SEC. 73-30-9. Issuance of licenses.
The board shall issue a license as a licensed professional counselor, without regard to race, religion, sex, or national origin, to each applicant who furnishes satisfactory evidence of the following:
(a) The applicant has completed an application on a form prescribed by the board accompanied by a nonrefundable initial licensing fee of One Hundred Dollars ($100.00);
(b) The applicant is at least twenty-one (21) years of age;
(c) The applicant is of good moral character;
(d) The applicant is a resident of or pays income tax in the State of Mississippi;
(e) The applicant is not in violation of any of the provisions of this chapter and the rules and regulations adopted hereunder;
(f) The applicant shall have an earned doctoral degree primarily in counseling, guidance or related counseling field, or have a master's degree or educational specialist's degree from a regionally or nationally accredited college or university program in counselor education or a related counseling program subject to board approval. The master's degree or educational specialist's degree shall consist of a program of not less than sixty (60) acceptable semester hours or ninety (90) acceptable quarter hours. Persons applying for licensure with a master's degree of less than sixty (60) semester hours or ninety (90) quarter hours may complete the additional coursework required without earning an additional degree, provided the coursework is in a regionally or nationally accredited college or university program in counseling or a related field. Proof of same must be submitted in the form of an updated transcript to the board when reapplying for licensure. All applicants shall provide official transcripts of all graduate work.
(g) The applicant must pass the examination approved by the board, as set forth in Section 73-30-7 (5).
(h) The applicant has had two (2) years of supervised experience in professional counseling, or its equivalent, acceptable to the board, one (1) year of which may be concurrent with the pursuit of the master's degree program. Applicant shall submit verification of previous employment.
SOURCES: Laws, 1985, ch. 354, Sec. 5, eff from and after July 1, 1985.
1997 Amendment
SECTION 55. Section 73-30-9, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
73-30-9. The board shall issue a license as a licensed professional counselor, without regard to race, religion, sex or national origin, to each applicant who furnishes satisfactory evidence of the following:
(a) The applicant has completed an application on a form prescribed by the board accompanied by a nonrefundable initial licensing fee of One Hundred Dollars ($100.00);
(b) The applicant is at least twenty-one (21) years of age;
(c) The applicant is of good moral character;
(d) The applicant is a resident of or pays income tax in the State of Mississippi;
(e) The applicant is not in violation of any of the provisions of this chapter and the rules and regulations adopted hereunder;
(f) The applicant shall have an earned doctoral degree primarily in counseling, guidance or related counseling field, or have a master's degree or educational specialist's degree from a regionally or nationally accredited college or university program in counselor education or a related counseling program subject to board approval. The master's degree or educational specialist's degree shall consist of a program of not less than sixty (60) acceptable semester hours or ninety (90) acceptable quarter hours. Persons applying for licensure with a master's degree of less than sixty (60) semester hours or ninety (90) quarter hours may complete the additional coursework required without earning an additional degree, provided the coursework is in a regionally or nationally accredited college or university program in counseling or a related field. Proof of same must be submitted in the form of an updated transcript to the board when reapplying for licensure. All applicants shall provide official transcripts of all graduate work.
(g) The applicant must pass the examination approved by the board, as set forth in Section 73-30-7(5).
(h) The applicant has had two (2) years of supervised experience in professional counseling, or its equivalent, acceptable to the board, one (1) year of which may be concurrent with the pursuit of the master's degree program. Applicant shall submit verification of previous employment.
Each application or filing made under this section shall include the Social Security number(s) of the applicant in accordance with Section 93-11-64, Mississippi Code of 1972.
SOURCE: 1997 Laws, Chapter 588, Sec. 55, SB2164, Effective July 1, 1997.
Note: 1997 Laws, Chapter 588, Sec. 150, states as follows:
SECTION 150. Any person or entity shall be absolutely immune from any liability arising from compliance with the dictates of this act unless such conduct by the person or entity is willful and intentional.