The Profession of Mental Health Counseling

• Mental Health Counseling is a distinct profession with national standards for education, training and clinical practice.  New York Mental Health Counselors Association is the state organization that represents the interests of the clinical counselors of New York State.
  

• More than 40 graduate programs throughout New York State educate mental health counselors. Mental health counselors have practiced in New York State as mental health professionals for more than 35 years.
  

• Graduate education and clinical training prepare mental health counselors to provide a full range of services for individuals, couples, families, adolescents, children and groups.
  

• The core areas of mental health counseling programs approved by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs include:
  

           - diagnosis and psychopathology

           - psychotherapy

           - testing and assessment

           - group counseling

           - human growth and development

           - counseling theory

           - supervised practicum and internships.

• New York State requires that mental health counselors have a masters or higher in professional counseling or its substantial equivalent.  Counselors need at least a 60 hour master's degree.  Three thousand hours of post-masters supervised experience is also required before a counselor can sit for the licensure exam.  These are the national standards for the profession. 
  

• Licensure requirements for mental health counselors are equivalent to, or exceed those for clinical social workers and marriage and family therapists.
  

• The scope of practice of mental health counselors includes: testing, assessment, and treatment of individuals, couples, families and groups
  

• Mental Health Counselors practice in a variety of settings, including independent practice, community agencies, managed behavioral health care organizations, integrated delivery systems, hospitals, employee assistance programs and substance abuse treatment centers.
  

• More than 90% of the nation’s managed care organizations either employ or contract with licensed mental health counselors.
  

• Mental Health Counselors are highly skilled professionals who provide a full range of services including:  assessment and diagnosis, psychotherapy, treatment planning and utilization review, brief and solution-focused therapy, alcoholism and substance abuse treatment, psycho-educational and prevention programs, and crisis management.
  

• Mental Health Counseling was rated 33rd on Money Magazine's Top 50 Jobs in the country!
  

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