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Licensure in the United States
Below you will find links to counseling boards or state health departments, because as drama therapists, in general, our work is more closely aligned with counseling than with other licensed professions. We recognize a wide diversity within our field, however, and you may find that your own work (or training) is more in alignment with a different license or credential. We hope this list will give you a place to start in order to find out more about licensing in your region.
Licensing laws vary widely and the laws change. We also encourage you to find ways to think and work outside the box, in order to find gainful and meaningful employment as a drama therapist, whether or not you are able to be licensed. If you do not have a degree in counseling, you may have to advocate strongly for yourself in order to obtain a license. There are many jobs and opportunities, however, which may not require you to have a license. Be creative and diligent!
There are many people working towards licensure in many different locations. Please reach out the Government Affairs Chair and your Regional Representative to get connected to work already being done!
LCAT Fact Sheet
Are you interested in obtaining licensure in New York State? The LCAT Fact Sheet is a guide prepared to assist you in the process. The information contained in the guide includes tips from people who have applied for the LCAT as well as information from the NYS Office of the Professions.
New Jersey Taskforce
The Drama and Dance/Movement Therapists in New Jersey have become the New Jersey Taskforce and have been diligently working towards seeking licensure (LCDT- Licensed Clinical Drama and Dance/Movement Therapists). Currently, they are gathering legislative sponsors in both the Assembly and the Senate. To find out more about New Jersey efforts, please contact the Government Affairs Chair at governmentaffairs@nadta.org.
LINKS FOR COUNSELING LICENSES
Alabama
The Alabama Board of Examiners in Counseling
Alaska
Board of Professional Counselors
www.commerce.state.ak.us/occ/ppco.htm
Arizona
Arizona Board of Behavioral Health Examiners http://www.azbbhe.us/licensure%20apps.htm
Arkansas
Arkansas Board of Examiners in Counseling
California
Board of Behavioral Sciences
The Californian Association of Marriage and Family Therapists
Colorado
The Colorado State Board of Professional Counselor Examiners www.dora.state.co.us/mental-health
Connecticut
Department of Public Health
Delaware
Department of State Division of Professional Regulation
District of Columbia Department of Health
Professional Counseling Licensing
Florida
Division of Medical Quality Assurance
Georgia
Georgia Composite Board of Professional Counselors, Social Workers, and Marriage and Family Therapists
www.sos.state.ga.us/plb/counselors
Guam
The only link we found pertaining to counseling in Guam had to do with being a school counselor. This link may be outdated. It is a PDF document, from January 2011, which has information on state requirements for school counseling, which also applies to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
http://www.counseling.org/docs/licensure/schoolcounselingregs2011.PDF?sfvrsn=2
Hawaii
Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Professional and Vocational Licensing www.hawaii.gov/dcca/areas/pvl/programs/mental/
Idaho
Professional Licensing
www.idaho.gov/business/licensing.html
Illinois
Department of Financial and Professional Regulation
www.idfpr.com/dpr/who/prfcns.asp
Indiana
Behavioral Health and Human Services Licensing Board
Iowa
Bureau of Professional Licensure
www.idph.state.ia.us/licensure/
Kansas
Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board
Kentucky
Board of Licensed Professional Counselors
www.lpc.ky.gov/Pages/default.aspx
Louisiana
Professional and Occupational Licenses
http://louisiana.gov/Services/POLicenses/
Licensed Professional Counselors Board of Examiners
Maine
Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation http://www.maine.gov/pfr/professionallicensing/professions.htm
Board of Counseling Professionals http://www.maine.gov/pfr/professionallicensing/professions/counselors/index.htm
Maryland
Department of Health and Mental Hygiene http://dhmh.maryland.gov/SitePages/Home.aspx
The Board of Professional Counselors and Therapists http://dhmh.maryland.gov/bopc/SitePages/Home.aspx
Massachusetts
Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation
Board of Registration of Allied Mental Health and Human Services Professionals http://www.mass.gov/ocabr/licensee/dpl-boards/mh/
Michigan
Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs
Board of Counseling
http://www.michigan.gov/lara/0,4601,7-154-35299_63294_27529_27536---,00.html
Minnesota
Board of Behavioral Health and Therapy
Licensed Professional Counselor http://www.bbht.state.mn.us/Licensing/LicensedProfessionalCounselorLPC/tabid/1148/Default.aspx
NOTE: check for provisions for unlicensed professionals
Mississippi
