How to Become a Clinical Mental Health Counselor in Idaho

Idaho desperately needs mental health professionals. The state’s entire territory qualifies as a “Health Professional Shortage Area” as of 2022. Your skills could make a real difference in this underserved state if you want to become a clinical mental health counselor in Idaho.

The state ranks 23rd nationwide in mental health service access. However, Idaho stands at 49th place for the percentage of people getting mental health care through state funding. The path to becoming a counselor here requires completion of a 60-semester-hour graduate program. You must pass the National Counselor Examination to get your Idaho mental health counselor license. Your next step involves gathering 2,000 hours of supervised direct client contact. This typically takes at least two years to advance to Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor status.

This detailed guide shows the exact steps you need to enter this rewarding field in Idaho. You’ll learn about educational requirements, licensing procedures, job opportunities, and compliance needs. Mental health counselors in Idaho earn $53,630 on average annually. This career path combines professional satisfaction with fair compensation.

Types of Licensure in Idaho

Idaho’s licensing framework creates a clear path to become a mental health counselor. The Idaho Licensing Board of Professional Counselors and Marriage and Family Therapists manages three levels of counseling licenses. These levels build a career path toward clinical practice.

Registered Counselor Intern (RI)

Your experience starts as a Registered Counselor Intern. This temporary credential lets you build up your supervised experience hours. You’ll need a graduate degree in counseling and a Board-approved supervisor to qualify. The original license costs $25.00.

RIs can practice up to four years. During this time, you must finish your supervised hours or you might lose your right to practice. This credential lays the groundwork for your counseling career in Idaho.

Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)

The LPC is your first step into independent practice. This license lets you provide several counseling services such as:

• Case management and crisis intervention
• Consulting, assessments, and referrals
• Treatment of mental disorders
• Individual, couples, family, and group counseling

Getting your LPC status needs 1,000 hours of supervised experience. You’ll need 400 hours working directly with clients. The rules say you need one hour of individual supervision for every 20 hours of direct client contact. You must also pass the National Counselor Examination (NCE).

The fee structure changed in October 2023. You can now choose between annual licensing at $200.00 or biennial licensing at $300.00. This credential lets you practice on your own but doesn’t cover clinical counseling work yet.

Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC)

The LCPC is Idaho’s highest counseling license. This advanced credential lets you do clinical counseling that goes way beyond the reach and influence of an LPC.

You’ll need 2,000 more hours of supervised direct client contact over at least two years after getting your LPC. Half of these hours must be supervised by a licensed clinical professional counselor. Any qualified supervisor defined in the rules can oversee the rest.

Clinical supervision happens at one hour for every 30 hours of direct client contact. At least half of your supervised hours must be individual rather than group supervision. The National Clinical Mental Health Counselor Examination (NCMHCE) is also required.

LCPC application fees match the LPC rates: $200.00 yearly or $300.00 every two years.

Alternative Pathways

Counselors licensed in other states can get Idaho licensure through endorsement. The state also licenses Marriage and Family Therapists through a separate path.

Renewal Requirements

Licensed counselors must complete ongoing education. This includes six hours in ethics, three hours of boundaries, and three hours in suicide assessment or intervention every twenty-four months. Renewal costs $120.00 yearly or $240.00 every two years.

These license types create a well-laid-out path toward full clinical practice privileges. Each level builds on your previous experience as you grow into a mental health counselor in Idaho.

Earn Your Degree

A graduate degree serves as the base of your trip to become a clinical mental health counselor in Idaho. The state’s licensing board has set specific educational requirements you must meet before applying for licensure.

Idaho’s counseling licensure requires completion of a 60-semester credit (or 90-quarter credit) graduate program in counseling. The Idaho Board shows strong preference for degrees from programs with Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) accreditation. A CACREP-accredited program will make your path to licensure easier.

