PLPC

Scope of Practice 

• Provisional Licensed Professional Counselor—any person by title or description of services incorporating the words "provisional licensed professional counselor" and who, under board-approved supervision (i.e. may not practice independently), renders professional mental health counseling/psychotherapy services denoting a client-counselor relationship in which the licensee assumes the responsibility for knowledge, skill, and ethical consideration needed to assist individuals, groups, organizations, or the general public, and who implies that he/she is provisionally licensed to practice mental health counseling. 
• Mental Health Counseling/Psychotherapy Services— rendering or offering prevention, assessment, diagnosis, and treatment, which includes psychotherapy of mental, emotional, behavioral, and addiction disorders to individuals, groups, organizations, or the general public by a licensed or provisional licensed professional counselor which is consistent with his/her professional training as prescribed by R.S. 37:1107(A)(8), and Code of Ethics/behavior involving the application of principles, methods, or procedures of the mental health counseling profession. However, nothing in this Chapter shall be construed to authorize any person licensed or provisionally licensed hereunder to administer or interpret tests in accordance with the provision of R.S. 37:2352(5), except as provided by LAC 46:LXIII.1702.E, or engage in the practice of psychology or to prescribe, either orally or in writing, distribute, dispense, or administer any medications. 
• Active Supervision—the process by which a supervisee receives one hour of face-to-face supervision with his/her board-approved supervisor for every 20 hours of direct client contact or at least once every three-month period.

Renewal Information

• A Provisional Licensed Professional Counselor shall renew his/her provisional license every two years in the month of October. In order to process your renewal, the Board Office must be in receipt of the following materials by October 31st:
  • Online Renewal Application (accessible through licensee dashboard)
  • Renewal Fee ($85)
  • Documentation of Continuing Education Hours (See Chapter 6, Section 611 of the Board Rules for Continuing Education Requirements)
  • Declaration of Practices and Procedures
  • Official Score Report of passage/attempted passage of NCE or NCMHCE issued directly from the NBCC to the LA LPC Board (NCE or NCMHCE must be attempted once every renewal period until a passing score is received)*
  • *In lieu of an Official Score Report, the LPC Board will accept a copy of the exam printout of the PLPC's current exam attempt 
  • Should a provisional licensee renew after the October 31st deadline, his/her PLPC license will be lapsed; to renew a lapsed PLPC license, a $60 Late Renewal Fee is assessed and a fingerprint Criminal Records Check and signed Privacy Statement Acknowledgement must be submitted in addition to providing the above materials. All renewals submitted past the deadline (lapsed renewals) are audited by Board Staff and must be approved prior to the provisional license being reinstated. Provisional licensees may lapse for a period of 90 days and have until January 31st to remit all renewal materials to the Board. If all late renewal materials are not received by the Board by January 31st, then the Provisional License will expire and the individual must re-apply for Provisional Licensure entirely.

Additional Information for the Public

• PLPCs (Provisional Licensed Professional Counselors) are individuals who are provisionally licensed to provide Mental Health Counseling and Psychotherapy Services to the public under the active supervision of a Board-Approved Supervisor while working toward independent licensure. PLPCs must accrue a minimum of 3,000 hours of supervised experience in a minimum timeframe of two years before they may be considered for LPC licensure. PLPCs may not practice independently or receive direct payment for services rendered.

Additional Information for the Licensee

• Please keep in mind that it takes about 4-6 weeks for the NBCC to process and send out Official Score Reports after taking the NCE or the NCMHCE. Please plan accordingly.
• It is the responsibility of the PLPC and their supervisor to keep a detailed log of their supervised experience hours. 
• Remember that Provisional Licensees must remain under the active supervision of a Board-Approved Supervisor or cease providing Mental Health Counseling Services until he/she is independently licensed. 
• The LPC Board does not administer or regulate national licensure examinations. For information about scheduling, studying, accommodations, and other testing concerns, please reach out to the NBCC at (336) 547-0607 or at www.nbcc.org