How to Become a Licensed Professional Counselor in Idaho

How Do I Become a Licensed Professional Counselor in Idaho?

In the state of Idaho, there are many levels of licensing as well as registration for a mental health counselor. If you are enrolled in an Idaho college/university, you will begin being a Registered Counselor Intern. After that, you will be a Licensed Professional Counselor also known as LPC. After that, you will be a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, also known as LCPC. Gradually, you can earn each of these titles when you have received the standard level of expertise and have also passed and successfully completed the required exams.

What Are the Requirements to Become a Counselor in Idaho?

To become a counselor in Idaho, you will have to meet a variety of requirements. You are required to have a master’s degree or a doctoral-level degree. You also have to meet the requirements may come to coursework in graduate level practicum. To become a counselor in Idaho, college or university you were enrolled at minus have been accredited by the CAC REP.

You must have 60 semester graduate hours in the following areas. The school that you obtained these programs from must be regionally accredited:

• Human growth/development
• Cultural/social foundations
• Helping relationships
• Groups
• Career/lifestyle development
• Professional orientation
• Research/evaluation
• Individual appraisal

What Are the Supervised Experience Requirements to Become a Counselor in Idaho?

To become a clinical professional counselor in Idaho, you are required to have 2000 hours in post licensure client contact experience. This will be earned over time span of two years. This can also be earned in any state. You are required to have at least 1,000 supervised hours any verified clinical professional counselor. The remaining hours you have left be supervised by a psychiatrist, clinical, counseling psychologist, clinical social worker, or family and marriage therapist. For every 30 hours, you will need one-hour face-to-face supervision.

What Are the Examination Requirements to Become a Counselor in Minnesota?

To become him a licensed professional counselor in the state of Idaho, you will need to pass and successfully complete the national counselor exam through the National Board for Certified Counselors. The state of Idaho administers the national exam via computer, which means you can sit for the exam at any certified test location in Boise or nationwide. You will need to schedule the exam with a testing center, which typically operates during standard business hours, Monday through Friday.

Downloadable registration for the exam can be found on the Idaho Licensing Board of Professional Counselors. You are advised to send the original application that you signed with the $195 fee. Your official transcript that proves a have a master’s degree in counseling related field should also be attached to the signed application. There is a four weeks processing wait time.

You can use the Idaho State Licensing Board to apply for a counselor application. If the counseling program you attended was not accredited by CACREP, you will need to fill out addendum I. You will also need to attach verification of supervision as well as practice. This will need to be signed and notarized by the supervisor you had and then will need to be returned in a secure, sealed envelope.

The requirement for you to submit all these materials is seven days prior to the following board meeting.

Counseling Career Outlook In Idaho

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual salary of $55,520 for mental health, substance abuse, and behavioral disorder counselors in the state of Idaho and a median hourly wage of $23.90. An individual's salary is affected by the type of license held, the area of specialization chosen, level of experience, and the location of a counselor's practice.

Schools with Degree Programs Accepting Students from Idaho

Additional Resoruces for Idaho Applicants:

• Idaho Psychologist Licensing
• Idaho Social Work Licensing
• Idaho Marriage and Family Therapist Licensing
• Explore Additional Counseling Careers

2022 US Bureau of Labor Statistics substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors are based on national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed August 2023.