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Designed to help those Counselors, Therapists, Social Workers,
Psychologists, and Psychotherapists who are moving or relocating to Seattle or Washington
State
or those new to the counseling profession.
Counseling in Washington State
--Moving or Transferring
Your Counselor Registration or License:
Commonly asked questions about Mental Health, Marriage and Family,
Social Work,
School or Addictions Counseling in Washington (WA) State
Counseling in Washington State
I recommend that you
bookmark or save this page to your favorites list. Hyperlinks
below may take you to other pages on this site (use back button to
return) or to other sites. (Close window to return.)
This discussion of
Washington State counseling regulations and procedures is
provided to help counselors, especially those new to counseling
profession or new to Washington. If you have a suggestion for something
that should be on this page, please let me know.
Floyd Else, MA, LMHC, NCC, MAC, Webmaster.
Who is in charge of the counseling profession and licensing in Washington State?
Where are they? How do I get in touch with them?
Registration and licensing
of mental health
counselors, marriage and family therapists, social workers and
psychologists falls under the Washington State Department of
Health, Health Professions Quality Assurance.
Mailing Address: Washington State Department of Health, Health
Professions Quality Assurance, P.O. Box 47865, Olympia WA 98504-7865.
Physical Address: 310 Israel Road, Tumwater WA 98501.
[
Send an email to Health Profession Quality Assurance. ]
Telephone Numbers: (
Mental Health Counseling Licensing Contact Numbers )
Requirements for becoming licensed or certified as a counselor: Information about the laws and
procedures governing the practice of counseling and application forms.
Chemical Dependency Professional
♦
Why can't I use my CDP credential in private practice?
Hypnotherapist
Licensed Mental Health Counselor
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
Licensed Independent Social Worker
Registered Counselor
The Washington State Department of Health CDP Program is THE
informational resource for understanding
what it takes to become a certified
Chemical Dependency Professional
in Washington State. Their website contains contact information and free downloads. [Special note for mental health
professionals who would like to add a CDP credential]
Counselors, psychologists
and social Workers in the public schools,
fall into a category referred to as
Staff Associate and are regulated by the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction in Olympia,
Washington.
General Requirements and Application Process. [A
summary of the school counselor certification requirements of the 50 states is also available.]
Information on the three
different ways in which Psychologists obtain licensing in Washington State is also available from the Washington State Department of Health, Health
Professions Quality Assurance. Contact the Psychology Board by phone at (360) 236-4700.
Warning about a New Scam
Targeting Counselors and Therapists--Beware
of prepayment for counselor services.
Counselors and the
public can visit the
Provider Credentials Look-up System. Look up any health care provider licensed or registered with
Washington State Health Department. Verify providers by credential number or by credential type and name. Licensed
counselors are NOT listed under "L" but under "C"--for credential
type "counselor" then by sub-type [Licensed Marriage / Family Therapist, etc.]
Counselors who change
their names: Licensed, certified, or registered counselors
must remember to officially notify the state so that state records
regarding their licensure, certification or registration can be
updated to reflect the current name. Otherwise people who use
the state look-up system will doubt the counselor's authenticity and
contact the Health Department. Many public inquiries to the
health department are the result of unreported name changes.
The news releases of the Washington Stated Department of Health are indexed by year
and you can read reports of
disciplinary actions against health care providers (doctors, dentists, nurses, counselors, etc.) to find out what kind of
behaviors could get YOU into trouble.
Health Department Rule Making
The Department of Health has a web page
where you can read and comment on all proposed new rules. If you comment on a proposed rule through
that website your comments become part of the public record. Your comments help in the decision whether
to adopt the rule as proposed or to revise the proposal if appropriate.
A number of health department programs post rules.
To find the ones most likely to apply to counselors
look under the "Program" heading for "Health
Professions and Facilities," and read the "Document
Title."
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Other Questions About Counseling:
Where can you attend the
HIV/AIDS classes that Washington State requires of all counselors?
--- The following link will lead those working on counselor registration or licensure to a
schedule of HIV/AIDS Training Classes that counselors in the State of Washington must complete to meet state licensing
or registration requirements. (Also check with your local community college for their class offerings.
