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New Hampshire Professional Counselor — Requirements & Free Practice

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Licenses, application pathways and examination requirements

Each license and applicant pathway has its own requirements and exemptions. Choosing practice questions does not determine your eligibility.

Clinical Mental Health Counselor License

Ordinary clinical mental health counselor license. Initial examination and endorsement routes are governed by RSA 330-A:19, Mhp 302 and 305, and Plc 313. Generic temporary licensing under Plc 305 is limited to professions not covered by Plc 313; this profession is covered.

Licensing authority: New Hampshire Board of Mental Health Practice / Office of Professional Licensure and Certification · Application information

Licensure by endorsement or reciprocity

All of the following:

Application
Mhp 302.06 directs qualifying endorsement applicants to apply under Mhp 302.05, including its examination records and jurisprudence completion. RSA 310:17 and Plc 313.03 require a criminal-history check when otherwise required for this profession.
Equivalent education
Plc 313.37(a)(1) requires a 60-semester-hour or 90-quarter-hour counseling master’s degree or graduate coursework including the nine topic areas it lists.
Equivalent experience
Plc 313.37(a)(3) requires at least 2,500 hours or two full-time years of supervised postgraduate professional experience.
Existing license
Plc 313.01 requires an active, non-temporary, unrestricted and unencumbered license in good standing from a jurisdiction with substantially similar requirements, verified from the original licensing authority.
Foreign credentials
Plc 313.12 requires NACES- or AICE-member evaluation when endorsement is based on a foreign-jurisdiction license.
Jurisprudence
Mhp 311.01 requires individual open-book examination without consulting others and at least 75 percent; retakes are permitted. OPLC’s notice states Prov proctoring effective April 9, 2026 and no Board or OPLC preapproval to sit.
Other equivalent examination
Plc 313.37(a)(2) also accepts another nationally recognized examination for mental health counselors deemed equivalent by the licensing jurisdiction. The open, unnamed remainder is an applicant condition; NCMHCE is the named registered examination.
Waiver
Plc 313.11 permits a waiver request based on education, training and licensed work experience when the originating jurisdiction’s current criteria do not meet the stated criteria.
Full licensure after military temporary authorization

All of the following:

Application and verification
Submit the Universal Application, mental-health addendum, supervised-experience summary, supervisor confirmation, three professional references (including a supervisor), supporting education records, applicable fees, and examination scores directly from the testing organization under Mhp 302.05 and Plc 303.04.
Character
Provide evidence of good professional character and reliability under Mhp 302.02.
Coursework
Mhp 305.02 requires 33 semester hours: three hours each in human growth and development; abnormal psychology/psychopathology; clinical counseling theories; clinical counseling techniques; social and cultural foundations; group work; professional orientation and ethics; career and lifestyle development; testing and assessment; research and program evaluation; and addictive behaviors.
Criminal history
RSA 330-A:15-a, effective July 1, 2026, requires the release form, fingerprints, and applicant-paid criminal-history check submitted to OPLC; police clearances may be accepted after two invalid fingerprint attempts.
Education
RSA 330-A:19(I) and Mhp 305.01 require a 60-credit CACREP clinical mental health counseling master’s or doctoral degree or the permitted regionally accredited equivalent. The non-CACREP program must meet Mhp 305.01(b), including two academic years and at least 700 practicum or internship hours.
Exam timing
Passing NCMHCE results are required even when the applicant passed before applying. The August 2024 application instructs applicants to pass before submitting; passing beforehand does not remove this currently offered examination from the route.
Jurisprudence
Mhp 311.01 requires individual open-book examination without consulting others and at least 75 percent; retakes are permitted. OPLC’s notice states Prov proctoring effective April 9, 2026 and no Board or OPLC preapproval to sit.
Military temporary license
An existing military temporary license permits practice while completing full-license requirements; full licensure still requires the initial application and all applicable substantive requirements.
Mladc substitution
A current MLADC license may substitute up to 1,500 work-experience hours and up to 50 face-to-face supervision hours; the Board must explain a denial and cannot deny solely because the supervisor holds an MLADC license.
Supervised experience
RSA 330-A:19(III) and Mhp 305.03 require at least two years and 3,000 post-graduate supervised clinical hours, with 100 individual face-to-face supervision hours. Each 1,500-hour year spans 12–24 consecutive months. Board-approved supervision, a supervisor licensed where supervision occurs, approved locations or HIPAA-compliant virtual supervision, and a W-2 relationship in private practice are required; classwork, practicum, internship, independent practice and dual relationships are excluded.
Full license after conditional licensure

