Md. Code Regs. 10.58.12.04

Current through Register Vol. 51, No. 22, November 1, 2024

Section 10.58.12.04 - Licensed Graduate Professional Counselors

A. To qualify for licensure as a graduate professional counselor, an applicant shall have:

(1) Completed one of the following from an accredited educational institution:

(a) A master's degree in a clinical professional counseling or related field with:

(i) A minimum of 60 graduate semester credit hours, or, if the master's program provides less than 60 graduate semester credit hours, requirements may be met by completing additional graduate courses as approved by the Board; or

(ii) 90 graduate quarter credit hours; or

(b) A doctoral degree in a clinical professional counseling or related field with:

(i) A minimum of 90 graduate semester credit hours; or

(ii) 135 graduate quarter credit hours;

(2) Completed a minimum of 3 semester credit hours or the equivalent quarter credit hours of course work in each of the following course content areas:

(a) Human growth and personality development;

(b) Social and cultural foundations of counseling;

(c) Counseling theory;

(d) Counseling techniques;

(e) Group dynamics, processing, and counseling;

(f) Lifestyle and career development;

(g) Appraisal;

(h) Research and evaluation;

(i) Professional, legal, and ethical responsibilities;

(j) Marriage and family therapy;

(k) Supervised field experience that includes a:

(i) Supervised clinical internship, externship, field experience, or practicum placement; and

(ii) Minimum of 125 direct clinical counseling service hours;

(l) Alcohol and drug counseling;

(m) Psychopathology; and

(n) Diagnosis and treatment of mental and emotional disorders;

(3) Achieved a passing score on:

(a) A national certification exam approved by the Board; and

(b) An examination of:

(i) Health Occupations Article, Title 17, Annotated Code of Maryland; and

(ii) This subtitle;

(4) Met all of the requirements set forth under Regulation .03 of this chapter; and

(5) Complied with:

(a) Health Occupations Article, Title 17, Annotated Code of Maryland; and

(b) The code of ethics as set forth in COMAR 10.58.03.

B. An applicant who fails an examination for licensure:

(1) May retake the exam if:

(a) It is within the time frame set by the applicable testing authority; or

(b) A waiver is approved by the Board to extend the testing deadline upon proof of exceptional circumstances; or

(2) Shall be required to:

(a) Submit a new application; and

(b) Pay the nonrefundable fee set forth in COMAR 10.58.02.

C. The Board shall act upon applications as set forth under Regulation .03B of this chapter.

D. A licensed graduate professional counselor shall practice clinical professional counseling under the supervision of a Board-approved supervisor.

E. A licensed graduate professional counselor may not:

(1) Practice independent of supervision; or

(2) Provide supervision.

F. Expiration and Extension.

(1) The graduate professional counselor license expires 2 years after the date issued.

(2) If the graduate professional counselor licensee is unable to accumulate the required clinical hours for licensure as a clinical professional counselor in 2 years, the graduate professional counselor may apply on a Board-approved form for a 2-year extension before the current license expiration, up to a maximum of 6 years, except as provided in §F(4) of this regulation.

(3) For a graduate professional counselor who has been granted a 2-year extension, CEUs are not required for the first 2-year extension. Subsequent extensions approved by the Board shall be subject to the continuing education requirements in COMAR 10.58.05.

(4) A graduate professional counselor shall submit a written request for an extension beyond the 6-year maximum, which the Board may grant in certain circumstances.

G. Reinstatement.

(1) Within 5 calendar years after the license renewal date, the Board may reinstate the license of a licensed graduate professional counselor otherwise entitled to reinstatement under Health Occupations Article, §17-505(b), Annotated Code of Maryland, whose license was not renewed for any reason, if the licensee:

(a) Completes within that 5-year period the minimum of 20 CEUs required for each year; and

(b) Pays the reinstatement fee set by the Board in COMAR 10.58.02.

(2) CEUs which are acquired in order to reinstate under COMAR 10.58.05.05 and.06 may be credited only once and may not be credited for any future renewals.

(3) For any licensed graduate professional counselor whose license has expired more than 5 calendar years before the request for reinstatement, a new application for licensure shall be completed and the current licensure requirements shall be met.

(4) An individual who fails to reinstate licensure is not authorized to and may not practice graduate professional counseling.

Md. Code Regs. 10.58.12.04

Regulations .04 adopted effective 48:13 Md. R. 508, eff. 6/28/2021