California Coalition for Counselor Licensure

Can counselors take examinations for grandparenting now?

The National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) will administer the NCE and the NCMHCE for the grandfathering process. Counselors, who have already passed the NCE or the CRCE, will request that their scores be forwarded to the BBS at the appropriate time. The NCMHCE is only administered for licensure, so unless a counselor took it in another state, he or she will need to take it in California.  Counselors can take these exams any time between now and the end of the grandparenting period.  They can also use the 12 months after their letter of deficiencies from the BBS to take exams.

View Examinations for Grandparenting to see schedules for taking the national exams.

 

Can counselors begin reviewing for the exams now?

View Examinations for Grandparenting to view study guides and workshops to prepare for the NCE and the NCMHCE.

What is included in the Jurisprudence Exam and when can counselors take it for grandfathering?

A separate jurisprudence exam on California law and professional ethics is a necessary addition to national exams. The Jurisprudence Exam for the LPCC in California is currently under development and will likely include questions about the law and unprofessional conduct, which begins with Section 4999.82 in the LPCC bill.  The Law and Ethics course, which is required for licensure, should be a good review for this exam.

The Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) will be developing and administering this exam. and anticipates that it will be ready about February 2011.   CCCL will provide information as it becomes available about training and/or exam preparation.

Will MFTs and LCSWs need to take an exam?

At its July 28, 2010 Board meeting, the BBS reversed its earlier decision and determined that MFTs will need to pass an exam on the differences between the practice of marriage and family therapy and the practice of professional clinical counseling and LCSWs will need to pass an exam on the differences between the practice of social work and the practice of professional clinical counseling.  The Office of Professional Examination Services (OPES) and Applied Measurement Services (AMS) will be developing these "gap" exams to cover these differences, which appear to be in the areas of research, appraisal/testing and career development.  CCCL will post additional information, as it becomes available.