All of the following:

Application and verification
Submit the Universal Application, mental-health addendum, supervised-experience summary, supervisor confirmation, three professional references (including a supervisor), supporting education records, applicable fees, and examination scores directly from the testing organization under Mhp 302.05 and Plc 303.04.
Character
Provide evidence of good professional character and reliability under Mhp 302.02.
Coursework
Mhp 305.02 requires 33 semester hours: three hours each in human growth and development; abnormal psychology/psychopathology; clinical counseling theories; clinical counseling techniques; social and cultural foundations; group work; professional orientation and ethics; career and lifestyle development; testing and assessment; research and program evaluation; and addictive behaviors.
Criminal history
RSA 330-A:15-a, effective July 1, 2026, requires the release form, fingerprints, and applicant-paid criminal-history check submitted to OPLC; police clearances may be accepted after two invalid fingerprint attempts.
Education
RSA 330-A:19(I) and Mhp 305.01 require a 60-credit CACREP clinical mental health counseling master’s or doctoral degree or the permitted regionally accredited equivalent. The non-CACREP program must meet Mhp 305.01(b), including two academic years and at least 700 practicum or internship hours.
Exam timing
Passing NCMHCE results are required even when the applicant passed before applying. The August 2024 application instructs applicants to pass before submitting; passing beforehand does not remove this currently offered examination from the route.
Jurisprudence
Mhp 311.01 requires individual open-book examination without consulting others and at least 75 percent; retakes are permitted. OPLC’s notice states Prov proctoring effective April 9, 2026 and no Board or OPLC preapproval to sit.
Mladc substitution
A current MLADC license may substitute up to 1,500 work-experience hours and up to 50 face-to-face supervision hours; the Board must explain a denial and cannot deny solely because the supervisor holds an MLADC license.
Prior conditional license
Complete all full-license requirements and submit a complete initial application supplemented to show compliance with the conditional-license requirements under Plc 304.13.
Supervised experience
RSA 330-A:19(III) and Mhp 305.03 require at least two years and 3,000 post-graduate supervised clinical hours, with 100 individual face-to-face supervision hours. Each 1,500-hour year spans 12–24 consecutive months. Board-approved supervision, a supervisor licensed where supervision occurs, approved locations or HIPAA-compliant virtual supervision, and a W-2 relationship in private practice are required; classwork, practicum, internship, independent practice and dual relationships are excluded.
Regular license after provisional endorsement
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Existing provisional license
An already qualified provisional endorsement licensee whose received criminal-history results show no grounds to deny; OPLC issues the regular license under Plc 313.06(d)(1).
Prior qualification
The qualifying endorsement examination requirements are recorded on the provisional initial route; this conversion requires the background decision rather than another examination.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2024-05-03.

Full license after post graduate supervised practice

All of the following:

