Alabama Administrative Code Chapter 255-X-3 — Qualifications for LPC and ALC; Supervising Counselor; Exceptions for Supervision by Supervising Counselor; Supervising Associate

255 Alabama Board of Examiners in Counseling

Ala. Admin. Code r. 255-X-3-.01 Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)

(1) General. All applicants must meet the qualifications specified in Code of Ala. 1975, §34-8A-7(l) through (6).

(2) Education.

(a) Effective January 1, 2024, a master's degree in counseling must be a conferred degree from a CACREP (Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs) or CORE (Commission on Rehabilitation and Education)-accredited program, or a regionally accredited program with CACREP or CORE-equivalent content. The degree must comprise of at least 60 graduate semester hours or 90 graduate quarter hours from a regionally accredited institution and include the academic areas outlined in paragraph 2(b).

(b) All applicants shall have a master's degree in counseling from a CACREP (Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs) accredited program or CACREP equivalent.

Content equivalence is minimally defined as graduate course work in each of the following academic areas (acceptable area content must be based on focal content (primary) rather than ancillary (secondary) emphasis in the courses used to meet each area requirement:

1. Counseling Theory: Includes studies of theories, principles and techniques of clinical mental health counseling and their application to professional counseling settings and treatment of mental health and emotional disorders.

2. Human Growth and Development: Includes studies that provide a broad understanding of the nature and needs of individuals at all developmental levels; normal and abnormal human behavior; psychopathology; personality theory; life-span theory; and learning theory within cultural context.

3. Social and Multicultural Foundations: Includes studies that provide a broad understanding of societal changes and trends; human roles; societal subgroups; social and mores and interaction patterns; multicultural and pluralistic trends; differing lifestyles; and major societal concerns including trauma crisis, stress, person abuse, substance abuse, discrimination and methods for alleviating these concerns.

4. The Helping Relationship: Includes studies that provide a broad understanding of philosophic bases of helping processes; counseling theories and their clinical applications; basic and advanced helping skills; consultation theories and their applications; client and helper self-understanding and self-development; facilitation of client or consultee change diagnostic process including differential diagnosis; etiology, nomenclature, treatment, referral, and prevention of mental and emotional disorders.

5. Group Dynamics, Processing and Counseling: Includes studies that provide a broad understanding of group development, dynamics, and counseling theories; group leadership styles; basic and advanced group counseling methods and skills; and other group approaches.

6. Lifestyle and Career Development: Includes studies that provide a broad understanding of career development theories; occupational and educational information sources and systems; career and leisure counseling, guidance, and education; lifestyle and career decision-making; career development program planning, resources, and effectiveness evaluation.

7. Appraisal of Individuals: Includes studies that provide a broad understanding of group and individual educational and psychometric theories and approaches to appraisal and assessment; data and information gathering methods; validity and reliability; psychometric statistics; factors influencing appraisals; and use of appraisal results in diagnostic and helping processes. Additionally, the specific ability to administer and interpret tests and inventories to assess abilities, behaviors, interests, and identify career options is necessary.

8. Research and Evaluation: Includes studies that provide a broad understanding of types of research and their application and use in clinical mental health counseling practices; basic statistics; research-report development; research implementation; program evaluation; needs assessment; publication of research information; and ethical and legal considerations.

9. Professional Orientation: Includes studies that provide a broad understanding of clinical mental health counseling roles and functions; professional goals and objectives; professional organizations and associations; professional history and trends; ethical and legal standards of clinical mental health counseling; clinical mental health counselor preparation standards; professional licensure and credentialing; and legislation and government policy relevant to clinical mental health counseling.

10. Practicum: Provides for the development of individual and group counseling skills under supervision. The practicum must be taken through a regionally accredited institution, for a total of one hundred (100) clock hours. A minimum of forty (40) clock hours must be direct service work with clients. At least 80% of the direct service work with clients in the practicum must be in counseling sessions with clients. Assessment activities with clients may not account for more than 20% of the direct services in the practicum. A minimum of one (1) clock hour per week must be of individual supervision by program faculty, and a minimum of one and one-half (1 1/2) clock hours per week must be group supervision.

11. Internship: Provides an opportunity for the student to perform all the activities that a regularly employed staff member in the setting would be expected to perform. The internship must be a minimum of six hundred (600) clock hours, to include: a minimum of two hundred and forty (240) hours of direct service work with clients. At least 80% of the direct service work with clients in the internship must be in counseling sessions with clients. Assessment activities with clients may not account for more than 20% of the direct services in the internship. A minimum of (1) clock hour per week must be of individual supervision by program-by-program faculty, and a minimum of one and one-half (1 ½ clock hours per week must be group supervision.

