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Colorado State Board of Licensed Professional Counselor Examiners
Licensed Professional Counselor Frequently Asked Questions
Information about the Board of Licensed Professional Counselor Examiners including licensure, renewals, and much more.
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Licensed Professional Counselor Frequently Asked Questions
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Professional Counselor HOME

HB20-1206, CONCERNING THE CONTINUATION OF REGULATION OF MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS

The Division of Professions and Occupations (DPO), within the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA), has been provided the authority by the Colorado State Legislature to create the Mental Health Disciplinary Record Work Group. The Work Group will examine the state’s rules and policies with regard to the retention and use of certain kinds of disciplinary records as it relates to licensing of mental health professionals in the state. The Work Group, created by House Bill 20-1206, will meet throughout the Fall and Winter of 2020, and will make recommendations to the Governor, the Executive Director of DORA and the health committees in the House and Senate about any potential changes the Work Group identifies. 

Welcome to the Professional Counselor Homepage

The Colorado State Board of Professional Counselor Examiners regulates Licensed Professional Counselors in the state. Board activities include the review of licensure applications and complaints and enforcement of disciplinary actions against violators of the Mental Health Practice Act or Board Rule. The Board is made up of seven members, three public and four professionals, who meet six times per year.

Licensing Services
Discipline and Enforcement

Laws, Rules and Policies
Resources

News Items
Division Info and FAQ

Program Information

Board Members

Reina Sbarbaro-Gordon, Program Director

  • David E. Bell, LPC, Chair
    Professional Member| Term Expires: August 31, 2024

  • Amy Skinner, LPC
    Professional Member | Term Expires: August 31, 2024

  • Karen Van Zuiden, LPC
    Professional Member| Term Expires: August 31, 2024

  • Ralph Kenneth O'Neal, II
    Public Member| Term Expires: August 31, 2022

  • Maki Sonoda-Sutton, LPC
    Professional Member| Term Expires: August 31, 2022

  • Daniel Zarnowski
    Public Member | Term Expires: August 31, 2022

  • Richard Glover
    Public Member| Term Expires: August 31, 2024

Public Notices

Permanent Rulemaking Hearing - September 10, 2021

The State Board of Licensed Professional Counselor Examiners will hold a Permanent Rulemaking Hearing to allow stakeholders a final opportunity to provide feedback before the Board considers adopting revisions to Rule 1.8(B), to implement Colorado Senate Bill 21-077 (Concerning the elimination of verification of an individual's lawful presence in the United States as a requirement for individual credentialing).

 

Stakeholder Meeting - July 9, 2021

The State Board of Licensed Professional Counselor Examiners will hold a Permanent Rulemaking Hearing to allow stakeholders a final opportunity to provide feedback before the Board considers adopting revisions to Rules 1.12, 1.23, and Appendix A to correct language in the rules that conflict with portions of the statutes in Colorado House Bill 20-1326 (Concerning an expansion of an individual's ability to practice an occupation in Colorado through creation of an occupational credential portability program), and Colorado Senate Bill 20-102 (Concerning required disclosures to patients regarding formal actions based on sexual misconduct).

 

Permanent Rulemaking Hearing - March 5, 2021

The State Board of Licensed Professional Counselor Examiners will hold a Permanent Rulemaking Hearing to consider adopting revisions to Rule 1.6(A), to implement Colorado House Bill 19-1129, which prohibits mental health care providers from engaging in conversion therapy with patients under eighteen years of age.

 

Emergency and Permanent Rulemaking Hearing - 9/25/20

The State Board of Licensed Professional Counselor Examiners held three Joint Stakeholder Meetings on July 30th, August 26th, and September 15th, and an individual Stakeholder Meeting for only Licensed Professional Counselors on September 18th regarding the implementation of Colorado House Bill 20-1206 (Sunset review continuing the Regulation of Mental Health Professionals), House Bill 20-1326 (Endorsements/Creation of an Occupational Credential Portability Program), and Senate Bill 20-102 (Patient Disclosures Regarding Sexual Misconduct). The Board also held an Emergency and Permanent Rulemaking Hearing on September 25, 2020, to adopt the proposed new and revised rules. The Board adopted the rules related to House Bill 20-1206 on an emergency basis due to the immediate effective date of the bill.

 

An Important Message about LPC Licensing and Regulation

The July 14, 2020 signing into law of House Bill 20-1206, Sunset Mental Health Professionals has prompted changes affecting the licensure requirements for professional counselors in Colorado. The new law requires that the supervised postgraduate practice in professional counseling include at least 2,000 hours of professional counseling, 1,500 hours of which must be face-to-face, direct client contact under clinical supervision.  

In addition, HB 20-1206 modifies the requirements for a licensed professional counselor to serve as a supervisor for another mental health professional to include education and training as determined by the Board. 

The Board of Licensed Professional Counselor Examiners is working diligently to implement these specific changes as well as the remainder of the Mental Health Sunset bill, HB20-1206.   As rules are being promulgated, the Board will continue to process applications for licensure as a professional counselor under the previous requirements.  Those persons who began supervised postgraduate practice before July 14, 2020, may continue completing the previous supervised practice requirements as the Board completes the rules.  

The new requirements for Licensed Professional Counselors supervisors are currently slated to become effective upon renewal in August 2021, and current supervisors who meet the requirements of Board Rule 1.14 may continue supervision in the interim.

Please review the Revised Proposed Draft Rules

Visit the Colorado State Board of Licensed Professional Counselor Examiners website for the latest information, as it becomes available. Questions may be referred to dpo@state.co.us and written feedback on the proposed rules may be submitted to dora_dpo_rulemaking@state.co.us. 

 

Legislative Updates
Meeting Minutes

 

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