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SCREENING LICENSED COUNSELORS The following table contains information about many of the statewide contacts you can use to locate and screen a licensed conselor, and to understand the different qualifications required for various types of counselors. It is always advisable to contact the relevant licensing board of the service provider you are interested in to screen for complaints and to ensure that the provider's license is valid. Note that some counseling services are provided by non-licensed persons and may be very helpful, such as support group facilitators, faith-based counselors, and crime victim service providers. However, keep in mind that non-licensed providers do not have a licensing board monitoring them to ensure that they meet minimum qualifications, obtain continuing education, and comply with a code of ethics. If you are unsure whether your service provider is licensed, be sure to ask and find out more about their qualifications. | TYPE OF COUNSELOR | EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS | LICENSING BOARD CONTACT INFORMATION | | Social Workers: Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) Certified Social Work Manager (CSWM) Certified Master of Social Work (CMSW) Certified Social Worker (CSW) | For LCSW: DSW (Doctoral degree) or MSW (Masters) & 2 years clinical experience For CSWM: DSW or MSW or BSW (Bachelors) & 2 years clinical experience For CMSW: DSW or MSW For CSW: BSW | NC Social Work Certification & Licensure Board P.O. Box 1043 Asheboro, NC 27204 (336) 625-1679 (800) 550-7009 www.NCSWBoard.org | | Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC) | Masters degree in counseling or equivalent related graduate degree & 2 years of clinical experience | NC Board of Licensed Professional Counselors P.O.Box 1369 Garner, NC 27529 (919) 661-0820 www.ncblpc.org | | Certified Marital & Family Therapists (CMFT) | Masters degree in marital & family therapy or equivalent related graduate degree & 2 years post-graduate clinical experience | NC Marital & Family Therapy Licensure Board P.O. Box 37669 Raleigh, NC 27627 (919) 772-6600 www.nclmft.org/nclmft | | Fee-Based Pastoral Counselors | Ordained pastor & Masters or Doctoral degree of Divinity or Pastoral Counseling or equivalent graduate degree & clinical experience | NC State Board of Fee-Based Pastoral Counselors P.O. Box 2227 Welcome, NC 27374 (336) 794-3470 | | Licensed Psychologists (PhD) | Doctoral degree in Psychology & 1 year post-doctoral clinical experience | NC Psychological Association 1004 Dresser Court, Suite 106 Raleigh, NC 27609 (919) 872-1005 www.ncpsychology.com | | Psychiatrists (MD) (Note: Only psychiatrists and other physicians can prescribe medication for you.) | MD or DO & 3-4 years psychiatric residency | NC Medical Board P.O. Box 20007 Raleigh, NC 27619 (919) 326-1100 (800) 253-9653 www.ncmedboard.org | | Substance Abuse Counselors: Certified Substance Abuse Counselor (CSAC) Certified Clinical Addiction Specialist (CCAS) Certified Clinical Supervisor (CCS) Certified Substance Abuse Prevention Consultant (CSAPC) Certified Substance Abuse Residential Facility Director (CSARFD) | For CSAC: 3 years treatment facility experience & 270 hours of training in substance abuse counseling; 12 hours of HIV/AIDS education; & 6 hours of ethics education For CCAS: Masters degree in a human services field & 2 years supervised experience For CCS: 2 years as CSAC or CCAS & Masters degree in a human services field For CSAPC: Bachelors degree & 2 years experience; or 3 years experience, 270 hours substance abuse & HIV/AIDS education, & 300 hours of supervised experience For CSARFD: CSARFD certification & 50 hours of training & must already be a certified counselor | NC Substance Abuse Professional Practice Board P.O. Box 10126 Raleigh, NC 27605 (919) 832-0975 www.ncsappb.org | Jennifer Brobst, Legal Director & Tamsin Woolley, NCCU Intern rev. 6/29/10 Center for Child and Family Health (www.ccfhnc.org)
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