After December 31, 2011, LMFTs may no longer grandparent into the LPCC licensure. After January 1, 2012, for LMFTs, LMFT Registered Interns and/or Trainees who wish to become dually licensed as an LMFT and LPCC, the following information will applyⁱ:

DEGREE PROGRAMS PRIOR TO 2012

The requirements described in this section only apply to those individuals who enrolled in a qualifying degree program prior to August 1, 2012 and will complete their program on or before December 31, 2018.

Educational Requirements: 
Applicants for registration must possess a master's or doctoral degree that is at least 48 semester or 72 quarter units in "counseling or psychotherapy in content." Specifically, this means the degree must include:

• Three semester units or four and one-half quarter units of graduate study in each of following nine (9) areas: counseling and psychotherapeutic theories and techniques; human growth and development; career development; group counseling; assessment, appraisal, and testing of individuals; multicultural counseling; principles of the diagnostic process; research and evaluation; and, law and ethics. NOTE: An applicant whose degree is deficient in no more than two of the required nine (9) areas of study listed above, may satisfy those deficiencies by successfully completing post-master's or postdoctoral degree coursework at an accredited or approved institution.
• A minimum of 12 semester units or 18 quarter units of advanced coursework to develop knowledge of specific treatment issues, special populations, application of counseling constructs, assessment and treatment planning, clinical interventions, therapeutic relationships, psychopathology, or other clinical topics.
• Six semester units or nine quarter units of supervised practicum or field study experience with a minimum of 150 hours of face-to-face supervised clinical experience counseling individuals, families, or groups.

Additional coursework requirements, which can be a part of the qualifying degree program or completed after earning a degree, are:

• A minimum of 15 contact hours of instruction in alcoholism and other chemical substance abuse dependency.
• A minimum of 10 contact hours of training or coursework in human sexuality.
• A two semester unit or three quarter unit survey course in psychopharmacology (at an accredited or approved institution).
• A minimum of 15 contact hours of instruction in spousal or partner abuse assessment, detection, and intervention strategies.
• A minimum of seven contact hours of training or coursework in child abuse assessment and reporting.
• A minimum of 18 contact hours of instruction in California law and ethics (school coursework may count towards this requirement).
• A minimum of 10 contact hours of instruction in aging and long-term care.
• A minimum of 15 contact hours of instruction in crisis or trauma counseling.

Experience Requirements:

• A minimum of 3,000 post-degree hours of supervised clinical mental health experience (under a qualified supervisor) related to the practice of professional clinical counseling, performed over a period of not less than two years (104 weeks). Of the 104 weeks of supervision, at least 52 weeks must be weeks in which the registrant received at least one hour of individual supervision. Not more than 40 hours in any seven consecutive days.
• Not less than 1,750 hours of direct counseling with individuals or groups in a clinical mental health counseling setting.
• Not less than 150 hours of clinical experience in a hospital or community mental health setting.
• Not more than a combined total of 1,250 hours in non-clinical hours including: direct supervisor contact; client-centered advocacy; not more than 250 hours of testing and clinical report writing; not more than 250 hours of workshops or trainings; and, not more than 300 hours (100 x 3) of personal psychotherapy.
• No hours of clinical mental health experience may be gained more than six years prior to the date the application for examination eligibility was filed.
• All hours of experience must be gained as a LPCC Registered Intern, unless the applicant applies for registration within 90 days from the qualifying degree conferral date and the applicant actually receives the number.
• To gain hours of experience in any given week, either one hour of individual supervision or two hours of group supervision must be obtained in that week. An Intern must receive one unit (one individual or two group hours) of supervision for the first ten client hours and another unit of supervision for any additional client hour in excess of ten in a week.

Examination Requirements: Passing the National Clinical Mental Health Counselor 
Examination (NCMHCE) and the California Law and Ethics exam.

DEGREE PROGRAMS AFTER 2012

The requirements described in this section apply to those individuals who enroll in a qualifying degree program after August 1, 2012 and/or will complete their program on or after December 31, 2018.

Education:
Applicants for registration must possess a master's or doctoral degree that is at least 60 semester or 90 quarter units in "counseling or psychotherapy in content." Specifically, this means the degree must include:

• Three semester units or four and one-half quarter units of graduate study in at least 10 of 13 following areas: counseling and psychotherapeutic theories and techniques; human growth and development; career development; group counseling; assessment, appraisal, and testing of individuals; multicultural counseling; principles of the diagnostic process; research and evaluation; psychopharmacology; addictions counseling; crisis/trauma counseling; advanced counseling; and, law and ethics. NOTE: The remaining three can be satisfied by completing post master's coursework at an accredited or approved academic iinstitution.
• A minimum of 15 semester units or 22.5 quarter units of advanced coursework to develop knowledge of specific treatment issues or special populations.
• Six semester units or nine quarter units of supervised practicum or field study experience with a minimum of 280 hours of face-to-face supervised clinical experience counseling individuals, families, or groups.