(3) Experience.

(a) The experience requirements for applicants are set out in Code of Ala. 1975, §34-8A-7(5), and in Section 255-X-3-.02 of the rules and regulations of the board. No accrual of required supervised experience shall occur until the Associate Licensed Counselor license has been issued.

(b) Applicants must have three thousand (3000) hours of supervised experience in professional counseling with Board approved supervision.

1. Three thousand (3000) hours of required supervised experience in professional counseling acceptable to the Board must include the following minimum requirements:

(i) Two thousand, two hundred and fifty (2,250) hours will be direct counseling service with individuals, couples, families, or groups;

(ii) Seven hundred and fifty (750) hours will be indirect counseling services to include, but not limited to, documentation, consultation, referral development, etc.

2. An applicant may subtract one thousand hours of the required professional experience for every 15 graduate semester hours or 22.5 quarter hours obtained beyond the master’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university, provided that such hours are clearly related to the field of professional counseling, are focused on increasing knowledge and use of skills in the private practice of counseling in one or more of the following areas: counseling theory and practice, human growth and development, social and multicultural foundations, helping relationships, group dynamics, lifestyle and career development, appraisal of individuals, research and evaluation, or professional orientation, and are acceptable to the Board.

However, in no case may the applicant have less than one thousand hours of the required professional experience. Formal graduate course work utilized as continuing education for licensure renewal cannot also be utilized as a substitute for supervised experience required to become a Licensed Professional Counselor. Formal graduate course work used as a substitution for supervised experience to become a Licensed Professional Counselor cannot also be utilized as continuing education for licensure renewal.

If a reduction of supervised experience hours is granted, the 1,000 hours of client hours subtracted from the required professional experience will be applied as follows: 750 hours will be applied to the direct counseling service requirement, and 250 hours will be applied to the indirect counseling service requirement.

3. The remaining two thousand hours of the required supervised professional experience must include the following minimum requirements:

(i) Fifteen hundred (1,500) hours will be direct counseling service with individuals, couples, families or groups;

(ii) Five hundred (500) hours will be indirect counseling services to include, but not limited to, documentation, consultation, referral development, etc.

4. The remaining one thousand hours of the required supervised professional experience must include the following minimum requirements:

(i) Seven hundred and fifty (750) hours will be direct counseling service with individuals, couples, families or groups;

(ii) Two hundred and fifty (250) hours will be indirect counseling services to include, but not limited to, documentation, consultation, referral development, etc. See Admin. Code 255-X-2-.14 Conflicts.

(4) Examination. All applicants not falling within the provisions of Code of Ala. 1975, §34-8A-23, must demonstrate professional competence in counseling by passing an examination as provided in Code of Ala. 1975, §34-8A-7(6).

(5) Character and Professional Integrity. All applicants shall furnish the requisite number of references and endorsements required by the application form adopted by the Board pursuant to Code of Ala. 1975, §34-8A-7.

History

• Author: Alabama State Board of Examiners in Counseling
• Authority: Code of Ala. 1975, §§34-8A-5, et seq.
• Filed September 30, 1982. Amended: Filed February 5, 1988. Amended: Filed March 30, 1993. Amended: Filed January 16, 1996; effective February 20, 1996. Amended: Filed November 26, 1996; effective December 31, 1996. Amended: Filed September 22, 1997; effective October 27, 1997. Amended: Filed August 12, 1998; effective September 16, 1998. Amended: Filed March 1, 2000; effective April 5, 2000. Amended: Filed September 25, 2000; effective October 30, 2000. Amended: Filed May 16, 2001; effective June 20, 2001. Amended: Filed March 22, 2002; effective April 26, 2002. Amended: Filed May 30, 2003; effective July 4, 2003. Amended: Filed November 9, 2006; effective December 14, 2006. Amended: Filed August 4, 2010; effective September 8, 2010. Amended: Filed July 14, 2016; effective August 28, 2016. Amended: Published September 30, 2021; effective November 14, 2021. Amended: Published August 31, 2022; effective October 15, 2022. Amended: Published November 30, 2022; effective January 14, 2023. Amended: Published October 20, 2023; effective December 15, 2023. Amended: Published April 30, 2025; effective June 14, 2025.

Ala. Admin. Code r. 255-X-3-.02 Associate Licensed Counselor (ALC)

(1) General. All applicants must meet the qualifications set out in Code of Ala. 1975, §34-8A-7(l) through (4).

(2) Education.

(a) All applicants must meet the educational requirements set out in Code of Ala. 1975, §34-8A-7(4).

