Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 9, September 20, 2024
A. The following comprises the information
that must be available in writing for each client seen by a licensed
professional counselor or provisional licensed professional counselor in the
state of Louisiana. Licensed professional counselors or provisional licensed
professional counselors must read and incorporate the Code of Conduct for
Professional Counselors in their declaration statement.
1. Licensed professional counselor or
provisional licensed professional counselors name, mailing address, and
telephone number.
2. Qualifications
a. Include degrees earned and institution(s)
attended.
b. Give your license
number, specifying the LPC Board of Examiners including address and telephone
number as the grantor of your license or provisional license.
c. An individual under supervision must refer
to him/herself as a provisional licensed professional counselor and include the
name and address of his/her board-approved supervisor.
3. Counseling Relationship
a. Provide a general statement about the
dynamics of the counseling relationship.
b. Include general goals for
clients.
4. Areas of
Focus
a. List your areas of focus such as
career counseling, marriage and family counseling, adolescents, etc.
b. List your national certifications in
counseling.
5. Fee
Scales
a. List your fees and describe your
billing policies.
b. Describe your
policy on scheduling and breaking appointments.
c. State your policy on insurance
payments.
6. Explanation
of the Types of Services Offered and Clients Served
a. Include the theoretical basis and the type
of techniques and/or strategies that you use in therapy.
b. Specify the modality you use such as group
and/or individual therapy.
c.
Specify the type(s) of clients you serve.
7. Code of Conduct: State that you are
required by state law to adhere to a Code of Conduct for your practice which is
determined by the Louisiana Licensing Board, and a copy of this code is
available on request.
8. Privileged
Communication. Describe the rules governing privileged communication and
include the limits of confidentiality.
9. Emergency Situations. Describe your policy
for emergency client situations.
10. Client Responsibilities. List client
responsibilities, e.g., clients are expected to follow office procedures for
keeping appointments, clients must pay for services at the time of each visit,
and clients must terminate the counseling relationship before being seen by
another mental health professional and/or notify the licensee of any other
ongoing professional mental health relationship. If a client is seeing another
mental health professional (psychologist, board certified social worker, etc.),
then permission must be granted by the first therapist for the second to work
with the same client. (See Code of Conduct).
11. Physical Health. Suggest that client have
a complete physical examination if he/she has not had one within the past year.
Also have client list any medications that he/she may be taking.
12. Potential Counseling Risks. Indicate that
as a result of mental health counseling, the client may realize that he/she has
additional issues which may not have surfaced prior to the onset of the
counseling relationship. The licensee may also indicate possible risk within
specific specialty areas (i.e., marriage and family: as one partner changes,
additional strain may be placed on the martial relationship if the other
partner refuses to work).
13. It
is also required that a place be provided for the date and signatures of the
licensee, the client(s) and, if warranted, the date and signatures of the
parent/guardian and the licensees supervisor. A general statement is required
indicating that the client has read, understands, and agrees to the conditions
set forth by the declaration statement. Minor clients must have an accompanying
parent/guardian signature which provides consent for their treatment.
B. To practice mental health
counseling in Louisiana the licensed professional counselor or provisional
licensed professional counselor must have a current copy of his/her declaration
statement on file in the LPC Board office. The provisional licensed
professional counselor must include a copy of his/her declaration statement
with each application for or change in supervision. The Code of Conduct can be
duplicated for clients and additional copies are available from the
board.
AUTHORITY NOTE:
Promulgated in accordance with
R.S.
37:1101-1123.