Application and verification
Submit the Universal Application, mental-health addendum, supervised-experience summary, supervisor confirmation, three professional references (including a supervisor), supporting education records, applicable fees, and examination scores directly from the testing organization under Mhp 302.05 and Plc 303.04.
Character
Provide evidence of good professional character and reliability under Mhp 302.02.
Coursework
Mhp 305.02 requires 33 semester hours: three hours each in human growth and development; abnormal psychology/psychopathology; clinical counseling theories; clinical counseling techniques; social and cultural foundations; group work; professional orientation and ethics; career and lifestyle development; testing and assessment; research and program evaluation; and addictive behaviors.
Criminal history
RSA 330-A:15-a, effective July 1, 2026, requires the release form, fingerprints, and applicant-paid criminal-history check submitted to OPLC; police clearances may be accepted after two invalid fingerprint attempts.
Education
RSA 330-A:19(I) and Mhp 305.01 require a 60-credit CACREP clinical mental health counseling master’s or doctoral degree or the permitted regionally accredited equivalent. The non-CACREP program must meet Mhp 305.01(b), including two academic years and at least 700 practicum or internship hours.
Exam timing
Passing NCMHCE results are required even when the applicant passed before applying. The August 2024 application instructs applicants to pass before submitting; passing beforehand does not remove this currently offered examination from the route.
Jurisprudence
Mhp 311.01 requires individual open-book examination without consulting others and at least 75 percent; retakes are permitted. OPLC’s notice states Prov proctoring effective April 9, 2026 and no Board or OPLC preapproval to sit.
Mladc substitution
A current MLADC license may substitute up to 1,500 work-experience hours and up to 50 face-to-face supervision hours; the Board must explain a denial and cannot deny solely because the supervisor holds an MLADC license.
Prior supervised practice
Hold approved supervised-practice authorization, complete the required supervision, provide supervisor confirmation and remaining application documents, and complete the criminal-history process under Mhp 302.04.
Supervised experience
RSA 330-A:19(III) and Mhp 305.03 require at least two years and 3,000 post-graduate supervised clinical hours, with 100 individual face-to-face supervision hours. Each 1,500-hour year spans 12–24 consecutive months. Board-approved supervision, a supervisor licensed where supervision occurs, approved locations or HIPAA-compliant virtual supervision, and a W-2 relationship in private practice are required; classwork, practicum, internship, independent practice and dual relationships are excluded.
Initial licensure by examination

All of the following:

Application and verification
Submit the Universal Application, mental-health addendum, supervised-experience summary, supervisor confirmation, three professional references (including a supervisor), supporting education records, applicable fees, and examination scores directly from the testing organization under Mhp 302.05 and Plc 303.04.
Character
Provide evidence of good professional character and reliability under Mhp 302.02.
Coursework
Mhp 305.02 requires 33 semester hours: three hours each in human growth and development; abnormal psychology/psychopathology; clinical counseling theories; clinical counseling techniques; social and cultural foundations; group work; professional orientation and ethics; career and lifestyle development; testing and assessment; research and program evaluation; and addictive behaviors.
Criminal history
RSA 330-A:15-a, effective July 1, 2026, requires the release form, fingerprints, and applicant-paid criminal-history check submitted to OPLC; police clearances may be accepted after two invalid fingerprint attempts.
Education
RSA 330-A:19(I) and Mhp 305.01 require a 60-credit CACREP clinical mental health counseling master’s or doctoral degree or the permitted regionally accredited equivalent. The non-CACREP program must meet Mhp 305.01(b), including two academic years and at least 700 practicum or internship hours.
Exam timing
Passing NCMHCE results are required even when the applicant passed before applying. The August 2024 application instructs applicants to pass before submitting; passing beforehand does not remove this currently offered examination from the route.
Jurisprudence
Mhp 311.01 requires individual open-book examination without consulting others and at least 75 percent; retakes are permitted. OPLC’s notice states Prov proctoring effective April 9, 2026 and no Board or OPLC preapproval to sit.
Mladc substitution
A current MLADC license may substitute up to 1,500 work-experience hours and up to 50 face-to-face supervision hours; the Board must explain a denial and cannot deny solely because the supervisor holds an MLADC license.
Supervised experience
RSA 330-A:19(III) and Mhp 305.03 require at least two years and 3,000 post-graduate supervised clinical hours, with 100 individual face-to-face supervision hours. Each 1,500-hour year spans 12–24 consecutive months. Board-approved supervision, a supervisor licensed where supervision occurs, approved locations or HIPAA-compliant virtual supervision, and a W-2 relationship in private practice are required; classwork, practicum, internship, independent practice and dual relationships are excluded.
Licensure after revocation

All of the following:

