Registration Requirements
- Chapter 18.19 RCW
- Chapter 246-810 WAC
- Employment
-
Applicants for agency affiliated counselors must be employed by, or have an offer of employment from an agency or facility that is licensed, operated, certified by Washington state, or a federally recognized Indian tribe located within the state or a county. Agencies approved to employ agency affiliated counselors are posted on our Approved Agency Lists.
They must have their employer complete and sign the employment verification form (PDF) provided by the Department of Health.
- State license verification
-
Applicants must list all states where they do or did hold credentials. The list must also include when applicant has applied for a credential, even if a credential was not granted. The jurisdiction where the applicant is or was credentialed must complete and submit the verification form (PDF). The jurisdiction must send the completed form directly to the department.
- Personal data questions
-
Each applicant must answer the personal data questions. If there is a positive answer to the professional liability claims history question, the applicant must send an explanation of the nature of the case, data and summary of care given, copies of the original complaint, and the settlement or final disposition. If the case is pending, applicant must indicate status.
- Additional information/documents required
-
- You may provide counseling while your application is pending only if you apply for this credential within 30 days of employment. If the department requests additional documentation, the applicant must provide the necessary information to continue practicing. If the credential is not issued within 90 days of the department's request, the applicant must stop working.
- Agency affiliated counselors must notify the department within 30 calendar days if they're no longer employed by the agency identified on their application, are now employed with another agency, or both. Agency affiliated counselors may not practice counseling unless they are employed by an agency.
Agency affiliated counselors must notify the department within 30 calendar days if they're no longer employed by the agency identified on their application, are now employed with another agency, or both. Agency affiliated counselors may not practice counseling unless they are employed by an agency.
- Continuing education requirements
-
There are no continuing education requirements for this credential.
Certification Requirements
- Chapter 18.19 RCW
- Chapter 246-810 WAC
- Education
-
Applicants must have a bachelor's degree in counseling or one of the social sciences from an accredited college or university which must include coursework specified below. The department must receive an official transcript directly from the institution with the date and degree conferred.
Effective July 1, 2025, applicants for the certified agency affiliated counselor credential must have counseling-related coursework, unless eligible for the legacy provision*. Applicants may meet the certified agency affiliated counselor coursework requirements by completing one of the following pathways:
- Have a bachelor’s degree in psychology, social work, or behavioral healthcare; or
- Complete at least four courses from two knowledge areas specified below:
- Human behavior and counseling which includes courses like the following: counseling, psychology, applied behavior science, social work, social welfare, behavioral health care, and human development.
- Justice in society which includes courses like the following: ethics, political science, philosophy, criminal justice, and social justice.
- Cultural competence which includes courses like the following: communications, gender studies, human services, ethnic studies, history of culture(s), and sociology.
Applicants must demonstrate satisfactory completion of the required coursework. If the title and/or topic of the course isn’t clear, applicants are encouraged to submit supplemental documentation demonstrating its connection/relation to the knowledge area. Supplemental documentation may include course syllabi, course descriptions, or letters from instructors.
* To be eligible for the legacy provision, applicants must have a completed bachelor’s degree in counseling or one of the social sciences and all 5 years of supervised experience finished by July 1, 2025.
- Experience
-
Applicants must have at least five (5) years of experience in direct treatment of persons with a mental disorder that was gained under the supervision of a mental health professional. Only supervised experience received exclusively after completion of the applicant’s bachelor’s degree will be counted towards credentialing requirements. Applicants may count experience attained prior to the completion of their degree if that experience was gained through a supervised practicum and/or internship as part of their degree program. Supervised experience also needs to be gained under a credential issued by the department to practice counseling. Out-of-state supervised experience hours may count towards supervised experience as long as it was after the applicant's degree was completed and they held a credential to practice counseling in that state.
- Employment
-
Applicants for agency affiliated counselors must be employed by, or have an offer of employment from an agency or facility that is licensed, operated, certified by Washington state, or a federally recognized Indian tribe located within the state or a county. Agencies approved to employ agency affiliated counselors are posted on our Approved Agency Lists.
They must have their employer complete and sign the employment verification form (PDF) provided by the Department of Health.
- State license verification
-
Applicants must list all states where they do or did hold credentials. This list must also include when the applicant has applied for a credential, even if a credential was not granted. The jurisdiction where the applicant is or was credentialed must complete and submit the verification form (PDF). The jurisdiction must send the completed form directly to the department.
- Personal data questions
-
Each applicant must answer the personal data questions. If there is a positive answer to the professional liability claims history question, the applicant must send an explanation of the nature of the case, data and summary of care given, copies of the original complaint, and the settlement or final disposition. If the case is pending, applicant must indicate status.