Your graduate program must cover these eight essential CACREP curricular areas:

1. Human growth and development – Understanding psychological, sociological, and physiological approaches to human behavior across all developmental stages
2. Social and cultural foundations – Studying ethnic groups, cultural mores, changing societal roles, and diverse populations
3. Helping relationships – Learning consultation theory and developing counselor-client self-awareness
4. Groups – Becoming skilled at group dynamics, facilitative skills, and supervised practice
5. Lifestyle and career development – Learning about vocational theory, decision-making processes, and career exploration techniques
6. Appraisal of individuals – Developing frameworks to understand individuals through testing and case studies
7. Research and evaluation – Learning statistics, research design, and program evaluation
8. Professional orientation – Understanding ethics, legal considerations, and professional counselor identity

Your program must include a year-long advanced counseling practicum with at least 280 hours of direct client contact.

Students who choose non-CACREP accredited programs face additional requirements. The board requires submission of each course syllabus along with a coursework addendum. They will review whether your coursework meets the eight core areas and practicum requirements.

Idaho has several CACREP-accredited counseling programs available. Boise State University offers a 60-credit Master of Arts in Counseling with cognates in addiction counseling or school counseling. Idaho State University’s Master of Counseling degree comes with five specialization options, including clinical mental health counseling. Northwest Nazarene University provides a 60-credit Master of Science in Counseling program that takes about 33 months to complete.

These programs combine academic coursework with supervised practical experience. To cite an instance, see Boise State’s program that includes a 100-hour practicum and a 700-hour internship. These experiences help you develop clinical skills under professional guidance before working independently.

After completing your degree, you can register as a counselor intern and start accumulating supervised hours needed for Idaho licensure.

Get Licensed

Your next significant step to become a clinical mental health counselor in Idaho is navigating the state’s licensing process after completing your educational requirements. The Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL) manages this process through its Licensing Board of Professional Counselors and Marriage and Family Therapists.

You need to register as a Counselor Intern to start accumulating supervised experience. The registration costs $25.00 and stays valid up to four years. Submit your official transcripts that show your qualifying graduate degree with the designated supervisor affidavit.

The Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) credential requires 1,000 hours of supervised experience and 400 hours of direct client contact. You must complete one hour of face-to-face supervision for every 20 hours spent with clients.

The LPC licensure application needs:

1. Submit a notarized application with a passport-type photograph
2. Provide proof of age (government-issued photo ID)
3. Include official transcripts sent directly from your educational institution
4. Submit verification of successful completion of the National Counselor Examination (NCE)
5. Include evaluation and verification forms from your supervisors in sealed envelopes
6. Pay the $200.00 application fee ($100.00 application fee plus $100.00 license fee)

The National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) administers the NCE. Make sure you list the Idaho Board as a score recipient when you register for the exam.

The Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) credential becomes available after you get your LPC license and complete 2,000 hours of supervised direct client contact over at least two years. You must then pass the National Clinical Mental Health Counselor Examination (NCMHCE).

Idaho offers licensure by endorsement if you’re already licensed in another state. This path needs current licensure in another state and verification sent directly to the Idaho Board. The fees remain $200.00 total ($100.00 application fee plus $100.00 license fee).

The Board reviews applications during scheduled meetings. Submit your materials seven days before the meeting. You’ll get the Board’s decision within two to four weeks after the meeting.

Your license needs annual or biennial renewal with fees of $120.00 annually or $240.00 biennially.

Find Employment

Clinical mental health counselors will find promising career paths in Idaho. The state’s growing behavioral health services needs and rural area shortages create excellent opportunities for newly licensed professionals.

Licensed Professional Counselors in Idaho earn competitive salaries. The median annual salary reaches $65,240. New counselors can expect to start at $43,550 per year. More experienced professionals at the 75th percentile take home about $78,100. Top earners making $85,960 or more usually hold advanced LCPC credentials, specialized certifications, or run successful private practices.