Application and verification
Submit the Universal Application, mental-health addendum, supervised-experience summary, supervisor confirmation, three professional references (including a supervisor), supporting education records, applicable fees, and examination scores directly from the testing organization under Mhp 302.05 and Plc 303.04.
Character
Provide evidence of good professional character and reliability under Mhp 302.02.
Coursework
Mhp 305.02 requires 33 semester hours: three hours each in human growth and development; abnormal psychology/psychopathology; clinical counseling theories; clinical counseling techniques; social and cultural foundations; group work; professional orientation and ethics; career and lifestyle development; testing and assessment; research and program evaluation; and addictive behaviors.
Criminal history
RSA 330-A:15-a, effective July 1, 2026, requires the release form, fingerprints, and applicant-paid criminal-history check submitted to OPLC; police clearances may be accepted after two invalid fingerprint attempts.
Education
RSA 330-A:19(I) and Mhp 305.01 require a 60-credit CACREP clinical mental health counseling master’s or doctoral degree or the permitted regionally accredited equivalent. The non-CACREP program must meet Mhp 305.01(b), including two academic years and at least 700 practicum or internship hours.
Exam timing
Passing NCMHCE results are required even when the applicant passed before applying. The August 2024 application instructs applicants to pass before submitting; passing beforehand does not remove this currently offered examination from the route.
Jurisprudence
Mhp 311.01 requires individual open-book examination without consulting others and at least 75 percent; retakes are permitted. OPLC’s notice states Prov proctoring effective April 9, 2026 and no Board or OPLC preapproval to sit.
Mladc substitution
A current MLADC license may substitute up to 1,500 work-experience hours and up to 50 face-to-face supervision hours; the Board must explain a denial and cannot deny solely because the supervisor holds an MLADC license.
Revocation conditions
Apply for initial licensure, meet the preceding two-year continuing-competence requirements, complete any required criminal-record check, comply with the revocation order and waiting period, and pay all penalties and imposed costs under Plc 312.05.
Supervised experience
RSA 330-A:19(III) and Mhp 305.03 require at least two years and 3,000 post-graduate supervised clinical hours, with 100 individual face-to-face supervision hours. Each 1,500-hour year spans 12–24 consecutive months. Board-approved supervision, a supervisor licensed where supervision occurs, approved locations or HIPAA-compliant virtual supervision, and a W-2 relationship in private practice are required; classwork, practicum, internship, independent practice and dual relationships are excluded.
Initial licensure after missing suspension restoration deadline

All of the following:

Application and verification
Submit the Universal Application, mental-health addendum, supervised-experience summary, supervisor confirmation, three professional references (including a supervisor), supporting education records, applicable fees, and examination scores directly from the testing organization under Mhp 302.05 and Plc 303.04.
Character
Provide evidence of good professional character and reliability under Mhp 302.02.
Coursework
Mhp 305.02 requires 33 semester hours: three hours each in human growth and development; abnormal psychology/psychopathology; clinical counseling theories; clinical counseling techniques; social and cultural foundations; group work; professional orientation and ethics; career and lifestyle development; testing and assessment; research and program evaluation; and addictive behaviors.
Criminal history
RSA 330-A:15-a, effective July 1, 2026, requires the release form, fingerprints, and applicant-paid criminal-history check submitted to OPLC; police clearances may be accepted after two invalid fingerprint attempts.
Education
RSA 330-A:19(I) and Mhp 305.01 require a 60-credit CACREP clinical mental health counseling master’s or doctoral degree or the permitted regionally accredited equivalent. The non-CACREP program must meet Mhp 305.01(b), including two academic years and at least 700 practicum or internship hours.
Exam timing
Passing NCMHCE results are required even when the applicant passed before applying. The August 2024 application instructs applicants to pass before submitting; passing beforehand does not remove this currently offered examination from the route.
Jurisprudence
Mhp 311.01 requires individual open-book examination without consulting others and at least 75 percent; retakes are permitted. OPLC’s notice states Prov proctoring effective April 9, 2026 and no Board or OPLC preapproval to sit.
Mladc substitution
A current MLADC license may substitute up to 1,500 work-experience hours and up to 50 face-to-face supervision hours; the Board must explain a denial and cannot deny solely because the supervisor holds an MLADC license.
Prior suspension
The applicant missed the restoration or reinstatement window in Plc 312.04(a); Plc 312.04(d) requires a new initial-licensure application. Suspension and correction-order conditions remain applicable.
Supervised experience
RSA 330-A:19(III) and Mhp 305.03 require at least two years and 3,000 post-graduate supervised clinical hours, with 100 individual face-to-face supervision hours. Each 1,500-hour year spans 12–24 consecutive months. Board-approved supervision, a supervisor licensed where supervision occurs, approved locations or HIPAA-compliant virtual supervision, and a W-2 relationship in private practice are required; classwork, practicum, internship, independent practice and dual relationships are excluded.
Reactivation from military inactive status
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Inactive status
License was placed on inactive status because a reserve or National Guard member was called to active duty.
Timing
Apply within one year after release from active duty using the reactivation request; if the license term has expired, provide renewal fees and proof of applicable continuing competence.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2025-08-19.

