704.7(b) LICENSURE Counselor Qualifications
704.7. Qualifications for the position of counselor.
(a) Drug and alcohol treatment projects shall be staffed by counselors proportionate to the staff/client and counselor/client ratios listed in 704.12 (relating to full-time equivalent (FTE) maximum client/staff and client/counselor ratios).
(b) Each counselor shall meet at least one of the following groups of qualifications:
(1) Current licensure in this Commonwealth as a physician.
(2) A Master's Degree or above from an accredited college with a major in chemical dependency, psychology, social work, counseling, nursing (with a clinical specialty in the human services) or other related field which includes a practicum in a health or human service agency, preferably in a drug and alcohol setting. If the practicum did not take place in a drug and alcohol setting, the individual's written training plan shall specifically address a plan to achieve counseling competency in chemical dependency issues.
(3) A Bachelor's Degree from an accredited college with a major in chemical dependency, psychology, social work, counseling, nursing (with a clinical specialty in the human services) or other related field and 1 year of clinical experience (a minimum of 1,820 hours) in a health or human service agency, preferably in a drug and alcohol setting. If a person's experience did not take place in a drug and alcohol setting, the individual's written training plan shall specifically address a plan to achieve counseling competency in chemical dependency issues.
(4) An Associate Degree from an accredited college with a major in chemical dependency, psychology, social work, counseling, nursing (with a clinical specialty in the human services) or other related field and 2 years of clinical experience (a minimum of 3,640 hours) in a health or human service agency, preferably in a drug and alcohol setting. If a person's experience was not in a drug and alcohol setting, the individual's written training plan shall specifically address a plan to achieve counseling competency in chemical dependency issues.
(5) Current licensure in this Commonwealth as a registered nurse and a degree from an accredited school of nursing and 1 year of counseling experience (a minimum of 1,820 hours) in a health or human service agency, preferably in a drug and alcohol setting. If a person's experience was not in a drug and alcohol setting, the individual's written training plan shall specifically address a plan to achieve counseling competency in chemical dependency issues.
(6) Full certification as an addictions counselor by a statewide certification body which is a member of a National certification body or certification by another state government's substance abuse counseling certification board.
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Observations
Based on the review of employee records, the facility failed to ensure that each counselor with a Bachelor level degree met the requirement of one year of clinical experience prior to employment in the counselor position.
The findings included:
Employee # 4 was hired 12/1/08. This employee file had documentation of an approved Bachelor level degree, however, based on the documentation in her resume, she lacked one year of clinical experience. The experience referenced in her resume indicated that she had worked in human services for over a year but that her duties were focused in an educational/support role rather than engaging in clinical duties which included formulating treatment plans, providing individual and group therapy, writing clinical assessments, etc.
This a repeat citation. The facility failed to have any documentation pertaining to clinical supervision as of the April 29, 2010 on-site follow-up inspection.
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Plan of Correction
Employee #4 is currently listed as a counselor assistant is required to have 6 months of documented supervision. Employee #4 will meet with the Program Director at a minimum of one time per week to review and discuss her current clinical D&A cases. The program director will document a general outline of these meeting and review them with Employee # 4. These documents will be signed and dated by both the Program Director and Employee # 4 and they will be available to the DOH inspector upon request. |