Idaho’s clinical mental health counselors can head over to various work settings such as:

• Community mental health centers
• Private practices (solo or group)
• Hospitals and medical centers
• School systems
• Substance abuse treatment facilities
• Employee assistance programs
• Veterans services
• Correctional facilities
• Telehealth platforms

Idaho’s rural communities face a shortage of mental health providers. Many areas offer loan-repayment programs and signing bonuses to qualified counselors. Recent data shows rehabilitation counselor jobs should grow by 13% through 2030. The total positions will jump from 1,680 to nearly 1,900.

The state government is one of Idaho’s most important employers of mental health professionals. The Department of Health and Welfare posts regular job openings. Government roles make up 18.9% of all mental health licensee jobs. Healthcare and social assistance lead the employment sectors with 51.3% of licensee wage records.

Your marketability and earning potential can grow with expertise in trauma treatment, substance abuse counseling, or adolescent therapy. Telehealth services create new opportunities across Idaho. You can now help clients whatever your location.

Employers provide attractive benefits packages. These often include health insurance, retirement plans, paid time off, and professional development support. Some organizations help with loan forgiveness and continuing education credits to support your career growth.

Remain Compliant

Your Idaho mental health counselor license needs more than just getting credentials to stay compliant. Licensed counselors must complete continuing education to keep their skills current and license active.

The Idaho State Licensing Board requires counselors to complete 30 contact hours of continuing education every 24 months before license renewal. These hours must include at least 2 hours of ethics training. Your continuing education period runs from July 31, 2022, through July 31, 2024 if your renewal date falls on July 31, 2024.

The mandatory continuing education topics include:

• Ethics (6 hours)
• Professional boundaries (3 hours)
• Suicide assessment or intervention (3 hours)

The Board doesn’t usually ask for proof of continuing education during renewal. You must keep your documentation for four years after completion. Random audits happen regularly and you’ll need to show certificates of completion. Record keeping becomes crucial.

Your license expires yearly on your birth date. Idaho plans to switch to a biennial licensure system starting October 2023. The renewal fee stays at $120 for yearly renewals during this transition.

You must complete all continuing education requirements before renewal. The system won’t allow you to renew first and finish the requirements later—all hours need completion within the specified timeframe.

Counselor intern supervisors face additional requirements. Your supervisor status requires six hours of advanced supervisor training during each five-year designation period. The American Counseling Association (ACA) or American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) Code of Ethics provides guidelines that supervisors must follow.

Idaho accepts continuing education from providers of all sizes, including those with American Counseling Association approval. The Board can confirm if online courses meet current requirements, though some sources suggest they do.

Next Steps

Professional development opportunities can take your career as a clinical mental health counselor in Idaho to new heights. Simple licensure is just the beginning – professional organizations are a great way to get resources and networking connections.

The American Mental Health Counselors Association of Idaho (AMHCA) supports you through every step of your professional growth. Membership connects you to a community that enhances your expertise and reinforces your dedication to helping others. The association holds monthly board meetings every third Saturday, where members discuss upcoming trainings and build connections.

Leadership roles at AMHCA of Idaho await motivated professionals. You can volunteer as President, Treasurer, Secretary, or Conference/Workshop Chair. These positions help you influence counseling’s future in Idaho and build your professional standing.

After getting some experience, advancing your education might be your next step. Idaho State University offers several advanced programs:

• PhD in Counselor Education and Counseling
• Educational Specialist (EdS) for licensed professional counselors
• Animal Assisted Interventions Certificate Program

The Council for Accreditation and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) accredits Idaho State University’s programs, which guarantees quality education. Their doctoral program lets students choose from five counseling specialties to shape their identity as counselor educators.

The Idaho Counseling Association website keeps you updated with industry developments and continuing education opportunities throughout your career.

Your career advancement could include financial benefits too. The National Health Service Corps offers loan repayment assistance from $25,000 to $100,000 for counselors working in health professional shortage areas. You’ll need to commit to two years of full-time service, though half-time options exist.

Your skills development and engagement with professional communities will lead to a meaningful career as a clinical mental health counselor in Idaho.