Reinstatement more than one year after expiration

All of the following:

Application and verification
Submit the Universal Application, mental-health addendum, supervised-experience summary, supervisor confirmation, three professional references (including a supervisor), supporting education records, applicable fees, and examination scores directly from the testing organization under Mhp 302.05 and Plc 303.04.
Character
Provide evidence of good professional character and reliability under Mhp 302.02.
Coursework
Mhp 305.02 requires 33 semester hours: three hours each in human growth and development; abnormal psychology/psychopathology; clinical counseling theories; clinical counseling techniques; social and cultural foundations; group work; professional orientation and ethics; career and lifestyle development; testing and assessment; research and program evaluation; and addictive behaviors.
Criminal history
RSA 330-A:15-a, effective July 1, 2026, requires the release form, fingerprints, and applicant-paid criminal-history check submitted to OPLC; police clearances may be accepted after two invalid fingerprint attempts.
Education
RSA 330-A:19(I) and Mhp 305.01 require a 60-credit CACREP clinical mental health counseling master’s or doctoral degree or the permitted regionally accredited equivalent. The non-CACREP program must meet Mhp 305.01(b), including two academic years and at least 700 practicum or internship hours.
Exam timing
Passing NCMHCE results are required even when the applicant passed before applying. The August 2024 application instructs applicants to pass before submitting; passing beforehand does not remove this currently offered examination from the route.
Expired license
License has been expired more than one year; apply for initial licensure and attach the required continuing-education documentation under Mhp 404.01(a).
Jurisprudence
Mhp 311.01 requires individual open-book examination without consulting others and at least 75 percent; retakes are permitted. OPLC’s notice states Prov proctoring effective April 9, 2026 and no Board or OPLC preapproval to sit.
Mladc substitution
A current MLADC license may substitute up to 1,500 work-experience hours and up to 50 face-to-face supervision hours; the Board must explain a denial and cannot deny solely because the supervisor holds an MLADC license.
Supervised experience
RSA 330-A:19(III) and Mhp 305.03 require at least two years and 3,000 post-graduate supervised clinical hours, with 100 individual face-to-face supervision hours. Each 1,500-hour year spans 12–24 consecutive months. Board-approved supervision, a supervisor licensed where supervision occurs, approved locations or HIPAA-compliant virtual supervision, and a W-2 relationship in private practice are required; classwork, practicum, internship, independent practice and dual relationships are excluded.
Reinstatement not more than one year after expiration
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Application
Submit the renewal application, Continuing Education and Collaboration Report Form 200, required attestation or proof, supporting documentation and fees before expiration. Applicable penalties must be paid. A continuing-education waiver may be sought under Mhp 402.05 for the specified good-cause circumstances.
Collaboration
40 documented collaboration hours every two years.
Continuing education
40 approved continuing-education hours every two years, at least 30 Category A, six Category A ethics hours and three Category A suicide-prevention hours; board-approved supervisors also need six Category A clinical-supervision hours. Maintain attendance documentation.
Expired license
License expired not more than one year ago; follow the renewal process, meet continuing competence and retain or re-obtain required credentials.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2025-08-19.

