Supervision: Frequently Asked Questions
What documents are needed when a Temporary Permit Counselor or a Provisionally Licensed Counselor change counseling positions?
When the Provisionally Licensed Counselor obtains a new counseling position, the following documents are needed for review and approval before supervision can begin in the new position:
1) Supervisor Registration Form/Contract to be completed by the applicant and ALPS. Form available at www.wvbec.org at the Popular Forms tab.
2) Page 3 of the application
3) Job description provided to you by your employer and signed by your ALPS
4) When the provisionally licensed counselor is practicing in a private practice setting, the following is also needed for review and approval before supervision can begin in this position:
- Copy of the Informed Consent.
- The informed consent needs to include that you will be practicing under a temporary permit and/or provisional license which requires supervision by an on-site supervisor and/or ALPS-Approved Licensed Professional Supervisor.
- In addition, the informed consent needs to include the supervisor(s) will be reviewing case notes of the counseling sessions as part of their supervisory responsibilities. Full disclosure needs to be provided in the informed consent regarding both items mentioned.
- Copy of Job description
- Will need to indicate W-2 employment. Note, the supervisee may not work in a contract labor position.
- Will need to include a statement that a licensed mental health professional will be on site while the supervisee is providing counseling services.
- Your ALPS and on site supervisor will need to review and sign off on the job description.
- Please forward a copy of the signed job description along with the informed consent.
What needs to be included in the informed consent?
The Informed Consent needs to be specific to your counseling practice and include your name and credentials. Also, it needs to include that you will be practicing under the Temporary Permit or Provisional License. It needs to include that you will have an onsite supervisor and an ALPS Supervisor, please include both names, and that both will be reviewing client case notes as part of their supervisory responsibility.
Additionally, the "Nature of Counseling" will need to be specific to your counseling practice, approaches and techniques.
Please reference the document titled, 'Implementing Informed Consent' - ACA Reference Document PDF.
What do I need to submit when changing ALPS supervisors?
When the provisionally licensed counselor changes ALPS supervisors, the following documents are needed for review and approval before supervision can begin under the new ALPS:
1) Supervisor Registration Form/Contract to be completed by the applicant and ALPS. Form available at www.wvbec.org at the Popular Forms tab.
2) Updated Page 3 of the application
3) The Supervisor's Verification and Assessment form (SVA) and all quarterly logs are to be provided by your previous ALPS, in order to document the hours completed under their supervision, if no supervision occurred, please provide that information on the SVA and quarterly logs.
Can I abbreviate my title during supervision?
No, the title for the supervised counselor practicing under the Temporary Permit is:
“Temporary Permit Counselor” and the title for the supervised counselor practicing under the Provisional License is: “Provisionally Licensed Counselor”.
Can a Temporary Permit Counselor or a Provisionally Licensed Counselor work in a contract-based employment?
No, contract-based employment is not permissible while under the provisional license. In addition, the ALPS, or another licensed mental health professional must be on site at all times while the provisionally licensed counselor is providing counseling services.
Can a Temporary Permit Counselor or a Provisionally Licensed Counselor operate their own practice?
No, Provisionally Licensed Counselors and Temporary Permit Counselors are not permitted to operate their own private practice and may practice only as part of his or her licensure supervisory requirement as outlined in section 6.2 of Series 1, Licensing Rule.
Does the Temporary Permit Counselor or Provisionally Licensed Counselor need to complete continuing education?
No, Continuing education is not a requirement during supervision and while practicing under the provisional license
Do I need to keep track of my supervision hours?
Yes. The board requires that both the supervisee and ALPS maintain copies of the quarterly logs that are submitted to the board and maintain an ongoing tally of the completed supervision hours. Please use the quarterly report form in excel available on our website as it will calculate the totals. Please see the Instructions for completing the Quarterly Log Sheets for more information. Please address all questions regarding supervision status, # of hours completed and/or supervision requirements with your ALPS before contacting the board.
Can previous supervision hours, from another state, be counted toward WV licensure?
If you have not yet completed the licensure requirements in your state (to include the coursework, degree, exam and supervision requirements) by obtaining the highest level of licensure in which you may practice independently as a professional counselor, you may apply as a standard applicant to WV. In addition to following the application instructions provided on the Instruction Checklist, please request your state licensing Board forward certified copies of the following materials directly to the WV Counseling Board address:
A certified copy of the applicant’s file from the state where currently licensed (or working toward licensure) AND a copy of the licensing rule in effect at the time you applied for licensure.
