PERMANENT RULES
Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing.
Purpose: The rule changes the process for taking the national counseling examination (NCE) and the national clinical mental health counseling examination (NCMHCE). Applicants must pass one of these examinations to be eligible for licensure as a mental health counselor in Washington state. The change in process will allow more frequent examinations offered in more locations, increasing the opportunity for mental health counselors to be licensed more timely.
Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 246-809-240.
Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 18.225.040 and 18.225.090.
Adopted under notice filed as WSR 08-03-142 on January 23, 2008.
A final cost-benefit analysis is available by contacting Betty Moe, Department of Health, P.O. Box 47869, Olympia, WA 98504-7869, phone (360) 236-4912, fax (360) 236-4909, e-mail Betty.Moe@doh.wa.gov.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 0, Amended 1, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 1, Repealed 0.
Date Adopted: March 31, 2008.
Mary C. Selecky
Secretary
OTS-1188.2
AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 01-17-113, filed 8/22/01,
effective 9/22/01)
WAC 246-809-240
Examination for licensed mental health
counselors.
(1) ((Testing companies must administer a written
licensure examination on knowledge and application of mental
health counseling at least once a year. The applicant must
submit a completed application and application fee to the
department at least ninety days prior to the scheduled
examination date. All other supporting documents, including
verification of supervised postgraduate experience, must be
submitted sixty days prior to the examination date.
(2) Applicants who take and pass the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC), National Certification Examination (NCE) or the National Clinical Mental Health Counselor Examination (NCMHCE) have met the examination requirement of chapter 251, Laws of 2001. Verification of successful completion and passage of the NBCC examination is to be provided directly to the department of health by NBCC at the request of the applicant for Washington state mental health counselor.
(3) The passing score established by the testing company is the passing score accepted by the department of health.)) Applicants must pass an examination administered by the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC). Applicants who pass the National Certification Examination (NCE) or the National Clinical Mental Health Counselor Examination (NCMHCE), as administered by the NBCC, meet the examination requirements to be licensed as mental health counselors. Each applicant must cause the NBCC to send verification of the applicant's examination passage directly to the department of health before licensure can be granted.
(2) The department of health shall accept the passing score established by the NBCC for licensed mental health counselor examinations.
[Statutory Authority: 2001 c 251, RCW 43.70.250. 01-17-113, § 246-809-240, filed 8/22/01, effective 9/22/01.]