The governing board of a community college district may provide in each college within the district an organized and functioning counseling program. Counseling shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following:

(a) Educational counseling in which the student is assisted in planning and implementing his or her immediate and long-range educational program.

(b) Career counseling in which the student is assisted in assessing his or her aptitudes, abilities, and interests in order to make realistic career decisions. The career counseling shall include encouraging students, including women and minorities, to seek apprenticeship training.

(c) Personal counseling in which the student is helped to develop his or her ability to function with social and personal responsibility.

(d) Evaluating and interpreting test data.

(e) Counseling and consultation with parents and staff members on learning problems and guidance programs for students.

For purposes of this section, a person performing counseling services to students shall be qualified as a counselor pursuant to Section 87355 or 87356.

A governing board of a community college district, which offers these counseling services, may contract with the governing boards of any other districts, or private schools, or other public and private agencies or organizations, to render the counseling services. In so contracting, the governing board of a community college district shall not contract at less than cost to a private school, or private agency or organization.

Nothing in this section shall be construed as prohibiting persons participating in an organized advisory program approved by the governing board of a community college district, and supervised by a district counselor, from advising students pursuant to the organized advisory program.

Notwithstanding any provisions of this section to the contrary, any person who is performing these counseling services pursuant to law authorizing the performance thereof in effect before March 4, 1972, shall be authorized to continue to perform such services on and after March 4, 1972, without compliance with the additional requirements imposed by this section.

(Amended by Stats. 1995, Ch. 758, Sec. 86. Effective January 1, 1996.)