Steps To Become A Counselor At Law In Colorado

If you're looking to become a counselor at law in Colorado, you'll need to meet the requirements set by the Colorado State Board of Licensed Professional Counselor Examiners. This includes completing a master's or doctoral degree in counseling or a related field, obtaining a bachelor's degree, and fulfilling the required number of hours of post-graduate supervised counseling experience. You'll also need to pass the National Counselor Examination (NCE) and the Colorado State Board of Licensed Professional Counselor Examiners' developed jurisprudence examination. The process of applying for your license as a counselor at law in Colorado is completed online, and there are additional requirements for those seeking licensure by endorsement, so be sure to review the specific guidelines provided by the Colorado State Board of Licensed Professional Counselor Examiners.

Education requirements

To become a licensed counselor in Colorado, you must complete a master's or doctoral degree in professional counseling or a related field, as well as a bachelor's degree. The master's program must be accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) or meet CACREP equivalency. It should include at least 60 semester credit hours and a practicum of at least 700 hours. Alternatively, you can qualify with a doctorate.

The Colorado State Board of Licensed Professional Counselor Examiners requires applicants to have 700 hours of supervised professional practice as part of their graduate degree program. If this requirement is not met, applicants must submit evidence of post-degree work experience for credit and consideration.

After completing the degree program, you must complete at least 2,000 hours of post-graduate supervised counseling experience over a minimum of 24 months. This experience must be documented on a Post-Degree Experience and Supervision Form.

For master's degree holders, at least 2,000 hours of supervision are distributed over two years. For each 1,000 hours of supervised practice, the applicant must receive a minimum of 35 face-to-face supervision hours out of a total of 50. The remaining hours may be completed through group supervision.

You must also pass the National Counselor Examination for Licensure and Certification (NCE) and the Colorado State Board of Licensed Professional Counselor Examiners' developed jurisprudence examination.

Examination requirements

To become a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Colorado, you must pass the National Counselor Examination (NCE) and the Colorado State Board of Licensed Professional Counselor Examiners' developed jurisprudence examination. This includes a test of your understanding of the Colorado mental health board rules and ethics.

The NCE is a 200-question multiple-choice exam administered by the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC). It assesses knowledge, skills, and abilities in effective counseling services. The Colorado Mental Health Jurisprudence Examination is an open-book test, also made up of multiple-choice questions, covering general mental health statutes, confidentiality and privilege, prohibited activities/violations, board rules, emergency procedures, and disciplinary provisions/proceedings.

You must pass the required examination no more than five years before the date of your application for licensure. Experience and supervision requirements that predate the application by more than five years will not be accepted by the Board, except in cases where good cause is shown.

You must also show proof of completion of your post-graduate experience hours, a passing score on the NCE, and a passing score on the state jurisprudence examination when applying for an initial LPC license in Colorado.

If you are applying for licensure by endorsement (i.e., you are already licensed in another state), you must attest to passing a national or state examination that tested your competence to practice professional counseling, including special knowledge and skills in psychotherapy. You must also attest to either two years of post-master's or one year of post-doctoral practice in psychotherapy or professional counseling, or active practice of psychotherapy or professional counseling for at least two years before applying.

Application process

To become a counsellor in Colorado, you must complete a master's or doctoral degree in professional counselling or a related field. This also entails obtaining a bachelor's degree beforehand.

Once you have graduated from an accredited master's or doctoral degree in counselling, you must apply to become a Colorado Licensed Professional Counsellor Candidate (LPCC) to begin accruing the required experience hours needed for licensure as a Licensed Professional Counsellor (LPC).

The application process for an LPC licence in Colorado is as follows:

• Submit payment of the required application fee. All fees are non-refundable and non-transferable.
• Upload name change documentation, if applicable.
• Upload a transcript showing a master's or doctorate degree from a program approved by the Council for Accreditation of Counselling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) or equivalent. If your education is not CACREP-approved, you must also upload an education review by the Centre for Credential Education (CCE) to show that your education is equivalent.
• Upload your passing jurisprudence exam report.
• Upload verification for another state's certificate/license, if applicable.
• Answer general and criminal history screening questions and upload supporting documentation.
• Complete the Healthcare Professions Profile, including uploading supporting documentation.
• If you are a foreign-trained applicant, upload an education review from one of the following entities: Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE), World Education Services (WES), or the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO).
• Provide your passing scores on the National Counselor Examination (NCE).
• Upload completed Post-Degree Experience and Supervision Form(s) showing at least 2,000 hours of experience over a minimum of 24 months.
• If you are applying for licensure by endorsement, you must attest to passing a national or state examination that tested competence to practice professional counselling, including special knowledge and skills in psychotherapy. You must also attest to either at least two years of post-master's or one year of post-doctoral practice in psychotherapy or professional counselling, or active practice of psychotherapy or professional counselling for at least two years before applying.
• Submit the application for licensure, all fees, official transcripts, and all supporting documentation to the Board for review.
• Applications for licensure remain active for one year. If the applicant fails to become licensed within this time period, they must submit a new application and fee and must meet the educational, experience, and examination requirements in effect at the time of the new application.
• An applicant for licensure must pass the required examination no more than five years prior to the date of the application for licensure. Experience and supervision requirements that predate the application by more than five years will not be accepted by the Board, absent a showing of good cause.
• All applicants for licensure have a continuing obligation to update their application with information changes from the original application at any time prior to licensure.