Be aware that many of the the community college class offering list their HIV/AIDS offering in categories such as "Phlebotomy
and Lab Training." You can obtain your training through video tape or DVDs available from the community college.)
Our CounselingSeattle.com email newsletter started January 2007, "Mental Health Issues Around Puget Sound,"
is published on those rare occasions to alert you to new developments that you might not have heard of.
Now is the time to add your name to the mailing list.
Clinical Supervision required for Licensure
Counselor Supervision: When you are employed by an agency, you have a
treatment supervisor--some of your agency supervision may count toward licensure. Some licensed counselors
still chose to pay for supervision and professional consultation. However, as a counselor working toward full licensure,
you are required to have supervision and need to locate and pay a licensed health care provider for supervision.
Approved supervisors:
free supervisor's listing on CounselingSeattle.com for approved
supervisors in any city or county in Washington State.
Do you know how to create an
Electronic Resume, a
Scannable Resume or an
Email Resume? See: the
Resume Guide for Counselors.
Do you know how and where to post your resume online? See:
Counselor Employment -- Career -- Job Search.
Where are the counseling jobs?
Information and links to a number of employment related services.
What kind of salary or wage is being paid?
How much can I expect to make in a counseling job in Washington State?
Please note this is "employment" information, not figures on counselors in private practice.
What are the employment supply and demand level in different areas of
Washington State? What are the total jobs in each area? How
many new jobs are expected next year?
Mental Health Counselors (this category does not include traditional
Social Worker positions,
Psychologists or Psychiatrists who have their own pages). Clue
for using the page--click on the underlined occupational title on each row to
get the statistics for that area. [
Search for other occupations ] and other employment information on Workforce
Explorer, Washington, a service of Washington State Employment Security Department.]
So How Many Counselors Are There Anyway? February 2009
Marriage & Family Therapist
Active 1,030 - Pending 72
Mental Health Counselors
Active 4,490 - Pending 231
Licensed Advanced Social Workers
Active 83 - Pending 46
Licensed Independent Clinical Social Workers
Active 3,014 - Pending 241
Total Licensed Counselors
Active 8,617 - Pending 590
Registered Counselors
Active 17,435 - Pending 764
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Starting your own counseling practice?
What local, county and state licenses are required? Answer a
series of questions and click the "continue" button.
Planning to use a name other than your own full legal name? (Recommendation:
don't.) If so,
register your trade name.
Also see:
Doing Business in Washington State. 1. start a business (plan a business, steps
for starting a business, find business registration requirements and more.) 2.
licenses, permits and Inspections (license your business or yourself, check a
business or license status) 3. taxes and reports (state business taxes, file reports, and more.)
Whether you are employed or
self-employed in private practice, you need professional
liability insurance.
The business of counseling: Planning and establishing a
private practice, Counseling and Human Development, Jan 2000, by Carney, Jamie S, Granato, Laura A.
Private Practice Pointers: Topics
such as Starting and Expanding a Private Practice, meeting HIPAA requirements,
implementing Informed Consent, Provider Relations Contact List for Managed Care
and Insurance Panels, Working with Managed Care, Managed Care response
templates, how to get on provider panels, responding to claim denials, marketing
and advertising your practice, and selling or buying a private practice are
found on the
American Counseling Association Website.
(ACA members only.)
Sole proprietors who do not have employees don't
necessarily need an Federal Employer Identification Number (EIN).
However, if you join an insurance panel, they will request your EIN or
social security number to use in required annual federal reports. Many
counselors, concerned with identity theft, choose to
obtain an EIN to avoid disclosing their social security number.
Are you a HIPAA "covered entity?" Do you have a
National Provider Identifier number? Covered entities could
apply for an NPI beginning May 23, 2005. The
compliance date for all covered entities except small health plans is
May 23, 2007. See also:
CounselingSeattle.com links to HIPAA information. One of the biggest
challenges counselors face regarding HIPAA is the fact that
sooner or later insurance companies will accept only electronic billing.
Where can I find counseling office space? The CounselingSeattle.com
"office space / group room space for rent" section. Part-time
office space can be an expensive starting point for a new practice.
Before you start seeing clients you
will need to prepare a client disclosure information form and have copies printed to give to the client and
to put in the client file--after they have read and signed them.
