Chemical dependency counselor license wa

An applicant will be formally notified of a denial and has the opportunity for a hearing to appeal the decision. Mental health counselor associates must renew their license every year on the date of issuance.

The associate credential can be renewed only six times. Visit our COVID page for the latest updates, vaccine information , testing locations and data dashboard.

Mental Health Counselor. Applications and Forms. Section: Apply Online Apply Online. Mental Health Counselor Associate. Committee Information. Continuing Education Information. Counselor Client Privilege Information. Exam Information. Frequently Asked Questions. License Requirements. Rules in Progress. Mental Health Counselor Chapter Behavioral science in a field relating to mental health counseling Applicants must have a degree is a behavioral science degree in a field relating to mental health counseling.

Supervised Postgraduate Experience. Supervised postgraduate experience Applicants must have a minimum of 36 months of full-time counseling or 3, hours of postgraduate mental health counseling under the supervision of an approved licensed mental health counselor or equally qualified licensed mental health practitioner in an approved setting. At least 1, hours must be direct counseling with individuals, couples, groups or families. Continuing Education. State License Verification.

Personal Data Questions. Renewal and Continuing Education Requirements. Chapter Renewal Requirements. How many hours of continuing education must I complete? At least 14 hours must be done in one or more of the following topic areas: Understanding addiction. Pharmacological actions of alcohol and other drugs. Substance abuse and addiction treatment methods.

Cultural diversity including people with disabilities and its implication for treatment. Chemical dependency clinical evaluation screening and referral to include comorbidity.

Chemical dependency treatment planning. Referral and use of community resources. Service coordination implementing the treatment plan, consulting, continuing assessment and treatment planning.

Individual counseling. Group counseling. Chemical dependency counseling for families, couples and significant others. Developmental psychology. Documentation, to include, screening, intake, assessment, treatment plan, clinical reports, clinical progress notes, discharge summaries and other client related data.

Chemical dependency confidentiality. Professional and ethical responsibilities. Relapse prevention.

Adolescent chemical dependency assessment and treatment. Chemical dependency case management. Chemical dependency rules and regulations. Peer review — serving on a formal peer review panel or committee, or individual review of a sole provider, where the purpose of the review is to decide whether proper treatment was given. Public presentation — preparing and presenting lectures or education that contribute to the professional competence of a SUDP.

The hours for presenting a specific topic lecture or education may only be used for CE credit once during each reporting period. Publication of writings. An Agency Affiliated Counselor is a person who is employed in a counseling role by, or has an offer of employment from, an agency or facility that is licensed, operated, certified by Washington state, or a federally recognized Indian tribe located within the state or a county. They must have their employer complete and sign the employment verification form PDF provided by the Department of Health.

The agency or facility sets the degree and experience requirements for employment, if any. No degree, experience, or scope of practice standards are established or required by the State of Washington.

None-the-less, Many Licensed Agencies employ highly qualified and Washington State Licensed Counselors and Licensed Associate Counselors on their staffs, but all or almost all of the Agencies require all new employees without regard to their other counseling licenses , to apply to the state to become Agency Affiliated Counselors. Attention: The disclosure statement that all other categories of counselors are required to provide to new clients in private practice is NOT required in treatment facilities.

Instead, because of the number of employees involved you will be given a general disclosure statement that covers the facility as a whole, but does NOT disclose the qualifications of the individual counselor to whom you may be assigned.

As a client of such a facility, you may inquire about the qualifications of each of the counselors who is assigned to your case and decide whether it is someone you wish as a counselor. Verify providers by credential number or by credential type and name. New applicants are required to have a two year associate of arts degree, including a supervised internship, in a counseling related field.

Recognition of a mental or physical disorder or a global assessment of functioning score of sixty or less requires that the certified counselor or certified adviser refer the client to a physician, osteopathic physician, psychiatric registered nurse practitioner, or licensed mental health practitioner, as defined by the secretary, for diagnosis and treatment.

Persons "grandfathered in" to this category may have no degree. Certified Counselors are authorized to do private practice counseling, but again, only within the limitations, restrictions and guidelines of RCW All counselors are required to give a disclosure statement to new clients. This enables consumers to check individual credentials and experience. Note: a number of highly qualified counselors, even some with doctorate degrees and years of experience, were unable to meet some of the new licensing requirements and could only qualify for this category.

Chemical Dependency Professionals often are recovering alcoholics or addicts and, historically, there were little academic requirements. New CDPs are required to have at least an 2 year associate of arts degree and to have completed all the supervised counseling experience requirements.

CDPT designates a counselor who is working under supervision in a state licensed chemical dependency treatment facility toward a chemical dependency professional certification. To become a CDPT the applicant must only agree to this statement: "I declare I am obtaining the education and experience required to receive a chemical dependency professional credential.

The trainee certification can be renewed four times. This is a policy permits chemical dependency treatment facilities to lay off seasoned Chemical Dependency Professionals and stock the facility with trainees--insuring profits while depriving facility clients of the services of experienced chemical dependency counselors.