LPCC - Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor

Licensed counselors work with people to overcome mental health, emotional, and substance abuse issues.

A licensed professional clinical counselor (LPCC) is one of a group of certifications that vary by state. Generally, they are in the same group as licensed professional counselors (LPC) and licensed mental health counselors (LMHC), depending on what state they are in. LPCCs generally treat individuals either on a one-on-one basis or several people at a time in a group setting. LPCCs don’t typically specialize in one particular type of patient or issue – they are more of a generalist practitioner. Likewise, LPCCs don’t usually work with just one specific age group – they treat a wide range of patients. This flexibility and ability to treat all patients makes them very valuable in the field of counseling.

Eligibility

The LPCC licensure exists in California, Colorado, Kentucky, Minnesota, New Mexico, North Dakota, and Ohio. As previously mentioned, other states have very similar types of licensure for counselors.

Each of these states has its’ own eligibility criteria, which can be found online at:

• California

• Colorado

• Kentucky

• Minnesota

• New Mexico

• North Dakota

• Ohio

Each state has a licensing board. For example, the one in Ohio is the Counselor, Social Worker, and Marriage and Family Therapist Board. Links to each board, as well as accredited college programs, can be found at the links provided above.

The Ohio LPCC requirements seem to be typical of most states. Applicants must have a Master’s degree from an accredited clinical mental health counseling program, clinical rehabilitation counseling program, or addiction counseling program, and complete two years of training experience under the supervision of an LPCC-S, which includes the diagnosis and treatment of mental and emotional disorders.

To obtain LPCC licensure:

1. Complete the application for LPCC licensure and pay the fees

2. Pass the exam and email the score report to the governing board. 

3. Document two years of supervised experience that meets the following requirements:

• Two full calendar years of supervision

• A minimum of 1,500 hours of experience within each year

• The experience must have included within its scope of practice the diagnosis and treatment of mental and emotional disorders

• The supervisor must complete the required forms to document supervised hours at the prescribed intervals. 

4. Watch the Board’s Laws and Rules video

5. Submit official school transcripts to the board, showing the counseling degree earned.  

6. BCI and FBI criminal records checks are completed.

Watch the Board’s Laws and Rules video

1. Submit official school transcripts to the board, showing the counseling degree earned.  

2. BCI and FBI criminal records checks are completed.

Every state has its own requirements, but many states require those seeking a license to take the National Counselor Examination for Licensure and Certification (NCE) given by the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC). The NBCC is a nationally recognized provider of counseling credentials and has an excellent reputation for excellence in the exam field. 
Although the NCE exam is the most common one required for state certification, there are other exams available. Before registering, check with your state board of licensing to see what exam they require for licensure. The exam fee is $275, and the test is offered through Pearson VUE twice a year, in April and October.

Maintaining licensure requires a licensure fee every 2 years and any state-required continuing education requirements. Most practitioners also maintain some type of professional liability insurance and participate in local and state organizations.

Other related certifications include:

• National Certified School Counselor (NCSC)

• Certified Mental Health Counselor (CMHC)