Supervision: When you are employed by an agency, you have a treatment supervisor.
As a self-employed registered counselor in private practice and
working toward licensure, you need supervised hours and may need to
pay a licensed health care provider for supervision. Some licensed counselors still chose to pay for supervision
and professional consultation. [New supervision regulations are coming up.]
[Official supervision related forms to
download and print out.]
Licensed counselors and registered
counselors in private practice often meet together and go over client cases
in a case
consultation peer group where they get the benefit of clinical feedback from
fellow therapists as well as a forum for discussion of common private practice
problems. Case consultation peer groups
provide opportunities to network and to get input from the
experiences of other professional counselors.
Your mailing address:
I recommend that IF you rent part-time office space, DO NOT use that
address for your mailing address. When many counselors
use the same suite of offices, the US Post Office often will not accept
change of address notices. The counselors remaining in the space
after you are gone are expected to forward mail to the departed counselors.
But they don't know you or have your new address. The
State of Washington, health insurance companies and other essential business contacts may
continue to send mail to your former part-time business
address for years without you being aware of it--until it gets you in
trouble. If you are unwilling to use your home address as a
business mailing address, get on the waiting list for a post office box.
You might also consider
filing your professional qualifications with CAQH. It's also
important to comply with the Washington State law regarding
record keeping and retention of client files, including provision for retaining
or transferring client records in the event of the counselor going out of
business or death or incapacitation.
Non-Compete Clause: "I signed a non-compete
clause when I left a mental health agency to start my private
practice. Now a former client at the agency has called and wants to resume
counseling. What is the legal and ethical thing to do?"
Questions about getting the 3,000
supervised hours required for licensure
Floyd--responding to questions: I will give you my best answers to
each of your email questions. Remember, my expert (ex =
a has been + spurt = a drip under pressure) opinions are
worth every penny you pay for them ($0.00). But here
goes....
QUESTION: How do I find
someone willing to act as my supervisor? I don’t see any
listings on your supervision page for qualified
supervisors in the Bellingham area.
ANSWER: There are supervisors near you in
Bellingham. I just haven't managed to get in touch with
them and get them to add their free listing to my
Clinical Supervision Page. Call other counselors in the
greater Bellingham area and tell them that you are
looking for supervision. It takes awhile, but--other
than CounselingSeattle.com--other counselors in the area will be
your best source of supervision information.
QUESTION: I live in
Bellingham, but would it be possible for my supervisor
to be located somewhere else, like Seattle or Olympia?
ANSWER: Yes, your supervisor can be in a
different area, but remember that part of your
supervision time must be face-to-face.
QUESTION: Do I pay my
supervisor, and if so, what is the customary payment
amount and/or arrangement?
ANSWER: Unless you are an Agency Affiliated
Counselor, employed by an agency and receiving free
supervision by your treatment supervisor; Yes, you would
pay for individual or group supervision by the hour at a
rate determined by your supervisor.
QUESTION: If, prior to
becoming a “Licensed Mental Health Counselor,” I am
working as a private practice “Registered Counselor,”
how can I bill insurance companies for my service? It is
my understanding that few, if any, insurance providers
will pay for an unlicensed counselor.
ANSWER: Forget about charging insurance
companies for services until you become licensed.
By the time you complete your masters degree and begin
your supervised internship, the Registered Counselor
category will be extinct. RC will cease to exist as of
7/1/2010.
QUESTION: Do most
“Registered Counselors” who are working on becoming a
“LMHC” work as an employee at a government agency or as
an employee of a licensed counselor?
ANSWER: In the past, many counselors with
their masters degrees in counseling, worked in private
practice and paid for supervision. The new law will give
masters level counselors who have been registered
counselors for no less than five years the opportunity
to be come licensed counselors if they pass the
examination and meet other requirements. The category of
employment that is most often used to gain the necessary
hours of supervised experience is a licensed mental
health agency. For potential agency employers in the
Whatcom County--northern Washington area--see the DSHS
site:
http://www.dshs.wa.gov/mentalhealth/nsound.shtml
QUESTION: It is my
understanding that the state will be doing away with the
“RC” title, therefore, would it behoove me to get
registered now, prior to the change? Would I be
grandfathered-in as an “RC”? Does it really matter?