Renewal of current license
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Application
Submit the renewal application, Continuing Education and Collaboration Report Form 200, required attestation or proof, supporting documentation and fees before expiration. Applicable penalties must be paid. A continuing-education waiver may be sought under Mhp 402.05 for the specified good-cause circumstances.
Collaboration
40 documented collaboration hours every two years.
Continuing education
40 approved continuing-education hours every two years, at least 30 Category A, six Category A ethics hours and three Category A suicide-prevention hours; board-approved supervisors also need six Category A clinical-supervision hours. Maintain attendance documentation.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2025-08-19.

Reinstatement after suspension within one year of expiration
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Renewal
Meet the renewal and continuing-competence requirements of Plc 312.02 and Mhp 404.01(b), submit fees, pay imposed penalties and costs, and show compliance with all suspension-order conditions.
Timing
Request within 30 days after the suspension term ends, after expiration but within one year of expiration.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2025-08-19.

Restoration after suspension before license expiration
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Order compliance
Demonstrate compliance with every suspension-order and correction-plan condition, additional continuing competence and monetary penalties. No additional restoration or application fee is imposed; conditions may accompany restoration.
Timing
Request within 30 days after the suspension term ends and before the license expires.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2025-08-19.

License issuance based on July 1, 1998 certification
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Historical certification
Was certified as a clinical mental health counselor on July 1, 1998 under former RSA 330-A. RSA 330-A:33 mandates issuance of the license in that same discipline without a new examination condition; historical qualifications remain applicant evidence.
Lower rank initial jurisprudence rule
Mhp 311.01(a) states: (a) Each applicant for initial licensure shall be examined on the contents of RSA 330-A and Mental Health Practice, Mhp 100 through Mhp 500. (b) The jurisprudence examination shall be: (1) Open book; and (2) Taken individually without consulting others. (c) An individual shall achieve a passing score of at least 75 percent. (d) An individual who fails the jurisprudence examination may re-take the examination as many times as it takes the individual to pass. This general rule does not alter the specific statutory entitlement in RSA 330-A:33.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 1998-10-31.

Provisional Clinical Mental Health Counselor License

Endorsement license issued while the required criminal-history results are pending.

Licensing authority: New Hampshire Board of Mental Health Practice / Office of Professional Licensure and Certification · Application information

Provisional endorsement while criminal history results are pending

All of the following:

Application
Mhp 302.06 directs qualifying endorsement applicants to apply under Mhp 302.05, including its examination records and jurisprudence completion. RSA 310:17 and Plc 313.03 require a criminal-history check when otherwise required for this profession.
Equivalent education
Plc 313.37(a)(1) requires a 60-semester-hour or 90-quarter-hour counseling master’s degree or graduate coursework including the nine topic areas it lists.
Equivalent experience
Plc 313.37(a)(3) requires at least 2,500 hours or two full-time years of supervised postgraduate professional experience.
Existing license
Plc 313.01 requires an active, non-temporary, unrestricted and unencumbered license in good standing from a jurisdiction with substantially similar requirements, verified from the original licensing authority.
Foreign credentials
Plc 313.12 requires NACES- or AICE-member evaluation when endorsement is based on a foreign-jurisdiction license.
Jurisprudence
Mhp 311.01 requires individual open-book examination without consulting others and at least 75 percent; retakes are permitted. OPLC’s notice states Prov proctoring effective April 9, 2026 and no Board or OPLC preapproval to sit.
Other equivalent examination
Plc 313.37(a)(2) also accepts another nationally recognized examination for mental health counselors deemed equivalent by the licensing jurisdiction. The open, unnamed remainder is an applicant condition; NCMHCE is the named registered examination.
Pending criminal history
OPLC has determined that the applicant qualifies for endorsement but has not received the required criminal-history results; the provisional license lasts pending the decision under Plc 313.06 and 313.08.
Waiver
Plc 313.11 permits a waiver request based on education, training and licensed work experience when the originating jurisdiction’s current criteria do not meet the stated criteria.
Restoration of unexpired suspended license
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
License limits
Restoration preserves the original supervised-practice, conditional, provisional or temporary authorization and its duration; it does not issue a full license or extend a statutory duration.
Order conditions
Meet every suspension-order and correction-plan condition, pay imposed penalties and complete additional continuing competence.
Timing
Request restoration within 30 days after the suspension term ends and before this license expires.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2025-08-19.

