Copyright 2009 NorCATA: Northern California Art Therapy Association. All Rights Reserved.
Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) applications are now available on the Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) website for those seeking grandparenting, reciprocity, traditional, and out-of-state paths to licensure. Please visit www.bbs.ca.gov/ and http://calpcc.org/ for more information about licensure requirements, providers of the required coursework, study guides, and dates for the examinations.
This is very exciting news! NorCATA has been working for the past eight years to bring counselor licensure to California and in January 1, 2010 it became law.
Additionally, legislation to extend the LPCC “grandparenting” period until December 31, 2011, was signed by the Governor on August 1, 2011. Grandparenting applications must be postmarked by December 31, 2011. Legislation was also signed repealing the amendment requiring individuals granted an LPCC license during the grandparenting period, that do not possess an MFT or LCSW license, to be subject to further examinations in order to renew the LPCC license. Also passed was legislation allowing applicants seeking licensure during the grandparenting period to obtain the required supervised hours of experience under a “professional clinical counselor, or equivalent.
The BBS was given an exception to the state hiring freeze in order to hire staff to implement the LPCC license. This is good news, since it will mean that application evaluations can be accomplished in a timely manner. However, it is to your advantage to submit completed applications and all documentation required to prevent further delays. The fewer times the BBS staff needs to request more information from an applicant, the faster an application will move through the process.
Thank you California Association for Licensed Professional Clinical Counselors’ (CALPCC) for being instrumental in bringing the LPCC to California.
CALPCC was created to protect the license and to serve newly licensed professional clinical counselors. CALPCC was formerly the California Coalition for Counselor Licensure (CCCL), the original organization that led the successful effort to achieve licensure for counselors in California. CALPCC’s leaders will utilize their relationships in Sacramento and their knowledge of the legislative/advocacy process to ensure the effectiveness and credibility of the LPCC. If you are pursuing the LPCC, please consider becoming a CALPCC member in addition to becoming a NorCATA member.
Erendira Lopez
Legislative Affairs Director
Current Licensure News and Updates