ANSWER: Again, the Registered Counselor
category will be abolished July 1, 2010. Persons who are
Registered Counselors prior to that date will have an
opportunity to apply for one of the other categories,
such as Certified Advisor or Certified Counselor. These
two categories will be able to do private practice
counseling under severe restrictions. See
http://www.counselingseattle.com/counseling/registered-counselor-law.htm#CC
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Miscellaneous Words of Wisdom (?)
At all costs,
avoid sexual misconduct with current or former clients. There has been a
great deal of publicity about harm to clients by counselors and other health
professions. For counselors it means new clarification in the Revised
Code of Washington WAC 246-809-049, Sexual misconduct.
Changes to Washington Administrative Code relate to all licensed counselors --effective
4/13/06. Changes relate to record keeping and mandatory reporting.
Why do we spell our occupation as "counselor," while the rest of the
English speaking world spells it "counsellor?"
If you notice any errors or omissions in this material or have any counselor-related questions
that are not covered here,
please send them to me and I will attempt to locate and post the answers.
Your help is appreciated.
Floyd Else, MA, LMHC, NCC, MAC,
Webmasterster
WARNING: The following is a shameless self-promo--a plug for inexpensive
but highly effective CounselingSeattle.com services, all designed to help
counselors make money.
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Advertising: List
Your Private Practice
With the CounselingSeattle.com counselor locator service,
potential clients can locate a counselor in the greater Seattle / King
County Washington area using the
Directory of Counselor Names, by
city or neighborhood, or by
Niche Specialty©.
The mental health and addictions
counselors listed on these pages are:
(1.) Licensed Mental Health Counselors (LMHC),
(2.) Licensed Independent Clinical Social Workers (LICSW),
(3.) Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFT), or
(4.) Registered Counselors (RC).
In renewing their listing each year, these counselors, therapists,
psychotherapists and social workers tell CounselingSeattle.com that:
1. the professional name and contact information that they are using in
the ad is their own.
2. they are licensed or registered in the State of Washington, and
3. they are not subject to any license restrictions preventing practice.
[If you have knowledge that any of the information about persons advertising in CounselingSeattle.com is
inaccurate or misleading,
please notify us. ]
[
Information on advertising your practice or agency.]
Advertise Your Therapy Group
It is difficult and expensive to advertise group therapy. You need to reach both the
anonymous public and professionals who may make referrals. CounselingSeattle.com offers a place to list you therapy group that can
easily be found and accessed by the public and professionals. Just use your favorite search engine and enter the words "therapy
group your town Washington" (without parenthesis) and hit enter! [
Visit the Group Therapy page ]
[
Information on advertising your therapy group.]
Advertise Your Counseling Office Space
or Group Room to Rent
CounselingSeattle.com is the hot spot to advertise your full or part-time counseling office space
availability and the best place to find office or group room space to fulfill your own counseling needs.
[ Visit the Counselor Office Space / Group Room for Rent page ]
[
Information on advertising your office space or group room. ]
Advertise Your Counselor Training Workshop
Workshop presenters who are looking for
an outstanding spot to advertise their counselor training workshops need
look no further. [ Visit the Counseling
Workshops, Therapist Training and Continuing Education Units (CEU's) page ]
[
Information on advertising your continuing education workshop. ]
[
For more information about advertising on CounselingSeattle.com ]
QUESTION
Dear Floyd—CounselingSeattle.com:
I am 58 years old. I am
a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and I have been doing private practice counseling for 27 years. Some of my
fellow counselors say that I cannot continue to do private practice counseling after July 1, 2009.
My Papa used to say, “If you see it on CounselingSeattle.com, it’s so.” Please tell me the truth;
will I have to give up private practice counseling?
Virginia [Anonymous], MA, LMHC The Rest of the Story!
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This document is Copyrighted© 2005-09 by CounselingSeattle.com,
Floyd Else, Webmaster, and may not be reproduced, in whole or in part without
crediting the author, source and site name. All rights reserved.
To top -- Washington State
Counseling--Counselor Therapist Licensing and Registration
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