96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2009 and 2010
SB3119

 

Introduced 2/8/2010, by Sen. Pamela J. Althoff

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
225 ILCS 107/45

    Amends the Professional Counselor and Clinical Professional Counselor Licensing Act. Provides that a qualified applicant for licensure as a professional counselor must be a graduate of a master's or doctoral level program in the field of counseling, rehabilitation counseling, or psychology, or a similar degree program approved by the Department. Effective immediately.


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A BILL FOR

 

SB3119 LRB096 20174 ASK 35730 b

1     AN ACT concerning regulation.
 
2     Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
 
4     Section 5. The Professional Counselor and Clinical
5 Professional Counselor Licensing Act is amended by changing
6 Section 45 as follows:
 
7     (225 ILCS 107/45)
8     (Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2013)
9     Sec. 45. Qualifications for a license.
10     (a) Professional counselor. A person is qualified to be
11 licensed as a licensed professional counselor, and the
12 Department shall issue a license authorizing the practice of
13 professional counseling to an applicant who:
14         (1) has applied in writing on the prescribed form and
15     has paid the required fee;
16         (2) is at least 21 years of age and has not engaged in
17     conduct or activities which would constitute grounds for
18     discipline under this Act;
19         (3) is a graduate of: (A) a master's or doctoral level
20     program in the field of counseling, rehabilitation
21     counseling, or psychology, or a similar degree program
22     approved by the Department; or
23             (B) an approved baccalaureate program in human

 

 

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1         services or similar degree program approved by the
2         Department and can document the equivalent of 5 years
3         of full-time satisfactory supervised experience, as
4         established by rule, under a qualified supervisor;
5         (4) has passed an examination for the practice of
6     professional counseling as authorized by the Department;
7     and
8         (5) has paid the fees required by this Act.
9     Any person who has received certification by any State or
10 national organization whose standards are accepted by the
11 Department as being substantially similar to the standards in
12 this Act may apply for a professional counselor license and
13 need not be examined further.
14     (b) Clinical professional counselor. A person is qualified
15 to be licensed as a clinical professional counselor, and the
16 Department shall issue a license authorizing the practice of
17 clinical professional counseling to an applicant who:
18         (1) has applied in writing on the prescribed form and
19     has paid the required fee;
20         (2) is at least 21 years of age and has not engaged in
21     conduct or activities which would constitute grounds for
22     discipline under this Act;
23         (3) is a graduate of:
24             (A) a master's level program in the field of
25         counseling, rehabilitation counseling, psychology, or
26         similar degree program approved by the Department and

 

 

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1         has completed the equivalent of 2 years full-time
2         satisfactory supervised employment or experience
3         working as a clinical counselor under the direction of
4         a qualified supervisor subsequent to the degree; or
5             (B) a doctoral program in the field of counseling,
6         rehabilitation counseling, psychology, or similar
7         program approved by the Department and has completed
8         the equivalent of 2 years full-time satisfactory
9         supervised employment or experience working as a
10         clinical counselor under the direction of a qualified
11         supervisor, at least one year of which is subsequent to
12         the degree;
13         (4) has passed the examination for the practice of
14     clinical professional counseling as authorized by the
15     Department; and
16         (5) has paid the fees required by this Act.
17     Any person who has received certification by any State or
18 national organization whose standards are accepted by the
19 Department as being substantially similar to the standards in
20 this Act may apply for a clinical professional counselor
21 license, and need not be examined further.
22     (c) Examination for applicants under this Act shall be held
23 at the discretion of the Department from time to time but not
24 less than once each year. The examination used shall be
25 authorized by the Department.
26     (d) Upon application and payment of the required fee, an

 

 

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1 applicant who has an active license as a clinical psychologist
2 or a clinical social worker licensed under the laws of this
3 State may, without examination, be granted registration as a
4 licensed clinical professional counselor by the Department.
5 (Source: P.A. 92-719, eff. 7-25-02.)
 
6     Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
7 becoming law.