(b) All applicants must meet the educational requirements set forth in Rule 255-X-3-.01(2).

(3) Character and Professional Integrity. All applicants must supply references and endorsement as required by the application forms adopted by the Board pursuant to Code of Ala. 1975, §34-8A-7.

(4) Plan of Supervision.

(a) Applicants for associate licensed counselor must furnish to the Board, on a form approved by the Board, a Proposed Plan of Supervision (PPoS) by a Supervising Counselor. The hours of supervision listed in the plan for supervision are to be provided by the Supervising Counselor whose signature appears on the document. The Supervising Counselor must personally provide to the ALC a minimum annual average of one hundred (100) hours. Of the 50 direct supervision hours required annually, 25 hours must be conducted individually, in-person, one-to-one, real-time, primarily focusing on client care, and the remaining 25 hours of supervision hours can be conducted virtually if the Supervising Counselor has completed at least two (2) hours of board-approved training in tele/virtual supervision. If the Supervising Counselor has not completed a minimum of two (2) hours of virtual supervision training, 50 hours of direct supervision must be in person. The remaining 50 hours of required supervision may be met through "other" approved supervision activities in accordance with ABEC Law, Codes and Rules.

ALC’s must provide these in-person and virtual counseling service hours to clients located within the State of Alabama at the time of service.

All supervision of an ALC is to be provided by the Supervising Counselor identified on the license of the ALC. Concurrent supervision is supervision of the direct service provided by an ALC by more than one supervisor for the same clients in order to meet licensure or certification requirements of an entity other than the Alabama Board of Examiners in Counseling. Concurrent supervision of an ALC’s service to the same clients by more than one supervisor is prohibited by the Alabama Board of Examiners in Counseling.

Any LPC-S who has received two (2) hours of continuing education training in providing virtual supervision as required by 255-X-3-.03 must be provided in accordance with Alabama Law and Code, and ABEC Codes and Rules.

(b) Applicants must comply with the following regulations:

1. The supervised ALC must submit the proposed plan of supervision to the Alabama Board of Examiners in Counseling.

2. A supervision progress report, on a form provided by the Board, must be submitted at the end of the supervision, by the Supervising Counselor whose name appears on the plan for supervision required in 255-X-3-.02(4)(a). Final supervision reports must verify a minimum of (an average of) one hundred (100) total hours of supervision each week for the duration of the supervision. At least twenty-five (25) of those hours must be individual, in-person, one-to-one, real-time, primarily focused on client care. Any supervision reports representing less than a minimum of one hundred (100) hours of total supervision each week for the duration of the supervision shall have the ALC’s total client service hours for the supervised time period with that supervisor prorated to match the percentage of the supervision when compared to the required supervision hours. Only counseling experience supervised by the Supervising Counselor whose name appears on the ALC’s license may accrue toward meeting the supervised experience requirements in 255-X-3-.01(3)(b).

Final supervision reports shall be submitted to the board no later than thirty (30) days after the termination of supervision. A Supervising Counselor must submit a final supervision progress report to the board upon the termination of supervision of the ALC for any reason. Any disputes concerning the content of supervision progress reports must be resolved by the ALC and Supervising Counselor before the submission of the report.

3. Both the Supervising Counselor and the ALC have responsibility for maintaining ongoing records of supervision sessions and records of direct and indirect counseling service. The records are to be available for review by both parties to verify data contained in supervision progress reports. These records must also be available for examination by the Alabama Board of Examiners in Counseling for a period of three years following termination of the ALC’s supervision.

4. The Supervising Counselor has clinical authority concerning the functioning of the ALC in order to maintain ultimate responsibility for the welfare of every client.

5. All Supervising Counselor must establish and exercise oversight of client care with all clients of ALCs whom they supervise to plan effective service delivery procedures. The progress of the practice shall be monitored to ensure that full professional responsibility and liability will be accepted by the supervising LPC for all services rendered. The supervising LPC shall be available for emergency consultation and intervention.

6. The Supervising Counselor shall establish and maintain a level of supervisory contact consistent with the Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice approved by the Alabama Board of Examiners in Counseling and be fully accountable in the event that professional, ethical, or legal issues are raised. The ALC shall have read and shall be bound by the Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice.

7. Associate Licensed Counselors performing counseling services must be under the exclusive supervision of the Supervising Counselor required in 255-X-3-.02(4)(a).

8. The practices of the ALC shall be commensurate with the skills of the ALC and all practice procedures shall be planned in consultation with the Supervising Counselor.

