Many types of health providers are licensed to perform behavioral health services, including psychologists, substance use disorder professionals, advanced social workers, independent clinical social workers, mental health counselors, and marriage and family therapists.
Psychologists. A psychologist is authorized to observe, evaluate, interpret, and modify human behavior by the application of psychological principles, methods, and procedures for the purposes of preventing or eliminating symptomatic or maladaptive behavior and promoting mental and behavioral health. To be a licensed psychologist, a person must hold a doctoral degree in psychology, have at least two years of supervised experience, pass an examination, and be of good moral character.
Substance Use Disorder Professionals. A substance use disorder professional is authorized to employ the core competencies of substance use disorder counseling to assist or attempt to assist individuals with substance use disorder in their recovery. To be a certified substance use disorder professional, a person must complete an educational program, an apprenticeship program, or alternative training. The person must also pass an examination and complete a supervised experience requirement.
Advanced Social Workers. An advanced social worker is authorized to apply social work theory and methods, including emotional and biopsychosocial assessment, psychotherapy under the supervision of another mental health professional, case management, consultation, advocacy, counseling, and community organization. To be an advanced social worker, a person must graduate from a master's or doctorate level social work educational program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education, pass an examination, and complete at least 3200 hours of supervised experience. The supervised experience hours must include at least 90 hours of direct supervision by a independent clinical social worker, an advanced social worker, or an equally qualified mental health professional. At least 50 of the 90 hours must be supervised by a licensed advanced social worker or independent clinical social worker.
Independent Clinical Social Workers. An independent clinical social worker is authorized to perform the same services as an advanced social worker. The independent clinical social worker may also diagnose and treat emotional and mental disorders based on knowledge of human development, the causation and treatment of psychopathology, and psychotherapeutic treatment practices. To be an independent clinical social worker, a person must graduate from a master's or doctorate level social work educational program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education, pass an examination, and complete at least 4000 hours of supervised experience over a period of at least three years. At least 130 of the 4000 hours must be supervised by a licensed mental health practitioner. At least 70 of the 130 hours must be under the supervision of an independent clinical social worker.
Mental Health Counselors. A mental health counselor is authorized to apply principles of human development, learning theory, psychotherapy, group dynamics, and etiology of mental illness and dysfunctional behavior to individuals, couples, families, groups, and organizations, for the purpose of treatment of mental disorders and promoting optimal mental health and functionality. Mental health counseling also includes the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of mental and emotional disorders, as well as the application of a wellness model of mental health. To be licensed as a mental health counselor, an applicant must graduate from a master's or doctoral program in mental health counseling or a related discipline, pass an examination, and complete a supervised experience requirement of at least 36 months or 3000 hours.
Marriage and Family Therapists. A marriage and family therapist is authorized to diagnose and treat mental and emotional disorders within the context of relationships, including marriage and family systems. To be licensed as a marriage and family therapist, a person must graduate from a master's or doctoral program in marriage and family therapy or equivalent allied field, pass an examination, and complete a supervised experience requirement consisting of two calendar years of full-time marriage and family therapy totaling at least 3000 hours.
Probationary Licenses. The Department of Health (DOH) grants probationary licenses to applicants from other states who seek a credential in Washington as a psychologist, substance use disorder professional, advanced social worker, independent clinical social worker, mental health counselor, or marriage and family therapist. A person with a probationary license may only practice in a behavioral health agency.
Associate Licenses. An associate license is a trainee license for a social worker, mental health counselor, or marriage and family therapist who is working to accumulate supervised experience hours towards full licensure but has completed other requirements, including a background check by DOH.
The supervised experience requirement for social worker licensure is reduced from 3200 hours for an advanced social worker or 4000 hours for a independent clinical social worker to 3000 hours. For advanced social workers, a requirement that at least 50 hours must include supervision by a licensed advanced social worker or licensed independent clinical social worker is removed. For independent clinical social workers, the minimum supervision period is reduced from three to two years, and the hours of direct supervision by a licensed mental health practitioner are reduced from 130 to 100 hours.
A requirement for a marriage and family therapist to undergo a minimum of two calendar years of full-time marriage and family therapy experience is removed.
A social worker may be licensed based on a doctorate obtained from a university accredited by a recognized accrediting organization if the doctoral program is not accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.
A person with a probationary license as a psychologist, social worker, mental health counselor, marriage and family therapist, or substance use disorder professional may practice outside a behavioral health agency.
DOH, in consultation with the Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board and the Examining Board of Psychology, must examine licensure requirements for social workers, marriage and family therapists, mental health counselors, substance use disorder professionals, and psychologists to identify changes to statutes and rules that would remove barriers to entering and remaining in the health care workforce and to streamline and shorten the credentialing process. DOH must consider peer reviewed research, promotion of reciprocity, adoption of interstate compacts, creation of an associate license for psychologists, whether agency affiliated counselors should be employed in federally qualified health centers, and other topics. A preliminary report is due on November 1, 2023, with a final report on November 1, 2024.
DOH and the Examining Board of Psychology must adopt emergency rules by July 1, 2024, to implement changes to licensing requirements to remove barriers to entering and remaining in the healthcare work force and to streamline and shorten the credentialing process for behavioral health professions. Permanent rules must be adopted by July 1, 2025.
Subject to funding, DOH must develop a program to facilitate placement of associates with clinical supervision services by October 1, 2023, which includes a stipend program to defray the out-of-pocket expense for associates of completing the supervised experience requirements. DOH must consider defraying out-of-pocket expenses associated with unpaid internships which are part of the applicant's educational program as part of the stipend program. DOH must adopt minimum qualifications by rule for supervisors or facilities to provide clinical supervision services and maintain a list of entities interested in providing clinical supervision which meet minimum standards.