PROFESSIONAL ISSUES IN COUNSELING CERTIFICATION, ACCREDITATION, LICENSING, PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATION

1
PROFESSIONAL ISSUES IN COUNSELING- CERTIFICATION,
ACCREDITATION, LICENSING, PROFESSIONAL
ORGANIZATIONS
2
NATIONAL VOLUNTARY CERTIFICATION

• The process whereby an agency, usually national,
  certify that an INDIVIDUAL has met certain
  standards established by the agency
• Standards are typically more stringent than those
  for licensing
• Certification only confers prestige, not the
  right to practice

3
Counseling certification agencies

• NBCC- National Board for Certified Counselors
• NBCC certified member is called an NCC- National
  Certified Counselor
• Requires masters, NCE, 2 yrs.experience
• Specialty NBCC certifications in mental health,
  school, and addictions counseling
• Web site http//www.nbcc.org

4
Counseling certifications cont.

• CRCC- Council on Rehabilitation Counselor
  Certification
• Web site http//www.crccertification.org

5
ACCREDITATION

• Recognition of a PROGRAM OF STUDY as having met
  certain requirements.
• SACS- Southern Association Colleges and Schools
  (ASU has)
• NCATE- National Council for the Accreditation of
  Teacher Education (ASU has)
• CACREP- Council for the Accreditation of
  Counseling and Related Educational Programs
• CORE- Council on Rehabilitation Education

6
ACCREDITATION CONT.

• CACREP
• An affiliate of ACA
• Specific to counseling
• Accredits individual programs- not entire
  departments.
• Career, college, community, gerontological,
  marriage, mental health, school, student affairs
• Web site http//www.counseling.org/cacrep/
• In Alabama, only Univ. Ala, Auburn, Troy
  State-Phenix City

7
LICENSING

• The legal right to practice a profession
• Granted by states
• Alabama was third state to have licensing law for
  counselors- 1979
• Board of Examiners in Counseling-http//www.abec.s
  tate.al.us/
• Oversees licensing

8
Counseling licensing- required for private
practice (and by some agencies)

• ALC- Associate Licensed Counselor
• Masters degree from CACREP program or
• Masters degree from approved program that
  includes courses in 8 CACREP areas
• 48 semester hours (note ASU has 39 hr. degree)
• LPC- Licensed Professional Counselor
• All the above plus
• NCE- National Counselor Exam
• 3000 hours supervised experience under certified
  supervisor (subtract 1000 hrs. for 15 sem.hrs
  with minimum 1000)

9
SCHOOL COUNSELING CERTIFICATION

• Regulated by State Department of Education
• Requires Masters (A) in counseling from approved
  program (automatic if CACREP) and 2 yrs teaching
  experience
• (Class B certificate required for admission at
  ASU))
• Big pay raise if NBCC certified
• Preliminary certification if LPC
• Provisional certification if enrolled in program

10
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

• AMERICAN COUNSELING ASSOCIATION (ACA)- 1992
• Formerly AACD-(1985) American Association for
  Counseling Development
• Formerly APGA (1952)- American Personnel and
  Guidance Association

11
ACA-AMERICAN COUNSELING ASSOCIATION

• Web site http//www.counseling.org
• 17 divisions
• Journal of Counseling and Development
• Counseling Today
• Discounted student rates

12
ALABAMA COUNSELING ASSOCIATION - ALCA

• Web site http//alca.sumternet.com/
• 11 divisions
• 9 chapters
• Montgomery in Chapter VII- newsletter The
  Overview
• Journal Alabama Counseling Association Journal
• Newsletter The Quarterly
• Discounted student rates