Mental Health Practice (LMHP) Licensing Requirements
Licensed mental health practitioner means a person who holds himself/herself out as a person qualified to engage in mental health practice or a person who offers or renders mental health practice services. (Description Continued)
Applications
Licensed mental health practitioner continued.....
If you are:
- licensed as a mental health practitioner (LMHP) and certified as a master social worker (CMSW) you may use the title licensed clinical social worker (LCSW). For CMSW requirements, click here.
- licensed as a mental health practitioner (LMHP) and certified as a professional counselor (CPC) you may use the title licensed professional counselor (LPC). For CPC requirements, click here.
- licensed as a mental health practitioner (LMHP) and certified as a marriage and family therapist (CMFT) you may use the title licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT). For CMFT requirements, click here.
Provisionally Licensed Mental Health Practitioner (PLMHP) is a person who needs to obtain the required 3,000 hours of supervised experience in mental health practice in order to qualify for a mental health practitioner license. Click here to view the requirements for provisional licensure.
License Requirements
Initial License: (See
172 NAC 94-003.01)
To apply for an initial license you must complete the
Licensure Unit
PO Box 94986
Lincoln, NE 68509-4986Reciprocity: (See
To apply for a license you must complete the
Licensure Unit
PO Box 94986
Lincoln, NE 68509-4986
Issuance and Processing Time
If the
If you meet all the requirements for a license within 180 days prior to the renewal date, you may:
- Request that the Department delay the processing of the
- Request that a license be issued immediately (which will be valid until the current renewal date) and pay the prorated fee for an initial license.
License Expiration: All Mental Health Practice Licenses expire 9/1 of even-numbered years.
These forms may be completed online, however, they cannot be submitted via e-mail due to the fact that all applications and forms require original signatures. If you complete the form online, you must print the form and mail it to the address listed.
All materials shall be submitted to Licensure Unit with fee payable to the "Licensure Unit".
Licensure Unit
PO Box 94986
Lincoln, NE 68509-4986
Reciprocity: If you hold a mental health practice license (or license of similar title) in another state, you may apply for licensure by:
- Meeting the same requirements as listed in ‘Initial License";
- Having been in the active and continuous practice under license or certification in the State, Territory, or District of Columbia from which he/she comes for at least 1 year; and have been actively engaged in the practice under such license or certificate or in an accepted residency or graduate training program for at least 1 of the 3 years immediately preceding the
To apply for a license by reciprocity, you would submit:
- The same information as stated for initial "license" (except #2 verification of 3,000 hours, providing you have practiced at least 1 year in the other state under a full license as a mental health practitioner), and
- A certification from the state in which you are licensed (the certification form is attached to the
To be licensed (not required to apply for the provisional license) an applicant must have passed the appropriate mental health practice examination based on the applicant’s degree as follows:
DEGREE
Computerized Testing
EXAMINATION
PASS SCORE
Social Work YES
Association of Social Work Boards Clinical Examination (ASWB) Scaled 75
Counseling, Psychology or related counseling YES
National Board for Certified Counselors National Counselor Examination (NCE) OR National Clinical Mental Health Counselor Examination (NCMHCE) National Cut Score
Marriage and family therapy or related marriage and family YES
Association of Marital and Family Therapy Regulatory Boards Examination (AMFTRB) National Pass Point
The following provides instructions and the application for the examination.
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Misdemeanor/Felony Convictions or Licensure Discipline
If you had a misdemeanor or felony conviction (other than a minor traffic violation) or had your license in any health care profession in another state revoked, suspended, limited or disciplined in any manner, you must request the following documents be sent directly to this office:
- Official Court Record, which includes charges and disposition;
- If the conviction involved a drug and/or alcohol related offense, all addiction/mental health evaluations and proof of treatment (if treatment was obtained and/or required);
- If you are currently on probation, a letter from your probation officer addressing probationary conditions and your current status; and
- If your license in health care in another state has been revoked, suspended, limited or disciplined in any way, an official copy of the disciplinary action, including charges and disposition.
NOTE: If you have any criminal charges or license disciplinary actions pending that results in conviction or license discipline, you are required to report such actions to this department within 30 days.
