Laws of the Counseling Profession

In virtually every profession, there are multivariate levels for each class of professionals, ranging from the sophomore intern to the well accredited and licensed professional. In most cases, there is a clear distinction between these levels of professionalism whereas in some minor instances the differences are not so clear. Whereas some professionals merely require a one- time practicing license, others require several levels of
accreditations all of which provide a wider foray of practice limitations. It is clear that an intern cannot practice on the same level as a master practitioner in any chosen field of practice. This fact remains all the more true in psychiatry and mental health practice. There are several levels of professional stations all of which are dependent on experience and academic credentials. The differences between a license, a certification, and a credential in the field of mental health are quite varied, and a keener understanding of these differences provides a deeper insight into the practice. The information entailed is widely available on www.msrops.com.
Differences between a License, a Certification, and a Credential.
A credential
A credential is an umbrella term referring to the qualification granted to a body or entity, which gives it the mandate or give a status to an organization or an entity which has met a predetermined criteria standardized by a law, organization or caucus. The formal recognition granted is then recognized universally, and this gives the entity the qualification to operate within the confines of the predetermined standards given. A credential is, therefore, a summation of all other licenses that an entity can have as it confers the entity with the right to grant other individuals, entities or organizations with the right to either, incense, accredit, recognize, designate or certify another entity.
A Certification
A certification is a process that is voluntary and by which an entity either governmental or nongovernmental grants recognition to an individual. This form of recognition is limited by time, and it is only granted after the individual has met certain standardized and predetermined criteria. A certification is recognized by the fact that unlike a license, it is voluntarily conferred, and an individual cannot be barred from practicing in any given vocation merely on the basis of not having a certification. In most cases, a certification criterion is identified by the legibility standards that are required as a prerequisite. The other feature of a certification is that it has to have ongoing requirements as the individuals unto whom a certificate is conferred is deemed to be a novice in a trade and, therefore, has to elevate continually their current certification level through training and academic excellence.
A License
A license is a mandatory fundamental process through which a governmental institution or organization, grants permission to an individual for a limited period to engage in a certain profession. This permission is granted after the individual has demonstrated that he has attained standardized and predetermined criteria set by the government agency or by legal statutes. A license ensures that the individuals have a particularly recognized degree of competency to be able to practice their profession. This preset standard of skill is meant to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the public, and it is for this reason that only a government agency can confer a license. A license is also recognized by the fact that it is granted at the state level, and it is therefore not universally acceptable to all the states. For an individual to practice in multiple regions, he/she has to be licensed in all those various states because criteria for practice might be different.
State Requirements
In Texas, the requirements for an intern are dependent on the field of work the intern in meant to work in. In mental health or by extension in the area of health sciences, an intern is expected to be fully vaccinated against all known communicable diseases that may be prevalent in the area. Some hospitals require the intern to have a clean criminal record though this rule is not stressed upon by the state. Furthermore, the intern should present a letter from their school administration showing the degree of study and core competencies.
The requirements in place for a supervisor are slightly more difficult for a director than for an intern. The minimum education standard for a supervisor is a masters degree level in counseling or counseling related area from an accredited college. The supervisor must also have passed the National Counselor Exam as well as the Texas Jurisprudence Exam. The same requirements are applicable when applying for a license from the Texas state Board. For a license the applicant must also have undertaken 48 graduate semester hours as well as have a graduate degree or a graduate degree course work that was awarded at least 10 years prior to the application for a license. To be a continuing education provider, the applicant must submit the Continuing Education Provider Application form that is available at the Texas Department of State health Services offices and website. The successful applicants must renew their provider status annually and comply with the board rules.
The grounds for suspension or revocation of a license include failure to adhere to health codes of conduct as well as failure to provide quality care for the patients as enshrined in the hospitals or organizations rules of practice.















References
Title 22, Texas Administrative Code, Chapters 681, 781, 801, 810 and Title 25, Texas Administrative Code, Chapter 450 found in http://www.counseling.org/Counselors/LicensureAndCert/StateRequirements/CT2
Center for Mental Health Services. (2011). 2011 CMHS Uniform Reporting System Output Tables. Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Retrieved August 21, 2015, from http://www.samhsa.gov/dataoutcomes/urs/urs2011.aspx
Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality. (2013). National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services (N-SSATS): 2012 data on substance abuse treatment facilities (HHS Publication No. SMA 144809, DASIS Series: S66). Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.