Mental Health Jurisprudence Exam

Provider
Prov, Inc.
Format
Open-book question examination, taken individually without consulting others
Exam questions
35
Time limit
90 minutes
Passing score
75 percent
Examination outline
  • RSA Chapter 330-A Mental Health Practice
  • Chapter Mhp 100 Definitions, Organization and Public Information
  • Chapter Mhp 200 Practice and Procedure
  • Chapter Mhp 300 License and Registration Requirements, Applications and Fees
  • Chapter Mhp 400 License Renewal, Continuing Education, Collaboration and Reinstatement
  • Chapter Mhp 500 Ethical and Professional Standards, Responsibilities of Licensees
  • Chapter Plc 300 Licensure and Discipline of Regulated Professions
Examination sources

National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination

Provider
National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC); administered through the Center for Credentialing & Education (CCE) and delivered by Pearson VUE at test centers or online through OnVUE
Format
11 clinical case studies, each with one narrative in three sections (initial intake summary and two counseling sessions) followed by 9–15 four-option, single-answer multiple-choice questions; one case study is unscored
Exam questions
130–150 multiple-choice items, of which 100 are scored
Time limit
225 minutes to complete the examination within a 255-minute test session (one scheduled 15-minute break after the fifth case study)
Passing score
Cut score set through standard setting and applied to other forms through statistical equating; the total score is the number of correctly answered scored items
Examination outline
  • 1. Professional Practice and Ethics — This section encompasses counselors’ knowledge, skills, and abilities related to maintaining proper administrative and clinical protocols. (15% of scored items) (15%)
    • A. Assess your (the counselor) competency to work with a specific client
    • B. Understand statistical concepts and methods in research
    • C. Practice legal and ethical counseling
    • D. Clarify counselor/client roles
    • E. Discuss client’s rights and responsibilities
    • F. Discuss limits of confidentiality
    • G. Explain counselor/agency policies
    • H. Review payment, fees, and insurance benefits
    • I. Explain counseling processes, procedures, risks, and benefits
    • J. Explain uses and limits of social media
    • K. Inform clients about the legal aspects of counseling
    • L. Obtain informed consent
    • M. Discuss confidentiality as it applies to electronic communication
    • N. Establish group rules, expectations, and termination criteria
    • O. Assess competency to provide informed consent
    • P. Monitor the therapeutic relationship and build trust as needed
    • Q. Review client records
    • R. Provide adequate accommodations for clients with disabilities
    • S. Provide information to third parties
    • T. Provide referral sources if counseling services are inadequate/inappropriate
    • U. Advocate for professional and client issues
    • V. Supervision
    • W. Create and maintain documentation appropriate for each aspect of the counseling process
    • X. Awareness and practice of self-care
  • 2. Intake, Assessment, and Diagnosis — This section encompasses counselors’ knowledge, skills, and abilities to effectively conduct client intake, assessment, and diagnosis. (25% of scored items) (25%)
    • A. Conduct a biopsychosocial interview
    • B. Conduct a diagnostic interview
    • C. Conduct cultural formulation interview
    • D. Conduct an initial interview
    • E. Determine diagnosis
    • F. Perform a Mental Status Exam (MSE)
    • G. Consider co-occurring diagnoses
    • H. Determine level of care needed
    • I. Determine the appropriate modality of treatment
    • J. Assess the presenting problem and level of distress
    • K. Evaluate an individual’s level of mental health functioning
    • L. Screen clients for appropriate services
    • M. Select, use, and interpret appropriate assessment instruments
    • N. Use formal and informal observations
    • O. Assess for trauma
    • P. Assess substance use
    • Q. Obtain client self-reports
    • R. Evaluate interactional dynamics
    • S. Conduct ongoing assessment for at-risk behaviors (i.e., suicide, homicide, self/other-injury, and relationship violence)
    • T. Use pre-test and post-test measures to assess outcomes
    • U. Evaluate counseling effectiveness
  • 4. Treatment Planning — This section encompasses counselors’ knowledge, skills, and abilities to develop an effective course of treatment. (15% of scored items) (15%)