Renewal (does not apply to provisional licenses)
Expiration Date: All mental health practice licenses expire 9/1, of each even-numbered year.
Renewal Process: Notice of renewal is sent to each licensee approximately 90 days prior to the expiration date. It is important that your address is current with our office in order to assure delivery of the renewal notice. To renew a license, you must:
- Attestation of completing 32 hours of continuing education (on the renewal form), earned within 24 months of the date of expiration or an application for waiver of continuing education.
- Inform the Department of any misdemeanor/felony convictions or disciplinary actions pending or taken in another state. For information relating to the documentation that must be submitted, click here.
- Pay the renewal fee of $52.
A person who practices after expiration of his/her credential is subject to assessment of an administrative penalty fee of $10 per day up to $1000.
Final Notice: Renewals not postmarked or received by 9/1 will be sent a final notice. All final notices will be assessed a $25 late fee.
Revocation: Renewals not postmarked or received by 10/1 will be sent a notice of revocation.
Continuing Education Waiver: The Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health , Licensure Unit, on the recommendation of the Board of Mental Health Practice may waive the continuing education requirements, in part or in total, for any 2-year licensing period when a license holder submits documentation that circumstances beyond his or her control prevented completion of such requirements. Such circumstances shall include situations in which:
- The license holder holds a Nebraska license but is not practicing his or her profession in Nebraska;
- The license holder has served in the regular armed forces of the United States during part of the 24 months immediately preceding the license renewal date;
- The license holder has submitted proof that he or she was suffering from a serious or disabling illness or physical disability which prevented completion of the required number of continuing education hours during the 24 months immediately preceding the license renewal date; and
- The license holder was first licensed within the 24 months immediately proceeding the license renewal date.
Inactive or Lapsed Status: A licensee may request that his/her license be placed on inactive or lapsed status (this request can only occur at the time of renewal). If you choose either inactive or lapsed status, you can not provide mental health services.
- Inactive status means the voluntary termination of the right or privilege to represent oneself as a mental health practitioner, but retains the right to represent himself or herself as holding an inactive license. A $25 fee is required for this status.
- Lapsed status means the voluntary termination of the right or privilege to represent oneself as a mental health practitioner. No fee is required.
Additional Information: Click
Top of PageContinuing Education (does not apply to provisional licenses)
On or before 9/1 of each even-numbered year, each mental health practitioner who is in active practice in the State of Nebraska shall complete 32 hours of approved continuing education (c.e.) during the proceeding 24-month period. Of these 32 hours, at least 2 hours must be related to Ethics (this does not apply to social workers).
Hours earned prior to this date will be not be acceptable; and hours earned in excess of the requirement may not be carried over for the next license renewal.
The following sets out the hours that can be gained through academic credit, home study, publications, dissertations, and by educational/training videos.
- Academic Credit:
- 1 semester hour = 15 c.e. hours;
- 1 semester hour audited = 8 c.e. hours;
- 1 quarter hour = 10 c.e. hours;
- 1 quarter hour audited = 5 c.e. hours;
- 1 trimester hour = 14 c.e. hours; and
- 1 trimester hour audited = 7 c.e. hours;
MHP-Academic credit must be graduate level coursework
CMSW/CSW-Academic credit may be either graduate or undergraduate level coursework
- Home Study Programs may accumulate up to 20 hours of continuing education per renewal period;
- Publications may accumulate up to 20 hours of continuing education per renewal period (written by the licensee and published in a professional journal);
- Dissertations may accumulate up to 32 hours of continuing education per renewal period;
- Teaching College/University Courses may accumulate up to 30 hours of continuing education per renewal period (hours are calculated same as academic credit);
- Educational/Training Videos: may accumulate up to 10 hours of continuing education within a renewal period utilizing educational/training videos; and
- Workshop/Seminar/Lecture, etc: 1 continuing education hour or credit means 60 minutes of participation.
The Board of Mental Health Practice does not approve continuing education offerings, but may accept as continuing education for licensure and certification renewal, learning experiences, provided they are planned and conducted for mental health practitioners and if they are related to mental health practice. Click
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Professions and Occupations Index