Additional coursework requirements, which can be a part of the qualifying degree program or completed after earning a degree, are: case management; human sexuality; spousal or partner abuse assessment, detection and intervention; child abuse assessment and reporting; and, aging and long term care.

Experience Requirements:

• A minimum of 3,000 post-degree hours of supervised clinical mental health experience (under a qualified supervisor) related to the practice of professional clinical counseling, performed over a period of not less than two years (104 weeks). Of the 104 weeks of supervision, at least 52 weeks must be weeks in which the registrant received at least one hour of individual supervision.
• Not more than 40 hours in any seven consecutive days.
• Not less than 1,750 hours of direct counseling with individuals or groups in a clinical mental health counseling setting.
• Not less than 150 hours of clinical experience in a hospital or community mental health setting.
• Not more than a combined total of 1,250 hours in non-clinical hours including: direct supervisor contact; client-centered advocacy; not more than 250 hours of testing and clinical report writing; not more than 250 hours of workshops or trainings; and, not more than 300 hours (100 x 3) of personal psychotherapy.
• No hours of clinical mental health experience may be gained more than six years prior to the date the application for examination eligibility was filed.
• All hours of experience must be gained as a LPCC Registered Intern, unless the applicant applies for registration within 90 days from the qualifying degree conferral date and the applicant actually receives the number.
• To gain hours of experience in any given week, either one hour of individual supervision or two hours of group supervision must be obtained in that week. An Intern must receive one unit (one individual or two group hours) of supervision for the first ten client hours and another unit of supervision for any additional client hour in excess of ten in a week.

Examination Requirements: Passing the National Clinical Mental Health Counselor Examination (NCMHCE) and the California Law and Ethics Exam.

FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS

1. Can I "double-dip" my hours towards both the LMFT and LPCC license?
   To count intern hours towards both LMFT licensure and LPCC licensure ("double-dipping" hours), a person must apply to the Board of Behavioral Sciences ("BBS") as an LPCC intern and an LMFT intern. Once a person has gained their LPCC intern registration number, they can count hours towards the dual-licensure. Also note, hours previously gained as an LMFT intern cannot be retroactively applied towards LPCC licensure. The only exception to this rule is for those who recently gradated and/or will be graduating from their master's program- if within 90 days of graduation, a person applies to the BBS as an LMFT intern and an LPCC intern they may double dip the hours gained during those initial 90 days. 
    
2. I will just miss the window to grandparent, but I have almost all my 3,000 LMFT intern hours. Would I have to get 3,000 additional hours to qualify for LPCC licensure? 
   It has been argued that those who are "in the pipeline for LMFT licensure" should be able to qualify for grandparenting into the LPCC license. The problem is that in order to have the grandparenting amendment accepted into the legislation, the stakeholders (including CAMFT) had to agree upon a date that the grandparenting period ended. Because of the current understaffing of the BBS, the grandparenting expiration date was moved from June 31, 2011 to December 31, 2011. Anyone who misses the grandparenting period, would have to apply for an independent LPCC intern number and begin accruing the 3,000 hours. 
    
3. Can an LMFT supervise my hours towards LPCC licensure? 
   Yes, an LMFT can supervise your hours towards LPCC licensure. However, for a LPCC to supervise an LMFT intern or trainee, they must: be licensed as an LPCC for at least two years; and have obtained six semester hours of marriage and family therapy training (or emphasis on the qualifying degree in marriage and family therapy); 500 hours of supervised experience working directly with couples, family or children; and, six hours of marriage and family therapy continuing education. 
    
4. Why should I work towards my LPCC licensure? 
   There is no requirement or expectation for an LMFT intern or trainee to pursue the LPCC license. Clearly, this is a very personal decision. The reasons we have heard are: "It could increase my chances of portability to another state," "I like the title better," "I would have become an LPCC had I been given the chance," or "Additional initials behind your name are impressive for marketing purposes."

So that I'm clear. For LPCC to supervise MFT intern or trainee, they must have: 
- 6 semester units of MFT or a named specialization or emphasis on the qualifying degree in MFT 
- 500 hours of supervised experience working directly with couples, family or children. 
- 6 hours of MFT specific CE each license renewal cycle

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ⁱ While this article focuses on the LPCC licensure path for LMFT licensees and LMFT registered interns, we recommend any individual with an out of state LPCC license (that did not qualify for licensure) or individuals with out of state experience pursuing their LPCC license, review the "BBS LPCC Licensure Pathway Overview" on the BBS website available for download at www.bbs.ca.gov.