Counseling Degrees & Licenses in Mississippi

Mississippi licenses Provisional Licensed Professional Counselors (P-LPC) and Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC).

To earn P-LPC licensure, candidates must:

• Complete a master’s degree in counseling that is CACREP accredited or meets the structure of a CACREP program and has the word counseling in the degree title. The program must be at least 60 semester credits or 90 quarter credits and include an internship
• Pay a $50 application fee
• Be 21 years of age
• Complete background check with fingerprints
• Submit a recent passport-style photo
• Submit a completed application
• Pass the NCE exam
• Submit a Declaration of Practice which outlines the plans for supervised work experience

To be licensed as an LPC, candidates must:

• Pay $100 application fee
• Hold a current P-LPC license in Mississippi
• Complete 3,000 hours of supervised work experience in a minimum of 18 months and no more than seven years. Of those hours, 1,200 must be in direct client contact and 100 must be in individual face to face supervision.
• Pass the NCMHCE exam

Mississippi requires counselors to renew their licenses biennially by June 30th of even-numbered years. LPC licenses cost $220 to renew and P-LPC only $50.

Counselors are required to complete 24 hours of continuing education per renewal cycle, six of which must be in ethics.

Additionally, counselors are required to pass the state jurisprudence exam, which counts for three hours of ethics continuing education. A new background check must be completed every six years.

The Mississippi Department of Education issues a Five Year Educator License in

There are three pathways to qualify for this license. Candidates must fulfill one of the following conditions:

• Already hold a five-year educator license and complete a master’s degree program in guidance and counseling, as well as pass the Praxis Guidance and Counseling exam
• Complete an approved master’s degree program in guidance and counseling that includes a full year internship and pass the Praxis Guidance and Counseling exam
• Hold National Certified School Counselor (NCSC) credential issued by National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC)

School counselor licenses issued in Mississippi must be renewed every five years. To renew, school counselors must do one of the following:

• Complete three semester hours related to school counseling
• Complete five continuing education units in school counseling
• Earn a National Certified School Counselor (NCSC) credential issued by National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC)

Mississippi Association of Addiction Professionals (MAAP)

Division of Professional Licensure and Certification of the Mississippi Department of Mental Health (PLACE)

The Mississippi Association of Addiction Professionals (MAAP) and the Division of Professional Licensure and Certification of the Mississippi Department of Mental Health (PLACE) issue certifications for substance abuse counselors in Mississippi.

MAAP issues the reciprocal certifications of Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC), Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor I (CADC-I), Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor II (CADC-II), and Certified Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CAADC), as well as the nonreciprocal training certification of Certified Intern Counselor (CIC).

CIC certificate candidates must:

• Be working towards a CADC or CAADC certificate
• Complete 192 hours of substance abuse disorder training and education (at least six hours must be in ethics and six must be in HIV and AIDS, and they must complete the MACT Ethics class, “Ethical Issues for Addiction Professionals”)
• Sign the Ethical Standards of Certified Professionals form
• Pass the ADC or AADC exam from IC&RC
• Have a high school diploma or GED
• Submit three personal references
• Pay the $90 membership fee and $75 certification fee
• Submit a complete application

CADC, CADC-I, and CADC-II requirements are all the same, except for small variations in education and supervision and work experience hours.

• Certificate requirements include:
• A high school diploma (CADC), a bachelor’s (CADC-I), or a master’s (CADC-II)
• A resume of all previous work experience
• Signed Ethical Standards of Certified Professionals form
• Completed Supervised Practical Training (SPT) Verification and Supervisor’s Evaluation forms
• 300 supervised training hours with high school diploma or 250 hours an associate degree for a CADC; 200 hours for CADC-I with a bachelor’s degree; 120 hours for CADC-II with master’s degree
• 6,000 hours of supervised work experience (CADC), 8,000 (CADC I), 10,000 (CADC II); an associate degree may substitute for 1,000 hours, bachelor’s degree may substitute for 2,000 hours, and a master’s degree substitute for 4,000 hours
• Passing score on the ADC from IC&RC
• Three personal references
• $190 application fee and $90 membership fee
• 270 hours of substance abuse disorder training and education (at least six hours must be in ethics and six must be in HIV and AIDS, and candidates must complete the MACT Ethics class, “Ethical Issues for Addiction Professionals”)
• Completed Written Case on an actual client

CAADC certification candidates must:

• Send a resume of all previous work experience
• Sign the Ethical Standards of Certified Professionals form
• Submit the Supervised Practical Training (SPT) Verification and Supervisor’s Evaluation forms
• Complete at least 120 hours of supervised training (at least 10 hours in each of the 12 core functions)
• Earn 4,000 hours of supervised work experience
• Pass the AADC from IC&RC
• Submit three personal references
• Pay the $190 application fee and $90 membership fee
• Submit a complete application
• Complete 270 hours of substance abuse disorder training and education (at least six hours must be in ethics and six must be in HIV and AIDS and candidates must complete the MACT Ethics class, “Ethical Issues for Addiction Professionals”)
• Submit a completed Written Case on an actual client
• Have a master’s degree in behavioral science, counseling or related field

PLACE issues Provisionally Certified Addictions Therapist (PCAT) and Certified Addictions Therapist (CAT).

