Kentucky asks more supervised hours than most states: 4,000 for its Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) licence, all earned after your master’s. Applicants qualify on the exam with either the National Counselor Examination (NCE) or the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination (NCMHCE), and most work toward the LPCC first as a Licensed Professional Counselor Associate (LPCA).
- Which exam does Kentucky accept for the LPCC?
- Either the NCE or the NCMHCE. Kentucky’s regulation, effective February 16, 2024, requires an LPCC applicant to obtain a passing score on one of the two NBCC exams.
- How many hours does Kentucky require?
- At least 4,000 hours of supervised counseling experience, all obtained after your master’s degree. They must include at least 1,600 hours of direct counseling with individuals, couples, families or groups, and at least 100 hours of individual, face-to-face clinical supervision with an approved supervisor.
- How often do I meet my supervisor?
- Three times a month for an hour each in full-time practice (25 clock hours or more a week), or one hour for every 30 hours of client contact in part-time practice, under the board’s supervision regulation.
- Does Kentucky require a CACREP degree?
- Yes, with one closing exception. Applicants need a master’s, specialist or doctoral degree in counseling or a related field with at least 60 graduate semester hours, from a CACREP-accredited program — unless they enrolled on or before January 15, 2015, stayed continuously enrolled and graduated by May 31, 2020.
- What does it cost, and how do I apply?
- The LPCC application fee is $150 and the LPCA fee is $50; LPCC renewal is $150 a year. Applications are made online through the state’s eServices system, where LPCAs log in to apply for the LPCC.