DMH Professional Credentialing Programs – Certification/Licensure Levels

DMH Professional Credentialing Programs – Certification/Licensure Levels A. The DMH Mental Health Therapist Program has three (3) levels of certification/licensure. 1. Provisionally Certified Mental Health Therapist (PCMHT) a. The Provisionally Certified Mental Health Therapist (PCMHT) credential is a temporary and nonrenewable credential. b. Provisional Certification (PCMHT) allows qualified individuals who do not meet the requirements to apply directly for full certification (CMHT) to become temporarily credentialed while pursuing full certification. c. Provisional certification is valid for up to two years (24 consecutive months) from the date of issuance; this time frame is referred to as the “Provisional Certification Period.” d. Once an individual obtains the PCMHT credential, he/she progresses (upgrades) to full certification as a CMHT by successfully completing the upgrade requirements. 2. Certified Mental Health Therapist (CMHT) a. The Certified Mental Health Therapist (CMHT) credential is full certification. b. Full certification (CMHT) is renewable as long as renewal requirements are met. c. Individuals initially meeting the requirements for CMHT, as outlined in Chapter Three, should apply directly for this level of credential, thereby skipping provisional certification. Otherwise, an individual applies for PCMHT and then later, once upgrade requirements are met, applies for CMHT. 3. Licensed Clinical Mental Health Therapist (LCMHT) a. The Licensed Clinical Mental Health Therapist (LCMHT) credential is full licensure. b. This level of credentialing was discontinued effective January 2009; it is no longer available to new applicants. c. Individuals who obtained the LCMHT credential prior to discontinuance may continue to renew it as long as renewal requirements are met. B. The DMH Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Therapist Program has three (3) levels of certification/licensure: 1. Provisionally Certified Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Therapist (PCIDDT) a. The Provisionally Certified Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Therapist (PCIDDT) credential is a temporary and nonrenewable credential. (This credential was formerly known as “Provisionally Certified Mental Retardation Therapist – PCMRT”). b. Provisional Certification (PCIDDT) allows qualified individuals who do not meet the requirements to apply directly for full certification (CIDDT) to become temporarily credentialed while pursuing full certification. c. Provisional certification is valid for up to two years (24 consecutive months) from the date of issuance; this time frame is referred to as the “Provisional Certification Period.” d. Once an individual obtains the PCIDDT credential, he/she progresses (upgrades) to full certification as a CIDDT by successfully completing the upgrade requirements. 2. Certified Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Therapist (CIDDT) a. The Certified Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Therapist (CIDDT) credential is full certification. (This credential was formerly known as “Certified Mental Retardation Therapist - CMRT”). b. Full certification (CIDDT) is renewable as long as renewal requirements are met. c. Individuals initially meeting the requirements for CIDDT, as outlined in Chapter Four, should apply directly for this level of credential, thereby skipping provisional certification. Otherwise, an individual applies for PCIDDT and then later, once upgrade requirements are met, applies for CIDDT. 3. Licensed Clinical Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Therapist (LCIDDT) a. The Licensed Clinical Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Therapist (LCIDDT) credential is full licensure. (This credential was formerly known as “Licensed Clinical Mental Retardation Therapist - LCMRT”). d. This level of credentialing was discontinued effective January 2009; it is no longer available to new applicants. e. Individuals who obtained the LCIDDT credential prior to discontinuance may continue to renew it as long as renewal requirements are met. C. The DMH Community Support Specialist Program has three (3) levels of certification: 1. Provisionally Certified Community Support Specialist (PCCSS) a. The Provisionally Certified Community Support Specialist (PCCSS) credential is a temporary and nonrenewable credential. (This credential was formerly known as “Provisionally Certified Case Management Professional – PCCMP”). b. Provisional Certification (PCCSS) allows qualified individuals who do not meet the requirements to apply directly for full certification (CCSS) to become temporarily credentialed while pursuing full certification. c. Provisional certification is valid for up to two years (24 consecutive months) from the date of issuance; this time frame is referred to as the “Provisional Certification Period.” d. Once an individual obtains the PCCSS credential, he/she progresses (upgrades) to full certification as a CCSS by successfully completing the upgrade requirements. 2. Certified Community Support Specialist (CCSS) a. The Certified Community Support Specialist (CCSS) credential is full certification. (This credential was formerly known as “Certified Case Management Professional - CCMP” and “Certified Case Management Professional I - CCMP-I”). b. Full certification (CCSS) is renewable as long as renewal requirements are met. c. Individuals initially meeting the requirements for CCSS, as outlined in Chapter Five, should apply directly for this level of credential, thereby skipping provisional certification. Otherwise, an individual applies for PCCSS and then later, once upgrade requirements are met, applies for CCSS. 3. Certified Community Support Specialist II (CCSS-II) a. The Certified Community Support Specialist II (CCSS-II) credential is full certification. (This credential was formerly known as “Certified Case Management Professional II - CCMP-II”). b. This level of credentialing was discontinued effective January 2009; it