Licensed Professional Counselors must complete 2,000 hours of post-degree supervised professional practice. The law permits the Board to consider supervision that was completed pre-licensure. Those applicants whose pre-licensure supervision is rejected or those who did not complete pre-licensure supervision must arrange a supervision plan that complies with the statutes and formal supervision rules of the Board. This plan can be considered to be the applicant's "contract" with the Board; it demonstrates the applicant's intent to complete supervision according to the Board's requirements. An applicant who has an acceptable supervision plan in place and meets all other licensing requirements can be licensed before completing any of the supervision requirements. However, supervision must commence upon licensure. (Licensees who are unemployed and not doing volunteer work at the time of licensure must begin supervision as soon as they are employed or begin volunteer work.)
Supervision that occurred prior to licensure must be documented on the application form titled "Section I: Verification of Past Supervised Professional Practice" and submitted as part of the license application. Additionally, the supervisor must submit either the Supervisor Credential Verification Form or the Supervisor Application (if he/she has not previously done so) depending on the timeframe in which supervision was completed. If all of the supervision being considered occurred prior to July 5, 2005, the Supervisor Credential Verification Form should be submitted. If any part of the supervision occurred on or after July 5, 2005, the supervisor must submit the Supervisor Application. Supervision occuring on or after July 5, 2005, must also comply with the Board's formal supervision rules.
Supervision that commences upon licensure must be arranged on the application form titled "Section H: Supervision Plan" and submitted as part of the license application. Additionally, the supervisor must be approved via submission of the Supervisor Application. It is also acceptable to back date the start date of supervision on a supervision plan if the following is true: (1) the supervisor was an approved supervisor at the start of supervision; (2) the supervision complied at all times with the supervision plan requirements; (3) the supervision began on or after July 5, 2005; and (4) the supervision is still occuring at the time that the plan is submitted to the Board. If these four circumstances are true, the applicant need only complete the Supervision Plan form and does not need to have the supervisor fill out application section I.
Once a supervision plan is approved by the Board, the licensee is bound to conduct the supervision with the supervisor listed on the plan and according to the plan requirements. Minnesota Rules part 2150.5010, subpart J requires that a new supervision plan be submitted to the Board if (1) the licensee has a new supervisor; (2) the scope or content of the counseling practice changes substantially during the course of the supervision; or (3) the licensee begins a new counseling position. Subpart K states, "Failure to submit changes to the supervision plan as required by item J shall result in hours accrued during this time period not counting towards the supervised practice requirement." If changes occur, the supervisee and supervisor should complete the form titled, "LPC Supervision Plan Change."
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) regarding supervision can be found at the bottom of this webpage.
Forms mentioned on this page can be found on the Board's LPC Application and Forms webpage.