Graduate/Professional Program Overview
Master of Arts in Mental Health Counseling
Licensure
Becoming a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) in Indiana
Like those attending similar programs, graduates of the Indiana University Master of Arts (M.A.) in Mental Health Counseling degree at IU Columbus must satisfy several post-degree requirements to become a licensed mental health provide in Indiana. All licensure decisions are made by the Behavioral Health and Human Services Licensing Board of the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency. For current Indiana requirements, applicants should contact the Board at the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency. Those who seek licensure in other states should contact those state boards for requirements which are likely to have some differences from Indiana's requirements.
The first step to Indiana licensure is to earn the Licensed Mental Health Counselor Associate (LMHCA) credential. The LMHCA is obtained after submitting a satisfactory application and obtaining a passing score on the National Counselor Examination. After obtaining the LMHCA, the State of Indiana requires completion of 3,000 counseling contact hours and 200 hours of face-to-face supervision by a licensed counselor or other licensed mental health professional who is an approved supervisor. Toward the end of the required 3,000 contact hours, those holding the LMHCA apply for the full LMHC license. To obtain the LMHC, applicants must complete application requirements and pass the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination with a satisfactory score. Those holding both the LMHCA and LMHC licenses must complete 40 hours of continuing education each biennium.
