Pre-Employment Search Protocol
For both Internship Placement while in University and
To meet the requirements for Registered Internship for LMHC licensure
1. You must immediately determine if the potential job does entail work with clients which will meet the definition of “mental health counseling” as defined by the 491 Board in its section on Definitions as presented in it online Regulations at http://www.doh.state.fl.us/mqa/491/info_Laws.pdf :
491.003 Definitions
(9) The “practice of mental health counseling” is defined as the use of scientific and applied behavioral science theories, methods, and techniques for the purpose of describing, preventing,
and treating undesired behavior and enhancing mental health and human development and is based on the person-in-situation perspectives derived from research and theory in personality, family, group, and organizational dynamics and development, career planning, cultural diversity, human growth and development, human sexuality, normal and abnormal behavior, psychopathology, psychotherapy, and rehabilitation. The practice of mental health counseling includes methods of a psychological nature used to evaluate, assess, diagnose, and treat emotional and mental dysfunctions or disorders (whether cognitive, affective, or behavioral), behavioral disorders, interpersonal relationships, sexual dysfunction, alcoholism, and substance abuse. The practice of mental health counseling includes, but is not limited to, psychotherapy, hypnotherapy, and sex therapy. The practice of mental health counseling also includes counseling, behavior modification, consultation, client-centered advocacy, crisis intervention,
and the provision of needed information and education to clients, when using methods of a psychological nature to evaluate, assess, diagnose, treat, and prevent emotional and mental disorders and dysfunctions (whether cognitive, affective, or behavioral), behavioral disorders, sexual dysfunction, alcoholism, or substance abuse. The practice of mental health counseling may also include clinical research into more effective psychotherapeutic modalities for the treatment and prevention of such conditions.
(a) Mental health counseling may be rendered to individuals, including individuals affected by the termination of marriage, and to couples, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
(b) The use of specific methods, techniques, or modalities within the practice of mental health counseling is restricted to mental health counselors appropriately trained in the use of such methods, techniques, or modalities.
(c) The terms “diagnose” and “treat,” as used in this chapter, when considered in isolation or in conjunction with any provision of the rules of the board, shall not be construed to permit the performance of any act which mental health counselors are not educated and trained to perform, including, but not limited to, admitting persons to hospitals for treatment of the foregoing conditions, treating persons in hospitals without medical supervision, prescribing medicinal drugs as defined in chapter 465, authorizing clinical laboratory procedures pursuant to chapter 483, or radiological procedures, or use of electroconvulsive therapy. In addition, this definition shall not be construed to permit any person licensed, provisionally licensed, registered, or certified pursuant to this chapter to describe or label any test, report, or procedure as “psychological,” except to relate specifically to the definition of practice authorized in this subsection.
(d) The definition of “mental health counseling” contained in this subsection includes all services offered directly to the general public or through organizations, whether public or private, and applies whether payment is requested or received for services rendered.
2. It is important that you determine if your potential place of employment will enable you to simultaneously do your Troy Graduate Program Internship while employed in the setting.
3. If you can do your Troy pre-graduation internship at this place of employment then determine if you can do the two full years of “Registered Intern” for licensure in the State of Florida as a LMHC
4. Determine if the potential place of employment has a Supervisor who will provide your supervision during your Registered Intern Years and if the Supervisor meets the requirements as detailed in 64B4-31.007 Definition of a “Licensed Mental Health Counselor or the Equivalent, Who Is a Qualified Supervisor.”
64B4-31.007 Definition of a “Licensed Mental Health Counselor or the Equivalent,
Who Is a Qualified Supervisor.”
(1) A “licensed mental health counselor, or the equivalent, who is a qualified supervisor,” as used in Section 491.005(4)(c), F.S., is defined as an individual who, during the period for which
the applicant claims supervision, meets one of the following:
(a) Holds an active license as a mental health counselor in the state of Florida;
(b) Is licensed or certified as a mental health counselor in another state, or resides in another state where licensure is not required, provided that he or she meets the education and experience requirements for licensure as a mental health counselor under Section 491.005(4), F.S.;
(c) Is licensed as a clinical social worker or marriage and family therapist in Florida or in the state in which the supervision took place and can demonstrate a three semester or four quarter hour graduate level course in three of the following six content areas: counseling theories, counseling practice, assessment, career counseling, substance abuse, or legal, ethical, and professional standards from a clinical counseling program in an institution fully accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation and/or the U.S. Department of Education;
(d) Is licensed as a psychologist in Florida or in the state where the supervision took place and completed a minimum of three years of experience providing psychotherapy, consisting of a minimum of 750 hours of direct client contact per year;
(2) Qualified supervisors who provide supervision in Florida for interns and trainees must
meet the equivalency standards of subsection (1) and have:
(a) Completed five (5) years of clinical experience, two (2) years of which can be earned during a post-masters clinical internship with the remaining three (3) years of experience earned post-licensure; and
(b) Completed, subsequent to licensure as a mental health counselor, training in supervision in one of the following:
1. A graduate level academic course in supervision which meets the requirements of Rule 64B4-6.0025, F.A.C.; or
2. A continuing education course in supervisory training which meets the requirements of Rule 64B4-6.0025, F.A.C.; or
3. A post-graduate training course for field instructors in clinical social work; or
4. Is designated an Approved Clinical Supervisor (ACS) by The Center for Credentialing and Education, Inc. (CCE), or
5. Is designated an Approved Supervisor by the AAMFT.
5. Determine what the history of this potential employment setting is when it comes to successfully helping employees who are graduate students complete their internships and how successful they are in helping employees who are “Registered Interns” become licensed as LMHC’s in the State of Florida.
6. If you can find out which graduate schools the previous interns have graduated from and then ascertain the level of satisfaction the potential employment site has for these successful graduate interns and LMHC’s who gained their credentials in this employment setting.
7. Be prepared to detail the standards of education and training you have had to endure at the CACREP approved program at Troy University and be ready to state how competent you feel as a result of this training
8. Ascertain the level of professionalization of the mental health practitioners in the potential employment site e.g.: how many belong to local, state or national professional associations and how supportive is this potential employment site for its employees getting involved in professional association activities
9. Ascertain how committed the potential employment site is to providing mentoring, continuing education and updating clinical practices for its employees
10. Ascertain how committed the potential employment site is utilizing evidenced based practices in providing treatments to its clients
11. Ascertain if the salary for the position you are pursuing is sufficient to keep you out of poverty for the minimum of three years you will be holding the position as you pursue your LMHC