How to Become a Clinical Mental Health Counselor in Florida

Mental health counseling is a rewarding career and a great choice for students looking to make an impact. Becoming a mental health counselor has multiple educational and clinical requirements. Here, we will break down the steps to becoming a clinical mental health counselor in Florida. 

In order to become a fully licensed mental health counselor in the state of Florida, you will need to earn at least a master’s degree in counseling. The master’s degree must be from an accredited institution and consist of 60 semester hours. PBA’s Master’s of Science Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling satisfies the requirements for licensure. 

Adding a concentration to your degree program is a great way to gain additional experience that will set you apart from other counselors. These concentrations support you to gain additional skills to support specific clients. 

PBA’s clinical mental health program offers the following concentrations:

• Crisis and Trauma Counseling Concentration
• Marriage and Family Therapy Studies Concentration
• Play Therapy Concentration
• Counseling in School Settings Concentration

The Florida Board of Mental Health Counseling requires at least two years of supervised experience after the completion of a master’s program. These hours must be supervised by a Board approved supervisor. 

The clinical hours and supervision experience must consist of:

• 100 hours of supervision over 100+ weeks
• 1,500 hours of fin-person psychotherapy with clients
• 1 supervision vision hour every two weeks

Students who enroll in a specialization may have additional clinical hours and requirements to fulfill such as an exit exam.

All clinical mental health counselors must pass the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination (NCMHCE). This exam consists of 11 case studies. 10 of the case studies as well as 100 of the multiple choice questions will be scored. 

The exam will cover the following skills:

• Professional Practice and Ethics
• Intake, Assessment, and Diagnosis
• Areas of Clinical Focus
• Treatment Planning
• Counseling Skills and Interventions
• Core Counseling Attributes

Once students have completed an approved master’s program, clinical hours, and passed the NCMHCE exam, they are eligible to apply for their Florida state counseling license. Transcripts and exam scores must be sent directly to the board office while other supporting documents are uploaded in an online portal. The application fee is $100 and the initial licensure fee is $75. 

The Florida mental health counseling license expires and must be renewed every two years. To support the professional development of the workforce, the state requires counselors to complete 25 hours of continuing education (CE) to be eligible to renew their license. CE hours can take a variety of forms but must be completed through an approved institution. CE gives counselors a chance to learn new methods and techniques and ensure that they continue to progress personally and professionally. 

The exact courses required in each counseling degree will depend on the specific concentration but some general classes will be included in most mental health counseling master’s programs. A counseling degree will typically help students understand the many complex factors influencing human behavior and experience. Common classes include human growth and development, addiction and recovery, legal, ethical, and professional standards in counseling, social foundations of counseling, and crisis and trauma counseling. 

If you or someone you know is interested in becoming a licensed mental health counselor in Florida, PBA’s counseling program can give you the training you need. Learn more about the counseling program and find out if a mental health counseling degree is right for you.