The certified copy must include:
- Verification of your current license or status (this includes provisional or temporary license/permit.)
- Exam scores. (If you have attempted the required examination. ) Currently, the Board recognizes the NCE (National Counselor Exam), NCMHCE (National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination) and the CRC exam (Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification.) If your current licensing board does not have this on record you will need to contact the organization that administered your exam and request an official copy of your exam scores be sent directly to the Board office.
- Supervision records to include the start and finish date, total number of therapy/counseling activity hours, total number of direct hours and total number of individual supervision hours. Additionally, your supervisor’s name and credentials will need to be included.
- If your licensing Board will not provide your official supervision records, please have your approved supervisor(s) provide the following:
1. A Supervisor's Verification and Assessment Form (SVA) completed on your behalf. (The WV Board of Counseling SVA form can be found on our website at the Popular Forms tab, ALPS & Supervisee forms tab.)
2. A copy of the Supervisor's License (To include their approved supervisor status if applicable.)
3. Certificates of their completion of continuing education contact hours in clinical counseling supervision training, OR, a copy of their graduate transcript reflecting completion of a graduate course in Clinical Supervision.
Please note, if you have obtained a copy of your file from the state where you are currently licensed, you can include them in your larger packet to the Board as long as the seal has not been broken on the envelope. If the envelope has been opened, it cannot be accepted a certified copy.
When will I become eligible for full LPC licensure?
When the following requirements have been met:
- The licensure rule requires 3000 total counseling activity hours; therefore, the following must be completed in order to fulfill the supervision requirement:
- 3000 counseling activity hours
- 1500 hours must be in direct provision of the client(s) 50% of the total counseling activity hours
- 150 individual supervision hours with your ALPS
- For every twenty (20) hours of total counseling activity, you must meet with your ALPS for one (1) hour of individual supervision.
- Individual supervision must be continuous and occur at minimum, every two (2) weeks.
- VERY IMPORTANT: Counseling activity hours cannot be counted if this requirement is not met.
- Please note your records, 1500 supervised counseling hours is the maximum number of hours that can be obtained in a 12-month period. This requirement equates to a minimum duration of 19 months of continued supervised counseling experience
- If there are gaps in supervision, additional time will need to be added to account for a minimum of 19 months of supervised counseling experience.
- Additionally, once it is determined that the minimum supervision hour and timeframe requirements have been met, the ALPS may determine if additional supervision hours and experience is needed and may extend the supervision timeframe beyond the minimum requirement.
I have completed my supervision hours and have met the minimum timeframe for supervision, what is the next step to be considered for full LPC licensure?
Per page three (3) of the letter that accompanied your Provisional License, once the supervision hour requirements and the minimum timeframe requirement have been met, and the ALPS considers the provisionally licensed counselor ready for LPC review and approval by the board, the ALPS will do the following:
- Determine when the next scheduled board meeting will take place. Board meeting dates, including telephonic meetings, are posted on our website at the ‘All About WVBEC’ tab.
- Complete and forward the Supervisor’s Verification and Assessment Form and the final quarterly log to the board address two (2) weeks prior to the next scheduled board meeting including all hours accumulated to the date submitted.
- Please note, the provisionally licensed counselor must remain in supervision until they have been notified of their LPC approval. Typically, within 3 days of the board meeting, the applicant and the ALPS will receive a notice of the Board’s decision.
What is this scope of practice for an LPC?
Below are the two portions of our code that define scope of practice for the professional counselor. Additionally, you may review the entire code at the ‘Board Rules’ tab:
(h) "Professional counseling" means the assessment, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mental, emotional or addiction disorders through the application of clinical counseling procedures. Professional counseling includes the use of psychotherapy, assessment instruments, counseling, consultation, treatment planning, and supervision in the delivery of services to individuals, couples, families and groups.
(c) "Clinical counseling procedures" means an approach to counseling that emphasizes the counselor's role in systematically assisting clients through all of the following including, but are not limited to, observing, assessing and analyzing background and current information; utilizing assessment techniques useful in appraising aptitudes, abilities, achievements, interests or attitudes; diagnosing; and developing a treatment plan. The goal of these procedures is the prevention or elimination of symptomatic, maladaptive, or undesired behavior, cognitions, or emotions in order to integrate a wellness, preventative, pathology and multicultural model of human behavior to assist an individual, couple, family, group of individuals, organization, institution or community to achieve mental, emotional, physical, social, moral, educational, spiritual, vocational or career development and adjustment through the life span of the individual, couple, family, group of individuals, organization, institution or community
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