Effective July 1, 2007, the board will no longer license professional mental health counselors. Prior to the effective date, the board shall issue a license as a professional mental health counselor to any person who files a completed application accompanied by the required fees and who submits satisfactory evidence that the applicant:
A. has reached the age of twenty-one;
B. holds a master's or doctoral degree in counseling or a counseling-related field from an accredited institution and has a total of no less than forty-eight graduate semester hours or seventy-two quarter hours in the mental health clinical core curriculum;
C. demonstrates professional competency by passing the required examinations prescribed by the board;
D. has completed one thousand client contact hours of postgraduate professional counseling experience under appropriate clinical supervision consisting of at least one hundred supervision hours; and
E. is of good moral character with conduct consistent with the code of ethics.
History: Laws 1993, ch. 49, § 10; 1999, ch. 161, § 8; 2003, ch. 422, § 8; 2005, ch. 210, § 7.
Delayed repeals. — For delayed repeal of this section, see 61-9A-30 NMSA 1978.
The 2005 amendment, effective June 17, 2005, in Subsection B, provided that the applicant must have a total of not less that forty-eight graduate semester hours or seventy-two quarter hours in the mental health clinical core curriculum; and in Subsection D, changed "supervision" to "clinical supervision".
The 2003 amendment, effective June 20, 2003, in Subsection B, substituted "a counseling-related field, as defined by rule" for "an allied mental health field"; in Subsection C, substituted "the required examinations" for "an examination as".
The 1999 amendment, effective July 1, 1999, deleted "The board may approve, on a case-by-case basis, applicants who have a master's degree or doctoral degree from non-accredited institutions" at the end of Subsection B, deleted "satisfactorily" preceding "passing" in Subsection C, and added Subsection E.
Structure New Mexico Statutes
Chapter 61 - Professional and Occupational Licenses
Article 9A - Counseling and Therapy
Section 61-9A-1 - Short title. (Repealed effective July 1, 2028.)
Section 61-9A-2 - Purpose. (Repealed effective July 1, 2028.)
Section 61-9A-3 - Definitions. (Repealed effective July 1, 2028.)
Section 61-9A-4 - License or registration required. (Repealed effective July 1, 2028.)
Section 61-9A-5 - Scopes of practice. (Repealed effective July 1, 2028.)
Section 61-9A-6 - Exemptions. (Repealed effective July 1, 2028.)
Section 61-9A-8 - Department duties. (Repealed effective July 1, 2028.)
Section 61-9A-9 - Board; powers and duties. (Repealed effective July 1, 2028.)
Section 61-9A-11.2 - Repealed.
Section 61-9A-15 - Examinations. (Repealed effective July 1, 2028.)
Section 61-9A-16 - Temporary licensure. (Repealed effective July 1, 2028.)
Section 61-9A-17 to 61-9A-21.1 - Repealed.
Section 61-9A-22 - Licensure by credentials. (Repealed effective July 1, 2028.)
Section 61-9A-23 - License and registration renewal. (Repealed effective July 1, 2028.)
Section 61-9A-24 - License and registration fees. (Repealed effective July 1, 2028.)
Section 61-9A-25 - Fund created. (Repealed effective July 1, 2028.)
Section 61-9A-27 - Privileged communications. (Repealed effective July 1, 2028.)
Section 61-9A-28 - Criminal offender's character evaluation. (Repealed effective July 1, 2028.)
Section 61-9A-29 - Injunctive proceedings. (Repealed effective July 1, 2028.)
Section 61-9A-30 - Termination of agency life; delayed repeal. (Repealed effective July 1, 2028.)