Answers to Consumer Questions
Question 14: "COUNSELOR
CREDENTIALS: I'm confused. I hear a 2008 state law is
eliminating the Registered Counselor (RC) category and creating
eight (8) new credentials. What are all these credentials that
counselors use? What do they mean and what's the difference?"
Consumer's Guide to Counselor Credentials
Washington State
The Registered Counselor category was formerly a catch-all category for counselors who were not
licensed. A 2008 law is eliminating many registered counselors and moving the rest into eight new categories based on
college degree level, years of experience as a registered counselor, employment status, or other issues. Registered counselors
can continue practicing until July 1, 2010, and then the category will be eliminated. Only those who qualify for a new counselor
credential can continue to work and practice in the State of Washington after 7/1/10. All counselor credentials are listed below,
beginning with the licensed categories that existed before. The new credentials are listed in roughly the difficulty of
qualifying for the credential.
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Highest Qualifications:
The previously existing, fully-licensed categories
LICSW =
Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker:
Masters-level clinical social workers with advanced experience who have met all state requirements for full licensure.
LMFT =
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist:
Masters-level marriage and family therapists with advanced
experience who have met state requirements for licensure.
LMHC =
Licensed Mental Health Counselor:
Masters-level clinical mental health counselors with advanced
experience who have met state requirements for licensure.
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New Credential Categories below ↓
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High
Qualifications--working toward licensure:
LMHCA = Licensed Mental Health
Counselor Associate:
Designates a Counselor who has completed the Masters Degree program
and is working under approved supervision toward a mental health
counselor license.
LMFTA = Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Associate:
Designates a Counselor who has completed the Masters Degree program
and is working under approved supervision toward a marriage and
family therapist license.
LSWAA = Licensed Social Work Associate Advanced:
Designates a Social Worker who has completed the Masters Degree
program and is working under approved supervision toward a social
work advanced license.
LSWAIC = Licensed Social Work Associate Independent Clinical:
Designates a Social Worker who has completed the Masters Degree
program and is working under approved supervision toward a social
work independent clinical license.
Minimum
Qualifications:
CC = Certified
Counselor:
Persons "grand-fathered in" may have no degree. New applicants
must be a registered counselor in
good standing or have a (four year) bachelor’s degree in a counseling-related
field. [Washington State] Certified Counselors are authorized to do private practice
counseling, but only within the limitations, restrictions and
guidelines of RCW 18.19.200.
CDP = Chemical
Dependency Professional:
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. [CDP is not one of the newly created
categories, but is included for comparison purposes.]
CA = Certified Advisor:
New applicant are required to have a (two year) associate of arts degree,
including a supervised internship, in a counseling-related field.
[Washington State] Certified Advisors are authorized to do private practice counseling, but
only within the limitations, restrictions and guidelines of
RCW
18.19.200.
Absolutely No Minimum Requirements: (The
God-Only-Knows-What-You-Are-Getting Categories)
CDPT = Chemical Dependency Professional Trainee:
(no minimum education or experience requirements).
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." Unlike applicants for other types of
credentials (above) who are working on their supervised internship, the applicant does not need to have the degree first. The trainee
certification can be renewed four times. This means that the CDPT may work as a chemical dependency counselor for a total of five
years without completing his/her associate of arts degree. This policy permits chemical dependency treatment facilities to lay off
experienced Chemical Dependency Professional and stock the facility with trainees.
AAC = Agency Affiliated Counselor:
(no minimum education or experience requirements).
An Agency Affiliate Counselor is a person who is employed (in a counseling role) by, or has an employment offer with, an agency or facility
that is licensed or certified by the State of Washington. 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.
[The Washington State Legislature wasn't going to raise the ire of the mental health treatment facilities who are free to reduce costs by keeping their
employment standards as low as they wish.] As a client of such a facility, it is your responsibility to inquire about the qualifications of each
of the counselors who are assigned to your case and decide whether it is someone that you are willing to work with. What kind of employment
standards does the agency have? You will have to ask, because the state is not safeguarding the interests of the public.
The preceding information is an editorial
analysis prepared by Floyd Else, MA, LMHC, NCC
Webmaster: http://www.CounselingSeattle.com