9. Associate Licensed Counselors performing counseling services or announcing such services to the public or professional community shall clarify that they are under the supervision of the Supervising Counselor. In performing or announcing counseling services in which the term, or any derivative of the term, “Associate Licensed Counselor” is employed, such descriptions must be offered in the following manner: “John Doe, M.A., Associate Licensed Counselor under the supervision of Jane Smith, Ph.D., Supervising Counselor.” Activities that are not performance or announcement of counseling services (e.g., presentations, etc.) shall not require such a description.

10. The Supervising Counselor is to notify the Board immediately in writing of any change in the status of the ALC’s supervision or in the event supervision cannot begin upon the issue of the ALC’s license. The Supervising Counselor must submit to the Board a final supervision report, on a form approved by the Board, when the ALC has accrued the required number of supervised experience hours or if the approved plan of supervision is terminated for any reason.

11. After meeting the requirements specified in subdivisions (5) and (6) of Section 34-8A-7 of the Code of Ala. 1975, the Associate Licensed Counselor must petition the Board in writing to be reviewed for licensure as a licensed professional counselor.

12. Licensees must continue supervision to maintain their ALC license. If a licensee is no longer under LPC-S supervision their ALC license is invalid, and they cannot provide clinical services. They must return their license certificate to the ABEC until that time that they acquire a Supervising Counselor approved as an LPC-S by ABEC, submit a new PPoS, and are issued a new ALC license certificate. This will include the time that the licensee has applied for, and is awaiting the Board review of, their LPC or other applications.

(5) Examination Option. Applicants for associate licensed counselor may opt for examination at the completion of their educational requirement as set out in Code of Ala. 1975, §34-8A-7(4), or they may defer examination until completion of the experience requirement set out in Code of Ala. 1975, §34-8A-7(5).

(6) ALC’s Applying for LPC Licensure. ALC’s who have applied for LPC licensure will be required to provide, at the time of their LPC application, documentation of continuing education for their time as an ALC since their last renewal.

(a) The standard Continuing Education (CE) hourly requirement for ALC’s shall be prorated to account for the time since the ALC’s last renewal. ALC’s must submit documentation to show that they have accrued o.83 continuing education contact hours for each month, or part thereof, of their ALC since their last renewal. This number will be rounded up to the nearest whole number.

(b) The hours of continuing education required for LPC application must contain a minimum of two (2) CE clock hours of continuing education devoted to ethical concerns for practice, assessment, supervision, or research in counseling. In the event the applicant only needs one (1) or two (2) CE hours, then those hours must be in ethics.

History

• Author: Alabama Board of Examiners in Counseling
• Authority: Code of Ala. 1975, §§34-8A-1, et seq.
• Filed September 30, 1982. Amended: Filed February 5, 1988; Filed March 30, 1993. Amended: Filed March 21, 1995; effective April 25, 1995. Amended: Filed January 16, 1996; effective February 20, 1996. Amended: Filed November 26, 1996; effective December 31, 1996. Amended: Filed September 22, 1997; effective October 27, 1997. Amended: Filed March 1, 2000; effective April 5, 2000. Amended: Filed September 25, 2000; effective October 30, 2000. Amended: Filed March 22, 2002; effective April 26, 2002. Amended: Filed May 30, 2003; effective July 4, 2003. Amended: Filed November 9, 2006; effective December 14, 2006. Amended: Filed July 14, 2016; effective August 28, 2016. Amended: Published February 28, 2022; effective April 14, 2022. Amended (2 certifications filed for this rule in August): Published August 31, 2022; effective October 15, 2022. Amended: Published April 30, 2025; effective June 14, 2025.

Ala. Admin. Code r. 255-X-3-.03 Supervising Counselor

(1) General. Supervising Counselors shall be licensed professional counselors and shall have adequate training, knowledge and skill to render competent clinical supervision.

(2) To be able to provide virtual supervision for licensure, the Supervising Counselor must complete, in the Supervising Counselor training or in other independent CE trainings, two (2) continuing education contact hours in the practices and ethics of providing virtual supervision. This two (2) hour training requirement must only be completed ONCE to be able to offer distance/virtual supervision as an LPC-S.

(3) Licensed professional counselors applying for supervising counselor status must comply with the following requirements.

(a) Experience. Document one of the following:

1. A minimum of five (5) years of full time (20+ hours per week) clinical practice as an ABEC approved Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC).

(b) Training. Document successful completion of an ABEC approved supervisory training programs completed not more than three (3) years prior to submitting the application for Supervising Counselor status.

