the counseling licensure process. At any point, if you have inquiries or just want to ensure that you are taking the right steps, feel free to contact the Iowa Board of Behavioral Science at the numbers listed at the bottom of the page.
Iowa Counselor Credential Titles
Licensed Mental Health Counselor(LMHC) Temporary Licensed Mental Health Counselor (T-LMHC)Educational Requirements For Counselor Licensing in Iowa
Master’s degree or higher in mental health counseling from a “CACREP equivalent” program, or the content equivalent, with at least 60 semester hours (or equivalent quarter hours). For applicants who entered a program of study prior to July 1, 2010: 45 semester hours (or 60 quarter hours) are required. Degree must be from a nationally accredited college or university. OR Hold a current Certified Clinical Mental Health Counselor (CCMHC) credential issued by NBCC (meets educational and experience requirements).For applicants who did not graduate from CACREP accredited mental health counseling program as of July 1, 2012, they will need to submit to an education review
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Iowa Counseling Examination
In the state of Iowa, you will be required to complete NCE, NCMHCE, or CRCE.Iowa Counseling Experiential Requirements
2 years/3,000 hours of full-time supervised postgraduate work experience in mental health counseling, including 1,500 hours of direct client contact and 200 hours of clinical supervision concurrent with the work experience. At least 100 of the 200 hours of clinical supervision must be individual supervision. For applicants who entered a program of study prior to July 1, 2010: 2 years of full-time supervised postgraduate work experience in mental health counseling, including 200 hours of clinical supervision concurrent with 1,000 hours of mental health counseling conducted in person with individuals, couples, and families. At least 100 of the 200 hours of clinical supervision must be individual supervision or hold a current Certified Clinical Mental Health Counselor (CCMHC) credential issued by NBCC (meets experience requirements).Iowa Requirements for Clinical Supervisors
Licensed as a mental health counselor with at least 3 years of post-licensure clinical experience OR be approved by NBCC as a supervisor OR may be an alternate supervisor who possesses qualifications equivalent to an LMHC with at least 3 years of post-licensure clinical experience, including mental health professionals licensed. and practice independently. Up to 75% of supervision hours can be distance, but no more than 50% can be by telephone.Iowa Requirements for Out of State Applicants
An applicant who has been a licensed marriage and family therapist or mental health counselor under the laws of another jurisdiction may file an application for licensure by endorsement by meeting the following requirements: 1.) Submits application and pays licensure fee; 2.) Shows evidence of licensure requirements that are similar to those required in Iowa; 3.) Provides official copies of the academic transcripts sent directly from the school to the board; 4.) Supplies satisfactory evidence of the candidate’s qualifications in writing on the prescribed forms by the candidate’s supervisors. If verification of clinical experience is not available, the board may consider submission of documentation from the state in which the applicant is currently licensed or equivalent documentation of supervision; and 5.) Provides verification(s) of licenses from all other states that have been sent directly from those states to the board office.Scope of Practice
“MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING” means the provision of counseling services involving assessment, referral, consultation, and the application of counseling, human development principles, learning theory, group dynamics, and the etiology of maladjustment and dysfunctional behavior to individuals, families, and groups.Salary Expectations For those looking to become a counselor in the state of Iowa, the future looks bright. Typically, the average counselor in the state of Iowa takes home between $35,600 and $75,400 per year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Now that you are familiar with the counselor licensing requirements in Iowa, visit our How to Become a Counselor in Iowa page for a more detailed look into the steps you will need to take to make your dream of becoming a counselor a reality. Additional Information About Counselor Licensing Requirements Iowa IA Board of Behavioral Science Lucas State Office Building 5th Floor 321 E. 12th Street Des Moines, IA 50319 515/281-0254 515/281-3121 (fax) Licensure fee: $120
Source: http://idph.iowa.gov/ http://web.oru.edu