- Additional information/documents required
-
- You may provide counseling while your application is pending only if you apply for this credential within 30 days of employment. If the department requests additional documentation, the applicant must provide the necessary information to continue practicing. If the credential is not issued within 90 days of the department's request, the applicant must stop working.
- Agency affiliated counselors must notify the department within 30 calendar days if they're no longer employed by the agency identified on their application, are now employed with another agency, or both. Agency affiliated counselors may not practice counseling unless they are employed by an agency.
- Continuing education requirements
-
There are no continuing education requirements for this credential.
License Requirements
- Chapter 18.19 RCW
- Chapter 246-810 WAC
- Legacy provision
-
Applicants for licensed agency affiliated counselor who were previously designated as a mental health professional, or was granted a waiver approving them as a mental health professional, do not need to provide official transcripts or meet coursework requirements if they can provide verification of their MHP designation. Acceptable documentation includes certificate or letter from the Department of Social and Health Sciences, letter from the Department of Health, or attestation/verification from behavioral health agency indicating designation. Applicants who meet legacy provision requirements must apply before July 1, 2027.
- Education
-
Applicants must have a master’s degree or higher in counseling or one of the social sciences from an accredited college or university which includes coursework specified below. The department must receive an official transcript with date and degree conferred/posted directly from the applicant’s institution.
Effective July 1, 2025, applicants for the licensed agency affiliated counselor credential must have counseling-related coursework, unless eligible for the legacy provision. Applicants may meet the licensed agency affiliated counselor coursework requirements by completing one of the following pathways:
- Have an assessment and diagnosis course and either an individual counseling course, group counseling course, or couple and family counseling course; or
- Complete at least five courses from the list below:
- Assessment and diagnosis
- Counseling couples and families
- Counseling groups
- Counseling individuals
- Career development counseling
- Chronic mental illness
- Developmental disabilities
- Developmental psychology: Child, Adolescent, Adult, Lifespan
- Domestic violence
- Ethics and law
- Group dynamics
- Learning disabilities
- Mental health consultation
- Multicultural considerations in counseling
- Organizational psychology
- Physiological psychology
- Psychopathology or abnormal psychology
- Research and evaluation
- Sexuality and lifestyle choices
- Social and cultural foundations
- Substance use disorders
- Treating special populations
Applicants must demonstrate satisfactory completion of the required coursework. If the title and/or topic of the course isn’t clear, applicants are encouraged to submit supplemental documentation demonstrating its connection/relation to the knowledge area. Supplemental documentation may include course syllabi, course descriptions, or letters from instructors.
- Experience
-
Applicants must have at least two (2) years of experience in direct treatment of persons with a mental disorder that was gained under the supervision of a mental health professional. The applicant must complete their degree program before supervised experience hours can start to accumulate. Applicants may count supervised experience attained prior to the completion of their degree if that experience was gained through a supervised practicum and/or internship as part of their degree program. Supervised experience needs to be gained under a credential issued by the department to practice counseling. Out-of-state supervised experience hours may count towards supervised experience as long as it was after the applicant's degree was completed and they held a credential to practice counseling in that state.
- Employment
-
Applicants for agency affiliated counselors must be employed by, or have an offer of employment from an agency or facility that is licensed, operated, certified by Washington state, or a federally recognized Indian tribe located within the state or a county. Agencies approved to employ agency affiliated counselors are posted on our Approved Agency Lists.
They must have their employer complete and sign the employment verification form (PDF) provided by the Department of Health.
- State license verification
-
Applicant must list all states where credentials are or were held, including where applicant has applied but a credential was not granted. A verification form must be completed and submitted by the jurisdiction where the applicant is or was credentialed. The jurisdiction must send the completed form directly to the department.
- Personal data questions
-
Each applicant must answer the personal data questions. If there is a positive answer to the professional liability claims history question, the applicant must send an explanation of the nature of the case, data and summary of care given, copies of the original complaint, and the settlement or final disposition. If the case is pending, applicant must indicate status.
- Additional information/documents required
-
- You may provide counseling while your application is pending only if you apply for this credential within 30 days of employment. If the department requests additional documentation, the applicant must provide the necessary information to continue practicing. If the credential is not issued within 90 days of the department's request, the applicant must stop working.
- Agency affiliated counselors must notify the department within 30 calendar days if they're no longer employed by the agency identified on their application, are now employed with another agency, or both. Agency affiliated counselors may not practice counseling unless they are employed by an agency.
- Continuing Education
-
There are no continuing education requirements for this credential.