How to Become a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in Indiana
Indiana licenses counselors as Licensed Mental Health Counselors (LMHCs), not LPCs. The Behavioral Health and Human Services Licensing Board, under the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency (IPLA), oversees the credential. Anyone who graduated after July 1, 2014 must hold the associate-level LMHCA before their post-graduate clinical hours count toward full licensure.
Step 1: Earn a Qualifying Master's Degree
You need a master's degree in mental health counseling with at least 60 graduate semester hours covering required content areas, plus 1,000 clock hours of supervised clinical training built into your degree program: 100 hours of practicum, 600 hours of internship, and 300 hours of advanced internship, including at least 100 hours of face-to-face supervision.
Step 2: Apply for Your LMHCA Credential
Submit your online application with the $50 application fee. You'll need official transcripts sent directly to the Board and a passing score on the NCE, sent directly from the testing agency.
Step 3: Complete Your Supervised Experience
Working under your LMHCA, you'll accrue supervised post-graduate clinical experience toward the 3,000 hours required for full LMHC licensure.
Step 4: Pass the NCMHCE
Full LMHC licensure requires a passing score on the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination, with your official score report sent directly to the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency.
Step 5: Apply for Full LMHC Licensure
Submit your completed application online with the required fee. If you've practiced in another state for three of the last five years, you may qualify for an exam exemption using verified proof of practice instead.
Renewing Your License
LMHCA renewal requires at least 40 hours of continuing education, including 20 Category I hours with 2 hours specifically in ethics. Associates licensed less than 24 months need 20 hours of continuing education with 1 hour in ethics for their first renewal.
Apply for Your License
Start or continue your application directly with Indiana Behavioral Health and Human Services Licensing Board (IPLA), the official licensing authority. Applications submitted anywhere else won't be processed.
A Note on Accuracy
This post reflects information published by the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency and the Behavioral Health and Human Services Licensing Board. Licensing rules, fees, and statutes change. Verify current requirements directly at in.gov/pla before making any licensure decision.
Indiana's July 2014 cutoff for the associate-license requirement is easy to misread if you're comparing your situation to a colleague who graduated earlier, so confirm which rules apply to your specific graduation date.
Comments