PCAT certifications are issued for only two years. Candidates must:

• Be currently employed in the mental health system in Mississippi
• Have a master’s degree of at least 30 semester hours in mental health, addictions mental health, or human services, or a behavioral health-related field.
• Sign the DMH Principles of Ethical and Professional Conduct
• Complete a criminal background check
• Pay $75 application fee
• Submit a completed application

CAT certificate applicants must meet the PCAT requirements, as well as:

• Complete two years of full-time paid work experience; graduate internships and practicums may satisfy up to six months of this requirement
• Pass the DMH Addictions Therapist Examination
• Pay the $50 examination fee

MAAP requires recertification every two years. CICs must complete 20 hours of continuing education and CACDs, CACD-Is, CACD-IIs, and CAADCs must complete 40 hours. Two of those hours must be in ethics and two must be in person-centered planning. Renewal fees are $75.

PCAT certifications issued by PLACE do not renew. CAT certificates expire on June 30th of even-numbered years.

To renew, counselors must:

• Submit a complete renewal application
• Still be employed in the mental health system
• Complete 30 hours of continuing education (at least 26 hours must be in mental health, two hours must be in cultural competency, and two hours must be in ethics)
• Pay $60 renewal fee

Mississippi State Board of Examiners for Licensed Professional Counselors

In Mississippi, rehabilitation counselors are licensed as Provisional Licensed Professional Counselors (P-LPC) or Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC).

To earn P-LPC licensure, candidates must:

• Complete a master’s degree in counseling that is CACREP accredited or meets the structure of a CACREP program and has the word counseling in the degree title. The program must be at least 60 semester credits or 90 quarter credits and include an internship
• Pay a $50 application fee
• Be 21 years of age
• Complete background check with fingerprints
• Submit a recent passport-style photo
• Submit a completed application
• Pass the NCE exam
• Submit a Declaration of Practice which outlines the plans for supervised work experience

To be licensed as an LPC, candidates must:

• Pay $100 application fee
• Hold a current P-LPC license in Mississippi
• Complete 3,000 hours of supervised work experience in a minimum of 18 months and no more than seven years. Of those hours, 1,200 must be in direct client contact and 100 must be in individual face to face supervision.
• Pass the NCMHCE exam

Mississippi requires counselors to renew their licenses biennially by June 30th of even-numbered years. LPC licenses cost $220 to renew and P-LPC only $50.

Counselors are required to complete 24 hours of continuing education per renewal cycle, six of which must be in ethics.

Additionally, counselors are required to pass the state jurisprudence exam, which counts for three hours of ethics continuing education. A new background check must be completed every six years.

The Mississippi Licensing Board for the Practice of Applied Behavior Analysis licenses Behavior Analysts and Assistant Behavior Analysts.

Requirements for licensure are:

• Submit a completed application
• Pay $250 application fee (behavior analyst) or $100 (assistant)
• Hold a BCBA credential if applying as a behavior analyst or BCaBA if applying as an assistant
• Pay $35 fingerprinting fee
• Complete a criminal history records check

Behavior analyst licenses in Mississippi run concurrently with the BCBA certification. Both the certification and license must be renewed before the certification expires. To renew, applicants must:

• Submit a completed application,
• Complete 12 continuing education hours per year. One of those hours must be in ethics
• Pay $250 application fee (behavior analyst) or $100 (assistant)

The Mississippi Board of Examiners for Social Workers and Marriage and Family Therapists credentials Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFT) and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapy Associates (LMFTA).

Requirements for an LMFTA license are:

• Submit a completed application
• Pay $25 application fee
• Complete a master’s degree from a COAMFTE-accredited program, including a 12-month practicum with at least 500 direct client contact hours and one hour of supervision for every six hours of client contact
• Submit a supervision plan
• Provide three personal references
• Pass a criminal records check
• Submit a recent passport-style photo
• Pass the AMFTRB exam
• Pay $75 license fee

Candidates for an LMFT license must meet the LMFTA license requirements as well as:

• Complete 12 months of supervised work experience as a marriage and family therapist. There must be at least 1,000 hours of direct client contact and 200 hours of supervision
• Pay $100 license fee

Marriage and family therapist licenses issued in Mississippi must be renewed every two years. LMFTA renewals cost $100 and LMFT renewals cost $200.

Therapists must complete 24 hours of continuing education per renewal period. Four of those hours must be in ethics.

In Mississippi, child therapists are licensed as Provisional Licensed Professional Counselors (P-LPC) or Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC).

To earn P-LPC licensure, candidates must:

• Complete a master’s degree in counseling that is CACREP accredited or meets the structure of a CACREP program and has the word counseling in the degree title. The program must be at least 60 semester credits or 90 quarter credits and include an internship
• Pay a $50 application fee
• Be 21 years of age
• Complete background check with fingerprints
• Submit a recent passport-style photo
• Submit a completed application
• Pass the NCE exam
• Submit a Declaration of Practice which outlines the plans for supervised work experience

To be licensed as an LPC, candidates must:

• Pay $100 application fee
• Hold a current P-LPC license in Mississippi
• Complete 3,000 hours of supervised work experience in a minimum of 18 months and no more than seven years. Of those hours, 1,200 must be in direct client contact and 100 must be in individual face to face supervision.
• Pass the NCMHCE exam

Mississippi requires counselors to renew their licenses biennially by June 30th of even-numbered years. LPC licenses cost $220 to renew and P-LPC only $50.

Counselors are required to complete 24 hours of continuing education per renewal cycle, six of which must be in ethics.

Additionally, counselors are required to pass the state jurisprudence exam, which counts for three hours of ethics continuing education. A new background check must be completed every six years.