Counseling Degrees & Licenses in Kentucky

Mental health counselors in Kentucky are first licensed as Licensed Professional Counselor Associates (LPCAs) and then as Licensed Professional Counselors (LPCs).

Requirements to be licensed as an LCPA include:

• Graduate from a CACREP accredited master’s program in counseling. The program must be at least 60 semester hours and a 600-hour practicum
• Pay the $50 application fee
• Complete a criminal background check

Once licensed as an LCPA, counselors can work towards their LPC licensure. Requirements include:

• Completing 4,000 hours of supervised work experience. Of those hours, 1,600 must be direct counseling and 100 must be direct supervision. Counselors are encouraged to complete 10 hours of counseling in correctional facilities or jails
• Passing an NCE or NCMHCE exam
• Paying a $150 application fee

Renewals for counseling licenses in Kentucky are required annually and must be accompanied by a $150 fee.

Licensed counselors are required to complete 10 hours of continuing education per renewal cycle. During the first year of renewal, counselors must complete six hours of continuing education in suicide prevention and then every six years thereafter. During the first three years of licensure, they must also complete three hours of domestic violence continuing education.

The Kentucky Education Professional Standards Board issues a Certificate for School Counselors.

The requirements for a provisional certificate are:

• Complete an approved master’s in school counseling
• Submit a completed application
• Pay $85 application fee

To apply for a standard certificate, applicants must:

• Complete an approved master’s in school counseling
• Submit a completed application
• Pay $85 application fee
• Complete an additional three to six credit hours of education in school counseling
• Have either two years of full time work experience as a school counselor or have a valid Kentucky teaching certificate and have one year of experience each as a school counselor and classroom teacher

Both standard and provisional school counselor certificates issued in Kentucky are valid for five years. Applications to renew must be submitted online along with an $85 renewal fee.

Provisional certificate holders must complete nine semester credit hours of additional graduate coursework in the areas of counseling or school counseling.

Standard certificate holders must complete 21 hours that meet the requirements of the Effective Instructional Leadership Act (EILA).

Kentucky Board of Alcohol and Drug Counselors

The Kentucky Board of Alcohol and Drug Counselor issues a Certification as an Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC), Licensure as a Clinical Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LCADC), and Licensure as a Clinical Alcohol and Drug Counselor Associate (LCADCA).

CADC candidates must:

• Be 18 years old
• Submit a completed application
• Provide two reference letters
• Submit a completed Supervision Evaluation
• Complete 6,000 hours (three years) of work experience with clients who have a substance use disorder; a bachelor’s in related field can substitute for 2,000 hours, a master’s in a related field can substitute for 3,000 hours, and a master’s with specialization in addictions or drug and alcohol counseling can substitute for 4,000 hours
• Have earned at least a bachelor’s degree
• Have 300 hours of direct supervision
• Complete 270 hours of education or training, including six hours in ethics, six hours in domestic violence, and three hours in HIV
• Complete a training program in suicide assessment, treatment, and management
• Pass the ADC exam from IC&RC
• Sign the ethics and standards of practice form
• Pay the $50 application fee, $200 testing fee, and $200 initial license fee

LCADCA candidates must:

• Be 18 years old
• Submit a completed application
• Provide two reference letters
• Complete a Supervisory Agreement for supervised work experience
• Have earned at a master’s or doctorate degree
• Complete 180 hours of education or training including six hours in ethics, six hours in domestic violence, and three hours in HIV
• Complete a training program in suicide assessment, treatment, and management
• Pass the AADC exam from IC&RC
• Sign the ethics and standards of practice form
• Pay the $50 application fee, $200 testing fee, and $200 initial license fee

LCADC candidates must:

• Be 18 years old
• Submit a completed application
• Provide two reference letters
• Complete a Supervisory Agreement for supervised work experience
• Have earned at a master’s or doctorate degree
• Complete 180 hours of education or training including six hours in ethics, six hours in domestic violence, and three hours in HIV
• Complete a training program in suicide assessment, treatment, and management
• Complete 2,000 hours (three years) of work experience with clients who have a substance use disorder
• Have 300 hours of direct supervision
• Pass the AADC exam from IC&RC
• Sign the ethics and standards of practice form
• Pay the $50 application fee, $200 testing fee, and $200 initial license fee

Substance abuse counselor certificates and licenses issued by the Kentucky Board of Alcohol and Drug Counselors expire every three years. Renewals cost $100.

