Counseling Degrees & Licenses in Indiana

Both Licensed Mental Health Counselor Associates (LMHCAs) and Licensed Mental Health Counselors (LMHCs) are licensed in Indiana.

Prospective counselors must first apply to be LMHCAs. Applicants must:

• Apply to the board to take the NCE exam, pass the exam, and submit an official score report
• Submit criminal background check
• Send in a 2×3 inch black-and-white photo
• Pay a $50 application fee
• Submit transcripts of a master’s or doctoral degree in mental health counseling of at least 60 semester credit hours
• Complete a 700-hour practicum/internship that includes 100 hours of practicum and 600 hours of internship work with 66 hours of face to face supervision

LHMC candidates must:

• Apply to the board to take the NCMHCE exam, pass, and submit an official score report
• Complete criminal background check
• Submit a 2×3 inch black and white photo
• Pay a $50 application fee
• Submit transcripts of a master’s or doctoral degree in mental health counseling of at least 60 semester credit hours
• Complete a 700-hour practicum (internship) that includes 100 hours of practicum and 600 hours of internship work with 66 hours of face to face supervision
• Complete 3,000 hours of post-graduate supervised clinical work experience over two years, including 100 hours of supervision

Renewals of counseling licenses happen every two years in Indiana. Counselors are required to complete 40 hours of continuing education, of which two of the hours must be in ethics. The fee to renew is $50.

The Indiana Department of Education issues School Services Licenses to School Counselors.

Candidates for an initial license must:

• Have a master’s degree or higher from an approved school counselor program
• Submit a completed application through the Indiana Department of Education’s Licensing Verification and Information System
• Pay $35 application fee
• Pass a Pearson Core Content school counselor test
• Complete suicide prevention training
• Complete CPR training

• Complete the Indiana Mentor and Assessment Program (IMAP) two-year mentorship or complete Professional Growth Plan (PGP) with 40 points (points are earned through conferences, workshops, classroom responsibilities, committee work, and by completing additional coursework)
• Have two years of full-time work experience
• Submit an application for conversion of the license
• Pay $35 application fee

Initial school services licenses are valid for two years and may be renewed by completing an application and paying a $35 renewal fee.

Full practitioner licenses are valid for five years. To renew, school counselors must submit an application, pay $35 application fee, and provide proof of 90 Professional Growth Plan (PGP) points.

Indiana Professional Licensing Agency Behavioral Health and Human Services Licensing Board

There are four levels of substance abuse counselors licenses in Indiana: Licensed Addiction Counselor Associate (LACA), Licensed Addiction Counselor (LAC), Licensed Clinical Addiction Counselor Associate (LCACA), and Licensed Clinical Addiction Counselor (LCAC).

Requirements to earn a LACA license include:

• A completed application
• A criminal background check
• Pass either the ADC exam from IC&RC or NCAC II from NAADAC
• A bachelor’s degree or higher in addiction counseling or a related field
• A supervised practicum or internship of at least 350 hours
• $50 application fee
• A passport photo

Requirements to earn a LAC license include:

• A completed application
• A criminal background check
• Passing score on either the ADC exam from IC&RC or NCAC II from NAADAC
• A bachelor’s degree or higher in addiction counseling or in a related field
• A supervised practicum or internship of at least 350 hours
• Two years of addiction counseling experience, including 150 hours of supervision, of which 100 must be individual supervision hours
• $50 application fee
• A passport photo

Requirements to earn an LCACA license include:

• A completed application
• A criminal background check
• Passing score on either the AADC exam from IC&RC or MAC from NAADAC
• A master’s or doctorate in addiction counseling or in a related field with the requisite coursework
• A supervised practicum or internship of at least 700 hours, including 280 hours of face-to-face client contact and 105 hours of supervision
• $50 application fee
• A passport photo

Requirements to earn an LCAC license include:

• A completed application
• A criminal background check
• Passing score on either the AADC exam from IC&RC or MAC from NAADAC
• A master’s or doctorate in addiction counseling or in a related field with the requisite coursework
• Complete a supervised practicum or internship of at least 700 hours, including 280 hours of face-to-face client contact and 105 hours of supervision
• Two years of addiction counseling experience with 200 hours of supervision, of which 100 must be individual supervision hours
• $50 application fee
• A passport photo

All substance abuse counselor licenses in Indiana expire on April 1st of even-numbered years.