The applicant must complete:

Alabama Board of Examiners in Counseling (ABEC) approved supervisory training event, for a minimum of twenty-four (24) contact hours. This training must include a review of the theoretical approaches to supervision in mental health services, the practical application of such supervision, a review of ABEC licensure requirements and application processes, and a thorough inclusion and focus on the ABEC Codes, Rules and Code of Ethics in supervision for licensure. This training must also include, at least two (2) continuing education contact hours in the practices and ethics of providing virtual supervision.

Board approval for training events by the training provider must be requested ninety (90) or more days prior to the scheduled training event, and must be accompanied by an overall program description, a detailed curriculum outline, and qualifications of the instructor.

(c) Theoretical Foundation. Present a statement satisfactory to the Board, in typed form, discussing the philosophy and models of supervision, and the applicant's strengths and weaknesses as a potential supervisor. This statement should adequately demonstrate familiarity with the significant legal, ethical, and clinical issues relevant to the supervisory relationship.

(d) Peer Recommendations. The applicant must present to the Board peer recommendations from three (3) LPCs who have a current Alabama license, indicating their views on the applicant's strengths and weaknesses as a potential supervisor.

(e) Limitations of Supervision Practice. No Supervising Counselor may exceed a total of five (5) supervisees currently in supervision for ABEC licensure.

(f) Continuing Education Credit. One (1) contact hour of continuing education credit may be earned for each ten (10) clock hours of supervision of an associate licensed counselor. Up to, but no more than, ten (10) contact hours of continuing education credit may be earned by providing one hundred (100) clock hours of supervision of an associate licensed counselor. A Supervising Counselor may earn up to, but no more than, one (1) contact hour of continuing education credit for each ten (10) clock hours of supervision provided to a licensee who requires supervision of counseling practice as a result of a disciplinary action taken by the board. A Supervising Counselor may earn a maximum of ten (10) contact hours of continuing education credit during a two-year period for supervision provided under this regulation.

(g) Fees. There will be a non-refundable $150.00 fee for the application process for approved supervisors.

(h) Recertification. Recertification/renewal of the LPC-S certification will be a part of the LPC license the LPC-S is based upon. A separate renewal of the LPC-s is not necessary. Maintenance of the Supervisor status shall require that that the LPC-S accrue a minimum of five (5) formal contact clock hours of relevant professional and continued education devoted to supervision during each two-year renewal cycle of the accompanying LPC License. These five (5) hours cannot be from the Continuing Education Credit for LPC-Supervisors. These five (5) hours can count as a part of the required forty (40) hours of continuing education for LPC licensure renewal.

LPC’s who fail to renew their LPC license each two-year period with required five (5) hours devoted to supervision content must reapply to the Board of Supervising Counselor status.

Review of LPC-S’s compliance for continuing education in supervision will be a part of the LPC audit process.

History

• Author: Alabama Board of Examiners in Counseling
• Authority: Code of Ala. 1975, §34-8A-1, et seq.
• New Rule: Filed March 21, 1995; effective April 25, 1995. Amended: Filed September 22, 1997; effective October 27, 1997. Amended: Filed March 1, 2000; effective April 5, 2000. Amended: Filed September 25, 2000; effective October 30, 2000. Amended: Filed May 16, 2001; effective June 20, 2001. Amended: Filed March 22, 2002; effective April 26, 2002. Amended: Filed November 9, 2006; effective December 14, 2006. Amended: Filed September 25, 2012; effective October 30, 2012. Amended: Filed July 14, 2016; effective August 28, 2016. Amended: Published February 28, 2022; effective April 14, 2022. Amended (2 certifications filed for this rule in August): Published August 31, 2022; effective October 15, 2022.

Ala. Admin. Code r. 255-X-3-.04 Exceptions For Supervision By Supervising Counselor (Repealed 8/28/16)

Exceptions For Supervision By Supervising Counselor (Repealed 8/28/16)

History

• Author: Alabama Board of Examiners in Counseling
• Authority: Code of Ala. 1975, §34-8A-1, et seq.
• New Rule: Filed September 22, 1997; effective October 27, 1997; operative January 1, 1998. Amended: Filed September 25, 2000; effective October 30, 2000. Amended: Filed November 9, 2006; effective December 14, 2006. Repealed: Filed July 14, 2016; effective August 28, 2016.

Ala. Admin. Code r. 255-X-3-.05 Supervising Associate (Repealed 8/28/16)

Supervising Associate (Repealed 8/28/16)

History

• Author: Alabama Board of Examiners in Counseling
• Authority: Code of Ala. 1975, §34-8A-1, et seq.
• New Rule: Filed September 22, 1997; effective October 27, 1997. Amended: Filed September 25, 2000; effective October 30, 2000. Repealed: Filed July 14, 2016; effective August 28, 2016.