Continuing education

The license renewal period for LPCs in Colorado opens about four to six weeks before the expiration date, which is August 31 of odd-numbered years. All LPC licenses have a grace period of 60 days following expiration, during which the LPC can continue to practice and renew their license. To renew their license, LPCs must submit documentation of their continuing education activities and pay the required renewal fees.

The continuing education requirements for LPCs in Colorado include the completion of a certain number of professional development hours (PDH) within a specified cycle. Specifically, LPCs must complete 40 PDH each cycle, with no more than 20 PDH coming from a single Professional Development Activity. Professional Development Activities may include a range of learning and service opportunities, such as volunteer service, mentorship or supervision, presenting, coursework, independent learning, and group learning.

In addition to documentation of their Professional Development Activities, LPCs are encouraged to include professional practice surveys and learning plans in their Continuing Professional Development portfolios. This helps to demonstrate their ongoing commitment to growth and development in their field.

It is important for LPCs in Colorado to stay informed about the specific requirements for continuing education and to ensure that they meet the necessary standards to maintain their licenses. By engaging in continuing education, LPCs can enhance their knowledge, skills, and abilities, ultimately providing better service to their clients and maintaining the high standards of their profession.

Career opportunities

Colorado is a great place to begin a career in counseling. The state has a growing need for mental health professionals, with an expected 36% increase in jobs for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors between 2020 and 2030. This is significantly higher than the national projected growth rate of 22% for this profession.

Licensed Professional Counselors (LPCs) in Colorado are regulated by the Colorado State Board of Licensed Professional Counselor Examiners. The process of becoming an LPC in Colorado is outlined below:

Education Requirements

To become an LPC in Colorado, you must complete a master's or doctoral degree in professional counseling or a related field. This includes degrees in counseling, human services, mental health and wellness, or a similar program accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). If your degree is not CACREP-approved, you must submit an education review by the Center for Credential and Education (CCE) to show that your education is equivalent. The master's program must consist of at least 60 semester credit hours and include a practicum of at least 700 hours. Alternatively, you can complete a doctorate.

Post-Degree Experience

After graduating from an accredited master's or doctoral degree, you must complete at least 2,000 hours of post-graduate supervised counseling experience over a minimum of 24 months. This experience must be documented on a Post-Degree Experience and Supervision Form. For master's degree holders, at least 1,500 hours of the 2,000-hour requirement must include face-to-face direct client contact under clinical supervision.

Examinations

To become an LPC in Colorado, you must pass the National Counselor Examination (NCE) and the Colorado State Board of Licensed Professional Counselor Examiners' developed jurisprudence examination. The NCE is a 200-question multiple-choice examination that assesses knowledge, skills, and abilities in effective counseling services. The Colorado Mental Health Jurisprudence Examination is an open-book test covering general mental health statutes, confidentiality and privilege, prohibited activities/violations, board rules, emergency procedures, and disciplinary provisions/proceedings.

LPC Application

Once you have met the above requirements, you can apply for your LPC online. The application process includes submitting the required application fee, uploading transcripts, passing examination scores, and completing various forms, including the Healthcare Professions Profile and Post-Degree Experience and Supervision Form.

As an LPC in Colorado, you will have various career opportunities to choose from. You may choose to specialize in areas such as addiction counseling, trauma therapy, or family counseling. You can work in settings such as mental health centers, private practices, substance abuse centers, schools, health practitioner offices, or outpatient care centers.

The salary for LPCs in Colorado varies depending on factors such as experience, specialization, and geographic location. The average salary for a licensed counselor in Colorado is $58,093, slightly lower than the national average of $59,208. However, with experience and a solid reputation in the mental health community, you can expect to earn closer to the 90th percentile, which was $93,820 as of May 2022.

Colorado also offers various scholarships and loan repayment programs for aspiring LPCs, such as the Colorado Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program and the Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students program.

Frequently asked questions