COUNSELORS

18.19.030
Registration required — Counselors.

18.19.031
Registered counselor credentials — Limitation on issuance.

The department of health may not issue any new registered counselor credentials after July 1, 2009.

[2008 c 135 § 22.]

18.19.040
Exemptions.

Nothing in this chapter may be construed to prohibit or restrict:

     (1) The practice of a profession by a person who is either registered, certified, licensed, or similarly regulated under the laws of this state and who is performing services within the person's authorized scope of practice, including any attorney admitted to practice law in this state when providing counseling incidental to and in the course of providing legal counsel;

     (2) The practice of counseling by an employee or trainee of any federal agency, or the practice of counseling by a student of a college or university, if the employee, trainee, or student is practicing solely under the supervision of and accountable to the agency, college, or university, through which he or she performs such functions as part of his or her position for no additional fee other than ordinary compensation;

     (3) The practice of counseling by a person for no compensation;

     (4) The practice of counseling by persons offering services for public and private nonprofit organizations or charities not primarily engaged in counseling for a fee when approved by the organizations or agencies for whom they render their services;

     (5) Evaluation, consultation, planning, policy-making, research, or related services conducted by social scientists for private corporations or public agencies;

     (6) The practice of counseling by a person under the auspices of a religious denomination, church, or organization, or the practice of religion itself;

     (7) The practice of counseling by peer counselors who use their own experience to encourage and support people with similar conditions or activities related to the training of peer counselors; and

     (8) Counselors who reside outside Washington state from providing up to ten days per quarter of training or workshops in the state, as long as they do not hold themselves out to be registered or certified in Washington state.

[2008 c 135 § 5; 2001 c 251 § 20; 1987 c 512 § 4.]

18.19.060
Information disclosure to clients.

Certified counselors and certified advisers shall provide clients at the commencement of any program of treatment with accurate disclosure information concerning their practice, in accordance with guidelines developed by the department, that will inform clients of the purposes of and resources available under this chapter, including the right of clients to refuse treatment, the responsibility of clients for choosing the provider and treatment modality which best suits their needs, and the extent of confidentiality provided by this chapter, the department, another agency, or other jurisdiction. The disclosure statement must inform the client of the certified counselor's or certified adviser's consultation arrangement or supervisory agreement as defined in rules adopted by the secretary. The disclosure information provided by the certified counselor or certified adviser, the receipt of which shall be acknowledged in writing by the certified counselor or certified adviser and the client, shall include any relevant education and training, the therapeutic orientation of the practice, the proposed course of treatment where known, any financial requirements, referral resources, and such other information as the department may require by rule. The disclosure information shall also include a statement that the certification of an individual under this chapter does not include a recognition of any practice standards, nor necessarily imply the effectiveness of any treatment. Certified counselors and certified advisers must also disclose that they are not credentialed to diagnose mental disorders or to conduct psychotherapy as defined by the secretary by rule. The client is not liable for any fees or charges for services rendered prior to receipt of the disclosure statement.

[2008 c 135 § 7; 2001 c 251 § 22; 1987 c 512 § 6.]

18.19.100
Renewal of credentials.

18.19.180
Confidential communications.

18.19.190
Other professions not affected.

18.19.200
Scope of practice — Certified counselors and certified advisers.

The scope of practice of certified counselors and certified advisers consists exclusively of the following:

     (1) Appropriate screening of the client's level of functional impairment using the global assessment of functioning as described in the fourth edition of the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, published in 1994. Recognition of a mental or physical disorder or a global assessment of functioning score of sixty or less requires that the certified counselor or certified adviser refer the client to a physician, osteopathic physician, psychiatric registered nurse practitioner, or licensed mental health practitioner, as defined by the secretary, for diagnosis and treatment;

     (2) Certified counselors and certified advisers may counsel and guide a client in adjusting to life situations, developing new skills, and making desired changes, in accordance with the theories and techniques of a specific counseling method and established practice standards, if the client has a global assessment of functioning score greater than sixty;

     (3) Certified counselors may counsel and guide a client in adjusting to life situations, developing new skills, and making desired changes if the client has a global assessment of functioning score of sixty or less if:

     (a) The client has been referred to the certified counselor by a physician, osteopathic physician, psychiatric registered nurse practitioner, or licensed mental health practitioner, as defined by the secretary, and care is provided as part of a plan of treatment developed by the referring practitioner who is actively treating the client. The certified counselor must adhere to any conditions related to the certified counselor's role as specified in the plan of care; or

     (b) The certified counselor referred the client to seek diagnosis and treatment from a physician, osteopathic physician, psychiatric registered nurse practitioner, or licensed mental health practitioner, as defined by the secretary, and the client refused, in writing, to seek treatment from the other provider. The certified counselor may provide services to the client consistent with a treatment plan developed by the certified counselor and the consultant or supervisor with whom the certified counselor has a written consultation or supervisory agreement. A certified counselor shall not be a sole treatment provider for a client with a global assessment of functioning score of less than fifty.

[2008 c 135 § 4.]

18.19.900
Short title.

This chapter shall be known as the omnibus credentialing act for counselors.

[1987 c 512 § 20.]