Questions about LPCC Internship 

What is the supervision requirement for LPCCs?
The LPCC license requires 3,000 hours of post-degree supervised hours over a two-year period. 

Do the supervised hours I earned in my graduate education count?
Hours gained pre-degree do not count toward this post-degree requirement.  This is the national standard for professional counselors.

After I graduate and register with the BBS, what is my title?

After graduation and registering for a number with the BBS, your title would be Associate Professional Clinical Counselor (APCC). Before 2019, the term was Professional Clinical Counselor Intern (PCCI), but recent legislative changes changed these titles across mental health professional fields. While the term now is "associate", please know that job boards and the like may still use the term "intern". 

How do I register as an Associate?

You need to apply to the BBS and submit all of the LPCC education requirements, and if approved, you will receive a registration number and instructions for your associateship/internship.  Your supervised hours start counting when you have a registration number.  The exception is that recent graduates can start counting hours before they receive a registration number, if they apply within 90 days of conferral of their degree.  These associates have up to 12 months, from the date of their deficiency letter, to complete deficiencies while they are earning hours. 

The supervision must take place in a setting that lawfully and regularly provides mental health counseling or psychotherapy and provides oversight for an APCC.

Do I take exams during my internship?

Effective January 1, 2016, associates will be required to take the California LPCC Law and Ethics Exam during their first year of internship.  When they have completed their supervised hours, they will apply to take the National Clinical Mental Health Counselor Exam (NCMHCE).  

Who can supervise me?
An approved supervisor has been licensed for at least two years in California as a LPCC, LMFT, LCSW, clinical psychologist or a physician who is certified in psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.  A supervisor must have received at least 6 hours of professional training in supervision and his or her license must be current and valid.  If the supervisor's license is not current and valid, an associate's hours won't count.

My husband is a psychologist, can he supervise me?
No, your supervisor may not be a spouse or relative by blood or marriage, nor can it be a person with whom you have had a personal, professional or business relationship that undermines the authority or effectiveness of the supervision.

Can I do my supervised hours in a private practice?
You can earn hours in a private practice setting once you are registered as an Associate with the BBS, but not before.

Can I be an independent contractor as an Associate?
No, you must be an employee or a volunteer.