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 a review the personnel records, the Staffing Requirements Facility Summary report, and a discussion with the director, the facility failed to ensure each counselor met the qualifications for the position of counselor in one of two personnel records.
Employee #3 was hired as a counselor assistant on December 13, 2021, was promoted to counselor on June 13, 2022 and was still in this position at the time of the inspection. Employee #3 has a Bachelor ' s degree in Psychology but does not meet the experiential requirements for a promotion to a counselor position since he did not have one year of experience at the time of his promotion.
The findings were reviewed with facility staff during the licensing process.
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Plan of Correction
Employee #3 was hired as a counselor assistant with a bachelor degree in Psychology on December 13, 2021. He had not worked in the counseling field at that time. We closely supervised him and for 6 months. The facility director will continue his supervision for the remainder of his training until he has the required one year experience on December 13, 2022. The facility director along with the fiscal officer will ensure all Counselor Assistant notes are in employee #3 file. They will also ensure future compliance with all counselor assistants. The facility is in full compliance as of 8/5/22 |