Renewals cost $50 and must be accompanied by 40 hours of continuing education, with at least 20 hours of formal courses, of which two must be ethics.

Behavioral Health And Human Service Licensing Board through the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency

Rehabilitation counselors in Indiana must be Licensed Mental Health Counselor Associates (LMHCAs) or Licensed Mental Health Counselors (LMHCs).

Prospective counselors must first apply to be LMHCAs. Applicants must:

• Apply to the board to take the NCE exam, pass the exam, and submit an official score report
• Submit criminal background check
• Send in a 2×3 inch black-and-white photo
• Pay a $50 application fee
• Submit transcripts of a master’s or doctoral degree in mental health counseling of at least 60 semester credit hours
• Complete a 700-hour practicum/internship that includes 100 hours of practicum and 600 hours of internship work with 66 hours of face to face supervision

LHMC candidates must:

• Apply to the board to take the NCMHCE exam, pass, and submit an official score report
• Complete criminal background check
• Submit a 2×3 inch black and white photo
• Pay a $50 application fee
• Submit transcripts of a master’s or doctoral degree in mental health counseling of at least 60 semester credit hours
• Complete a 700-hour practicum (internship) that includes 100 hours of practicum and 600 hours of internship work with 66 hours of face to face supervision
• Complete 3,000 hours of post-graduate supervised clinical work experience over two years, including 100 hours of supervision

Renewals of counseling licenses happen every two years in Indiana. Counselors are required to complete 40 hours of continuing education, of which two of the hours must be in ethics. The fee to renew is $50.

Currently, there are no state certification or licensing requirements for applied behavior analysts in Illinois. However, it is a class B misdemeanor to use the title of Certified Behavior Analyst without a BCBA certification

To continue utilizing the title of Certified Behavior Analyst, analysts must keep their BCBA certification current.

The Behavioral Health And Human Service Licensing Board licenses Marriage and Family Therapists and Associate Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists.

Requirements for an Associate Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist credential are:

• Submit a completed application
• Complete a criminal background check
• Pass the AMFTRB exam
• Pay $50 application fee
• Submit a color 2 x 3-inch photograph
• Have a master’s degree or higher in marriage and family therapy or a related board-approved field

Programs must meet specific coursework requirements. Students must complete a 500-hour practicum as part of their studies with at least 100 hours of supervision

In order to become a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, a candidate must meet the above requirements, as well as:

• Complete two years of supervised work experience with 1,000 clinical hours and 200 hours of supervision
• Submit a completed application
• Pay $50 application fee

Renewals of marriage and family therapist licenses happen every two years in Indiana.

Counselors are required to complete 40 hours of continuing education, of which two of the hours must be in ethics. The fee to renew is $50.

Child therapists in Indiana must be Licensed Mental Health Counselor Associates (LMHCAs) or Licensed Mental Health Counselors (LMHCs).

Prospective counselors must first apply to be LMHCAs. Applicants must:

• Apply to the board to take the NCE exam, pass the exam, and submit an official score report
• Submit criminal background check
• Send in a 2×3 inch black-and-white photo
• Pay a $50 application fee
• Submit transcripts of a master’s or doctoral degree in mental health counseling of at least 60 semester credit hours
• Complete a 700-hour practicum/internship that includes 100 hours of practicum and 600 hours of internship work with 66 hours of face to face supervision

LHMC candidates must:

• Apply to the board to take the NCMHCE exam, pass, and submit an official score report
• Complete criminal background check
• Submit a 2×3 inch black and white photo
• Pay a $50 application fee
• Submit transcripts of a master’s or doctoral degree in mental health counseling of at least 60 semester credit hours
• Complete a 700-hour practicum (internship) that includes 100 hours of practicum and 600 hours of internship work with 66 hours of face to face supervision
• Complete 3,000 hours of post-graduate supervised clinical work experience over two years, including 100 hours of supervision

Renewals of counseling licenses happen every two years in Indiana. Counselors are required to complete 40 hours of continuing education, of which two of the hours must be in ethics. The fee to renew is $50.