Advocating for Your Profession: Indiana Becoming Licensed

Advocating for Your Profession: Indiana Becoming licensed To become a LMHC (Licensed Mental Health Counselor) in Indiana, an individual must have at least a master's degree with 60 hours of coursework in the field, have completed a supervised clinical practicum, and also have 3000 post-degree hours of experience in the field (Becoming licensed in Indiana, 2011, Indiana Counseling). After being certified, the counselor is expected to pursue continuing education in his or her profession.

The 2005 ACA Code of Ethics strongly advises counselors to seek to continue their education in the profession (C.2.g) but the state of Indiana actually mandates that licensed counselors must devote 20 hours per year to their education. Two challenges One of the challenges faced by Indiana counselors has been the difficulty of new graduates finding employment. Many agencies could not hire new graduates due to licensure requirements of insurance companies and government programs.

To address this issue the Indiana Legislature passed an amendment to licensure law to create a new category: Licensed Mental Health Counselor Associate (LMHCA) for recent graduates of mental health counseling graduate programs who have not yet accumulated the 3000 post-degree hours necessary for regular licensure (Licensing board update, 2011, Indiana Counseling). As well as improving the job prospects for candidates, this will also expand the potential field of counselors by facilitating the process of hiring new graduates for social service agencies.

Agencies can immediately send new graduates to work for underserved populations. Finally, this new measure helps to answer the age-old dilemma of: 'how do I get the experience required for my licensure, if no one will give me experience until I am licensed?' A second issue of interest in the counseling profession is the specific need for counselors well-versed in addiction issues. Drug addiction is one of the most serious problems currently afflicting the population, and counselors need knowledge that is tailored to the needs of this demographic.

With this in mind, the Indiana Legislature approved the category of Licensed Addictions Counselor (LAC). Current addiction specialists have aided the state licensing board in implementing the requirements for this new subspecialty. Counselors with a background in addictions can be grandfathered in and become LACs while those without such a background must pursue specific coursework in this area (Licensing board update, 2011, Indiana Counseling).

Ethical issues While the 2005 ACA Code of Ethics according to E.13.d stipulates that counselors must avoid potentially harmful relationships with clients of a sexual nature, the Indiana counseling board notes that these are not the most frequently reported troublesome practices of therapists. Substance abuse, rather than "financial or sexual irregularities" is the most serious issue that comes up when new applicants for counselor licensure and counselors seeking renewal of their license "make a personal appearance before the licensing board to discuss potential problems" (Licensing board update, 2011, Indiana Counseling).

A conviction of DUI or some other drug-related offense can "trigger an appearance before the board, probationary license status, and a number of other consequences" (Licensing board update, 2011, Indiana Counseling).

This pertains to the ethical code C.2.g that states: "Counselors are alert to the signs of impairment from their own physical, mental, or emotional problems and refrain from offering or providing professional services when such impairment is likely to harm a client or others." Additionally, one of the requirements for licensure in the first place is that the counselor cannot be convicted of an offense that would negatively impact his or her ability to provide care.

Other frequent ethical conundrums that arise pertain to administration of tests, and counselors' qualifications. Counselors must "practice in specialty areas new to them only after appropriate education, training, and supervised experience." (C.2.b) and counselors must "utilize only those testing and assessment services for which the y have been trained and are competent" and must do so in a culturally sensitive manner (E.2.a).

Although counselors may be called upon to prevent quantitative data about a client's complaints or issue, data from standardized tests must be contextualized so it does not present a misleading portrait of the client. Practicing in Indiana The Indiana Counselors Association (ICA) has been active in agitating for greater representation of the profession in legislative affairs. For example, when legislation to reduce Medicare coverage of state-licensed professional counselors and marriage and family therapists was introduced in the Senate, the ICA lobbied against its passage. Another piece of legislation S. 604,.