CADCs and LCADCs must complete 60 continuing education hours per renewal term and LCADCAs must complete 20. Six hours must be in suicide prevention and three must be in ethics.

Board of Professional Counselors

Rehabilitation counselors in Kentucky are first licensed as Licensed Professional Counselor Associates (LCPAs) and then as Licensed Professional Counselors (LPCs).

Requirements to be licensed as an LCPA include:

• Graduate from a CACREP accredited master’s program in counseling. The program must be at least 60 semester hours and a 600-hour practicum
• Pay the $50 application fee
• Complete a criminal background check

Once licensed as an LCPA, counselors can work towards their LPC licensure. Requirements include:

• Completing 4,000 hours of supervised work experience. Of those hours, 1,600 must be direct counseling and 100 must be direct supervision. Counselors are encouraged to complete 10 hours of counseling in correctional facilities or jails
• Passing an NCE or NCMHCE exam
• Paying a $150 application fee

Renewals for counseling licenses in Kentucky are required annually and must be accompanied by a $150 fee.

Licensed counselors are required to complete 10 hours of continuing education per renewal cycle. During the first year of renewal, counselors must complete six hours of continuing education in suicide prevention and then every six years thereafter. During the first three years of licensure, they must also complete three hours of domestic violence continuing education.

The Applied Behavior Analyst Licensing Board of Kentucky issues both Licensed Behavior Analyst and Licensed Assistant Behavior Analyst licenses.

To qualify for the Licensed Assistant Behavior Analyst credential, applicants must:

• Have earned a bachelor’s or higher
• Pay $100 application fee and $200 initial license fee
• Submit a completed application
• Submit official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended
• Hold BCaBA certification
• Complete five hours of board-approved training in reporting abuse, neglect, and exploitation
• Complete an annual supervisory plan. This report must be submitted annually if the applicant has been working in the field for fewer than five years. If the applicant has more than five years of experience, the report only needs to be submitted every two years.

To qualify for the Licensed Behavior Analyst credential, applicants must:

• Have earned a master’s or higher
• Pay $100 application fee and $300 initial license fee
• Submit a completed application
• Submit official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended
• Hold BCBA certification
• Complete 5 hours of board-approved training in reporting abuse, neglect, and exploitation

Renewals for Licensed Behavior Analyst and Licensed Assistant Behavior Analyst credentials issued in Kentucky are required every two years. Assistant licenses cost $200 to renew while behavior analyst renewals cost $300.

Although there are no continuing education requirements, license holders must maintain BACB certification which has continuing education requirements.

The Kentucky Board of Licensure for Marriage and Family Therapists credentials Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Associates.

Requirements for a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Associate license are:

• Submit a complete application
• Pay $50 application fee and $25 initial license fee
• Submit official transcripts verifying a master’s degree or higher in marriage and family therapy from a COAMFTE-accredited program or equivalent, including a practicum with at least 300 hours of direct client contact

To apply for a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist credential, candidates must meet the associate license requirements, as well as:

• Complete two years of supervised work experience as a marriage and family therapist with at least 200 hours of supervision
• Take and pass the AMFTRB exam
• Submit a completed application
• Pay $50 application fee and $175 initial license fee

Marriage and family therapists licensed in Kentucky are required to renew their licenses annually. The fee to renew is $150.

To renew, applicants must complete 15 hours of continuing education. Three hours must be in ethics.

Child therapists in Kentucky are first licensed as Licensed Professional Counselor Associates (LCPAs) and then as Licensed Professional Counselors (LPCs).

Requirements to be licensed as an LCPA include:

• Graduate from a CACREP accredited master’s program in counseling. The program must be at least 60 semester hours and a 600-hour practicum
• Pay the $50 application fee
• Complete a criminal background check

Once licensed as an LCPA, counselors can work towards their LPC licensure. Requirements include:

• Completing 4,000 hours of supervised work experience. Of those hours, 1,600 must be direct counseling and 100 must be direct supervision. Counselors are encouraged to complete 10 hours of counseling in correctional facilities or jails
• Passing an NCE or NCMHCE exam
• Paying a $150 application fee

Renewals for counseling licenses in Kentucky are required annually and must be accompanied by a $150 fee.

Licensed counselors are required to complete 10 hours of continuing education per renewal cycle. During the first year of renewal, counselors must complete six hours of continuing education in suicide prevention and then every six years thereafter. During the first three years of licensure, they must also complete three hours of domestic violence continuing education.