As used in this section and sections 20-195bb to 20-195ee, inclusive:

(1) “Licensed professional counselor” or “professional counselor” means a person who has been licensed as a professional counselor pursuant to this chapter;

(2) “Commissioner” means the Commissioner of Public Health;

(3) “Department” means the Department of Public Health;

(4) “Professional counseling” means the application, by persons trained in counseling, of established principles of psycho-social development and behavioral science to the evaluation, assessment, analysis, diagnosis and treatment of emotional, behavioral or interpersonal dysfunction or difficulties that interfere with mental health and human development. “Professional counseling” includes, but is not limited to, individual, group, marriage and family counseling, functional assessments for persons adjusting to a disability, appraisal, crisis intervention and consultation with individuals or groups;

(5) “Under professional supervision” means the practice of professional counseling under the supervision of a licensed professional counselor, a physician licensed pursuant to chapter 370, who is certified in psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, an advanced practice registered nurse licensed pursuant to chapter 378, who is certified as a psychiatric and mental health clinical nurse specialist or nurse practitioner by the American Nurses Credentialing Center, a psychologist licensed pursuant to chapter 383, a marital and family therapist licensed pursuant to chapter 383a or a licensed clinical social worker licensed pursuant to chapter 383b;

(6) “Direct professional supervision” means face-to-face consultation between one supervisor, who is a professional described in subdivision (5) of this section, and one person receiving supervision that consists of not less than a monthly review with a written evaluation and assessment by the supervisor of such person’s practice of professional counseling; and

(7) “Related mental health field” means social work, marriage and family therapy or psychology.

(P.A. 97-311, S. 1; P.A. 10-117, S. 50; P.A. 17-94, S. 1.)

History: P.A. 10-117 redefined “professional counseling”; P.A. 17-94 added Subdivs. (1) to (3) defining “licensed professional counselor”, “commissioner” and “department”, respectively, designated provision defining professional counseling as Subdiv. (4), added Subdivs. (5) to (7) defining “under professional supervision”, “direct professional supervision” and “related mental health field”, respectively, and made technical changes.