State Board of Examiners for Licensed Professional Counselors http://www.lpc.ms.gov/lpc/web.nsf
Missouri
Division of Professional Registration
Committee for Professional Counselors
http://pr.mo.gov/counselors.asp
Montana
Department of Labor and Industry
http://bsd.dli.mt.gov/index.asp
Board of Social Work Examiners and Professional Counselors http://bsd.dli.mt.gov/license/bsd_boards/swp_board/board_page.asp
Nebraska
Department of Health and Human Services
http://dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/default.aspx
Certified Professional Counselor http://dhhs.ne.gov/publichealth/Pages/crl_mhcs_mental_cpc.aspx
Nevada
Board of Examiners for Marriage and Family Therapists and Clinical Professional Counselors http://marriage.state.nv.us/
New Hampshire
Board of Mental Health Practice
New Jersey
Department of Law and Public Safety: Division of Consumer Affairs http://njconsumeraffairs.gov/
Board of Marriage and Family Therapy Examiners
http://www.njconsumeraffairs.gov/mft/
New Mexico
Regulation and Licensing Department
http://www.rld.state.nm.us/default.aspx
Counseling and Therapy Practice Board http://www.rld.state.nm.us/boards/Counseling_and_Therapy_Practice.aspx
New York
State Education Department
Office of the Professions
North Carolina
Board of Licensed Professional Counselors
North Dakota
Board of Counselor Examiners:
Ohio
Counselor, Social Worker, and Marriage and Family Therapist Board, (with internal links to applying for a license and FAQs):
Oklahoma
Division of Professional Counselor Licensing: http://www.ok.gov/health//Protective_Health/Professional_Counselor_Licensing_Division/
Oregon
Board of Licensed Professional Counselors and Therapists: http://www.oregon.gov/OBLPCT/Pages/index.aspx
Applying for a license http://www.oregon.gov/oblpct/Pages/applicmethods.aspx#Applying_for_a_license
Pennsylvania
In PA, DT is included in the LPC credential
State Board of Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists, and Professional Counselors: http://www.dos.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/state_board_of_social_workers%2C_marriage_and_fami ly_therapists_and_professional_counselors/12524
NOTE: check for licensure of drama therapy under the guidelines for Professional Counselors in PA
Puerto Rico
The only link pertaining to counseling in Puerto Rico had to do with being a school counselor. This link is a PDF document, from January 2011, which has information on state requirements for school counseling, which also applies to Guam, and the Virgin Islands.
http://www.counseling.org/docs/licensure/schoolcounselingregs2011.PDF?sfvrsn=2
Rhode Island
Department of Health, Healthcare License Information, (scroll down to:) Mental Health & Counseling:
http://www.health.ri.gov/licenses/healthcare/index.php#therapists
South Carolina
Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation: http://www.llr.state.sc.us/POL/Counselors/
South Dakota
Department of Social Services: http://dss.sd.gov/behavioralhealthservices/licensingboards/board_examiners_lpc.asp
Tennessee
Department of Health, Board of Licensed Professional Counselors, Licensed Marital and Family Therapists and Licensed Pastoral Therapists: http://health.state.tn.us/boards/PC_MFT&CPT/
Texas
Department of State Health Services, Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors: http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/counselor/
Utah
Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing:
Vermont
Board of Allied Mental Health, with information on licensed and non-licensed mental health specialists, and the laws pertaining to mental health counseling in VT:
http://vtprofessionals.org/opr1/allied_mental_health/
NOTE: check for provisions for unlicensed professionals in the state of Vermont
Virgin Islands
The only link pertaining to counseling in the Virgin Islands, had to do with being a school counselor. This link is a PDF document, from January 2011, which has information on state requirements for school counseling, which also applies to Puerto Rico, and Guam.
http://www.counseling.org/docs/licensure/schoolcounselingregs2011.PDF?sfvrsn=2
Virginia
Board of Counseling:
http://www.dhp.virginia.gov/counseling/
Department of Health Professions, for information on other kinds of licenses in Virginia:
Washington
Washington State Department of Health, http://www.doh.wa.gov/LicensesPermitsandCertificates/ProfessionsNewReneworUpdate/MentalHealthProfessions.a spx
West Virginia
West Virginia Board of Examiners in Counseling, which includes links on licensure on becoming and LPC, and an MFT in West Virginia, and many additional links
Wisconsin
Professional Counselor License:
http://dsps.wi.gov/Default.aspx?Page=4b15ef4e-f1b5-4754-a283-a04430b230ef
Wyoming
Counselor License Requirements:
http://www.counselor-license.com/states/wyoming-counselor-license.html
Additional Information:
Counselor License Requirements – state by state: (some information may be out of date)
http://www.counselor-license.com/
Click Here to view the Licensing Checklist
Click Here for NADTA Guide to Credential Terms
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