645—31.7 (154D) Clinical experience requirements for mental health counselors.
	 31.7(1) The supervised clinical experience shall:
	  a.   	 Be a minimum of two years or the equivalent of full-time supervised professional work experience in mental health counseling;
	  b.   	 Be completed following completion of the practicum and all graduate coursework, with exception of the thesis;
	  c.   	 Include successful completion of at least 3,000 hours of mental health counseling that shall include at least 1,500 hours of direct client contact and 200 hours of clinical supervision. Applicants who entered a program of study prior to July 1, 2010, shall include successful completion of 200 hours of clinical supervision concurrent with 1,000 hours of mental health counseling conducted in person with couples, families and individuals;
	  d.   	 Include at least 100 of the 200 hours of supervision as individual supervision;
	  e.   	 Include 50 percent (100 hours) of all clinical supervision in person; and
	  f.   	 Have only supervised clinical contact credited for this requirement.
	 31.7(2) To meet the requirements of the supervised clinical experience:
	  a.   	 The supervisee must:
	 (1) 	 Meet with the supervisor a minimum of four hours per month;
	 (2) 	 Offer documentation of supervised hours signed by the supervisor;
	 (3) 	 Compute part-time employment on a prorated basis for the supervised professional experience;
	 (4) 	 Have the background, training, and experience that are appropriate to the functions performed;
	 (5) 	 Have supervision that is clearly distinguishable from personal counseling and is contracted in order to serve professional/vocational goals;
	 (6) 	 Have individual supervision that shall be in person with no more than one supervisor to two supervisees;
	 (7) 	 Have group supervision that may be completed with up to ten supervisees and a supervisor; and
	 (8) 	 Not participate in the following activities which are deemed unacceptable for clinical supervision:
	  1. 	 Peer supervision, i.e., supervision by a person of equivalent, but not superior, qualifications, status, and experience.
	  2. 	 Supervision, by current or former family members, or any other person, in which the nature of the personal relationship prevents, or makes difficult, the establishment of a professional relationship.
	  3. 	 Administrative supervision, e.g., clinical practice performed under administrative rather than clinical supervision of an institutional director or executive.
	  4. 	 A primarily didactic process wherein techniques or procedures are taught in a group setting, classroom, workshop, or seminar.
	  5. 	 Consultation, staff development, or orientation to a field or program, or role-playing of family interrelationships as a substitute for current clinical practice in an appropriate clinical situation.
	  b.   	 The supervisor:
	 (1) 	 May be a licensed mental health counselor in Iowa with at least three years of postlicensure clinical experience; or
	 (2) 	 Shall be approved by the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) as a supervisor; or
	 (3) 	 May be an alternate supervisor who possesses qualifications equivalent to a licensed mental health counselor with at least three years of postlicensure clinical experience, including mental health professionals licensed pursuant to Iowa Code chapter 147; and
	 (4) 	 Shall meet a minimum of four hours per month with the supervisee; and
	 (5) 	 Shall provide training that is appropriate to the functions to be performed; and
	 (6) 	 Shall ensure that therapeutic work is done under the professional supervision of a supervisor; and
	 (7) 	 Shall not supervise any mental health counselor or permit the supervisee to engage in any therapy which the supervisor cannot perform competently.
	 31.7(3) Rescinded IAB 7/6/05, effective 8/10/05.
	 31.7(4) An applicant who has obtained Certified Clinical Mental Health Counselor status with the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) and submits a transcript sent directly from the school to the board is considered to have met the educational and clinical experience requirements of rules 31.6(154D) and 31.7(154D).
[ARC 7673B, IAB 4/8/09, effective 4/30/09]