37-23-201. Representation or practice as licensed clinical professional counselor -- license required. - Montana Statutes

     37-23-201. Representation or practice as licensed clinical professional counselor -- license required. (1) Upon issuance of a license in accordance with this chapter, a licensee may use the title "licensed clinical professional counselor" or "professional counselor".
     (2) Except as provided in subsection (3), a person may not represent that the person is a licensed professional counselor or licensed clinical professional counselor by adding the letters "LPC" or "LCPC" after the person's name or by any other means, engage in the practice of professional counseling, or represent that the person is engaged in the practice of professional counseling, unless licensed under this chapter.
     (3) Individuals licensed in accordance with this chapter before October 1, 1993, who use the title "licensed professional counselor" or "LPC" may use the title "licensed clinical professional counselor" or "LCPC".
     (4) Subsection (2) does not prohibit:
     (a) a qualified member of another profession, such as a physician, lawyer, pastoral counselor, probation officer, court employee, nurse, school counselor, educator, chemical dependency counselor accredited by a federal agency, or addiction counselor licensed pursuant to Title 37, chapter 35, from performing duties and services consistent with the person's licensure or certification and the code of ethics of the person's profession or, in the case of a qualified member of another profession who is not licensed or certified or for whom there is no applicable code of ethics, from performing duties and services consistent with the person's training, as long as the person does not represent by title that the person is engaging in the practice of professional counseling;
     (b) an activity or service or use of an official title by a person employed by or acting as a volunteer for a federal, state, county, or municipal agency or an educational, research, or charitable institution that is a part of the duties of the office or position;
     (c) an activity or service of an employee of a business establishment performed solely for the benefit of the establishment's employees;
     (d) an activity or service of a student, intern, or resident in mental health counseling pursuing a course of study at an accredited university or college or working in a generally recognized training center if the activity or service constitutes a part of the supervised course of study;
     (e) an activity or service of a person who is not a resident of this state, which activity or service is rendered for a period that does not exceed, in the aggregate, 60 days during a calendar year, if the person is authorized under the law of the state or country of residence to perform the activity or service. However, the person shall report to the department of labor and industry the nature and extent of the activity or service if it exceeds 10 days in a calendar year.
     (f) pending disposition of the application for a license, the activity or service by a person who has recently become a resident of this state, has applied for a license within 90 days of taking up residency in this state, and is licensed to perform the activity or service in the state of the person's former residence;
     (g) an activity or service of a person who is working to satisfactorily complete the 3,000 hours of counseling practice required for licensure by 37-23-202(1)(b) if the person has already completed a planned graduate program, as required by 37-23-202(1)(a), or is working to complete the 3,000 hours of social work experience as required by 37-22-301; or
     (h) an activity or service performed by a licensed social worker, licensed psychiatrist, or licensed psychologist when performing the activity or service in a manner consistent with the person's license and the code of ethics of the person's profession.

     History: En. Sec. 4, Ch. 572, L. 1985; amd. Sec. 9, Ch. 552, L. 1993; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 536, L. 1995; amd. Sec. 12, Ch. 507, L. 1997; amd. Sec. 4, Ch. 23, L. 2001; amd. Sec. 130, Ch. 483, L. 2001.