    • A. Collaborate with client to establish treatment goals and objectives
    • B. Establish short- and long-term counseling goals consistent with client’s diagnosis
    • C. Identify barriers affecting client goal attainment
    • D. Identify strengths that improve the likelihood of goal attainment
    • E. Refer to different levels of treatment (e.g., outpatient, inpatient, residential)
    • F. Refer to others for concurrent treatment
    • G. Guide treatment planning
    • H. Discuss termination process and issues
    • I. Discuss transitions in group membership
    • J. Follow up after discharge
    • K. Use assessment instrument results to facilitate client decision-making
    • L. Review and revise the treatment plan
    • M. Engage clients in review of progress toward treatment goals
    • N. Collaborate with other providers and client support systems (documentation and report writing)
    • O. Discuss with clients the integration and maintenance of therapeutic progress
    • P. Educate client to the value of treatment plan compliance
  • 5. Counseling Skills and Interventions — This section encompasses counselors’ knowledge, skills, and abilities to conduct effective counseling. (30% of scored items) (30%)
    • A. Align intervention with client’s developmental level
    • B. Align intervention with counseling modality (individual, couple, family, or group)
    • C. Align intervention with client population (e.g., veterans, minorities, disenfranchised, disabled)
    • D. Implement individual counseling in relation to a plan of treatment
    • E. Establish therapeutic alliance
    • F. Apply theory-based counseling intervention(s)
    • G. Address addiction issues
    • H. Address cultural considerations
    • I. Address family composition and cultural considerations
    • J. Evaluate and explain systemic patterns of interaction
    • K. Explore family member interaction
    • L. Explore religious and spiritual values
    • M. Guide clients in the development of skills or strategies for dealing with their problems
    • N. Help clients develop support systems
    • O. Help facilitate clients’ motivation to make the changes they desire
    • P. Improve interactional patterns
    • Q. Provide crisis intervention
    • R. Educate client about transference and defense mechanisms
    • S. Facilitate trust and safety
    • T. Build communication skills
    • U. Develop conflict resolution strategies
    • V. Develop safety plans
    • W. Facilitate systemic change
    • X. Provide distance counseling or telemental health
    • Y. Provide education resources (e.g., stress management, assertiveness training, divorce adjustment)
    • Z. Provide psychoeducation for client
    • AA. Summarize
    • AB. Reframe/redirect
    • AC. Facilitate empathic responses
    • AD. Use self-disclosure
    • AE. Use constructive confrontation
    • AF. Facilitate awareness of here-and-now interactions
    • AG. Facilitate resolution of interpersonal conflict
    • AH. Use linking and blocking in a group context
    • AI. Management of leader–member dynamics
    • AJ. Model giving and receiving of feedback
    • AK. Address impact of extended families
    • AL. Contain and manage intense feelings
    • AM. Explore the influence of family of origin patterns and themes
    • AN. Address the impact of social support network
    • AO. Use “structured” activities
    • AP. Promote and encourage interactions among group members
    • AQ. Promote and encourage interactions with the group leader
    • AR. Use psychoeducation as a part of the group process
    • AS. Explain phases in the group process
    • AT. Identify and discuss group themes and patterns
    • AU. Create intervention based on the stage of group development
    • AV. Challenge harmful group member behaviors
    • AW. Address the potential interaction of members outside of the group
  • 6. Core Counseling Attributes — This section encompasses behaviors, traits, and dispositions of effective counselors. (15% of scored items) (15%)
    • A. Awareness of self and impact on clients
    • B. Genuineness
    • C. Congruence
    • D. Demonstrate knowledge of and sensitivity to gender orientation and gender issues
    • E. Demonstrate knowledge of and sensitivity to multicultural issues
    • F. Demonstrate conflict tolerance and resolution
    • G. Empathic attunement
    • H. Empathic responding
    • I. Foster the emergence of group therapeutic factors
    • J. Non-judgmental stance
    • K. Positive regard
    • L. Respect and acceptance for diversity
    • M. Use foundational listening, attending, and reflecting skills
Examination sources