is no longer available to new applicants. c. Individuals who obtained the CCSS-II credential prior to discontinuance may continue to renew it as long as renewal requirements are met. D. The DMH Licensed Administrator Program has a “Program Participant” phase (not licensure) and one (1) level of licensure: 1. DMH Licensed Administrator (“Program Participant” phase) – An individual who has been admitted into the DMH Licensed Administrator Program as a “Program Participant” is working towards licensure as a “DMH Licensed Administrator”; individuals in the “Program Participant” phase DO NOT hold the “DMH Licensed Administrator” credential. a. Individuals who meet the employment, education, experience, sponsorship, letters of support, ethics and criminal background checks requirements for the DMH Licensed Administrator professional credentialing program but who have not completed the DMH Licensed Administrator Independent Study and Training (IST) requirement may apply for admission into the DMH Licensed Administrator Program as a “Program Participant.” Once an individual is admitted into the DMH Licensed Administrator Program as a “Program Participant,” he/she obtains licensure as a “DMH Licensed Administrator” by successfully completing the DMH Licensed Administrator Independent Study and Training (IST) requirement. b. DMH Licensed Administrator Program Participants are allowed up to two years (24 consecutive months) from the date of admission into the DMH Licensed Administrator Program as a “Program Participant” to complete the DMH Licensed Administrator Independent Study and Training (IST) requirement in order to obtain licensure. c. Individuals designated as DMH Licensed Administrator “Program Participants” DO NOT hold the “DMH Licensed Administrator” professional credential. 2. DMH Licensed Administrator (LA) a. The DMH Licensed Administrator (LA) credential is full licensure. (This credential was formerly known as “Licensed Mental Health/Mental Retardation Administrator – LMH/MRA” OR “Licensed DMH Administrator - LA”). b. Full licensure (LA) is renewable as long as renewal requirements are met. c. Individuals initially meeting the requirements for LA, as outlined in Chapter Six, should apply directly for licensure, thereby skipping the DMH Licensed Administrator “Program Participant” phase. Otherwise, an individual applies for admission into the DMH Licensed Administrator Program as a “Program Participant” and then later, once the DMH Licensed Administrator Independent Study and Training (IST) requirement is met, the individual makes application for licensure, permitting all applicable timelines are met. E. The DMH Substance Use Therapist Program has three (3) levels of certification/licensure: 1. Provisionally Certified Substance Use Therapist (PCSUT) a. The Provisionally Certified Substance Use Therapist (PCSUT) credential is a temporary and nonrenewable credential. (This credential was formerly known as “Provisionally Certified Addiction Counselor– PCAC” OR “Provisionally Certified Addictions Therapist – PCAT” b. Provisional Certification (PCSUT) allows qualified individuals who do not meet the requirements to apply directly for full certification (CSUT) to become temporarily credentialed while pursuing full certification. c. Provisional certification is valid for up to two years (24 consecutive months) from the date of issuance; this time frame is referred to as the “Provisional Certification Period.” d. Once an individual obtains the PCSUT credential, he/she progresses (upgrades) to full certification as a CSUT by successfully completing the upgrade requirements. 2. Certified Substance Use Therapist (CSUT) a. The Certified Substance Use Therapist (CSUT) credential is full certification. (This credential was formerly known as “Certified Addiction Counselor-CAC” OR “Certified Addictions Therapist – CAT”). b. Full certification (CSUT) is renewable as long as renewal requirements are met. c. Individuals initially meeting the requirements for CSUT, as outlined in Chapter Seven, should apply directly for this level of credential, thereby skipping provisional certification. Otherwise, an individual applies for PCSUT and then later, once upgrade requirements are met, applies for CSUT. 3. Licensed Clinical Substance Use Therapist (LCSUT) a. The Licensed Clinical Substance Use Therapist (LCSUT) credential is full licensure. (This credential was formerly known as “Licensed Clinical Addiction Counselor- LCAC OR “Licensed Clinical Addictions Therapist - LCAT”). b. This level of credentialing was discontinued effective January 2009; it is no longer available to new applicants. c. Individuals who obtained the LCSUT credential prior to discontinuance may continue to renew it as long as renewal requirements are met. F. The DMH Peer Support Specialist Program has two levels of certification: 1. Provisionally Certified Peer Support Specialist (PCPSS) a. The Provisionally Certified Peer Support Specialist (PCPSS) credential is a temporary and nonrenewable credential. b. Provisional Certification (PCPSS) allows qualified individuals who do not meet the requirements to apply directly for full certification (CPSS) to become temporarily credentialed while pursuing full certification. c. Provisional certification is valid for up to one years (12 consecutive months) from the date of issuance; this time frame is referred to as the “Provisional Certification Period.” d. Once an individual obtains the PCPSS credential, he/she progresses (upgrades) to full certification as a CPSS by successfully completing the upgrade requirements. 2. Certified Peer Support Specialist (CPSS) a. The Certified Peer Support Specialist (CPSS) credential is full certification. b. Full certification (CPSS) is renewable as long as renewal requirements are met. c. Individuals initially meeting the requirements for CPSS, as outlined in Chapter Eight, should apply directly for this level of credential, thereby skipping provisional certification. Otherwise, an individual applies for PCPSS and then later, once upgrade requirements are met, applies for CPSS.