As used in this article:

(1) "Addiction counselor" means a professional who practices individual, family, and group addiction counseling.

(2) "Alcohol and drug counseling services" means those services offered for a fee as part of the treatment and rehabilitation of persons with a substance abuse disorder, at risk of developing a substance abuse disorder, or is negatively affected by someone with a substance abuse disorder. The purpose of alcohol and drug counseling services is to help individuals, families, and groups to address and resolve problems caused by substance abuse.

(3) "Approved supervisor" means a licensee who has met the requirements for approval as a professional counselor supervisor, marriage and family therapy supervisor, or addiction counselor supervisor as provided in regulation.

(4) "Assessment" in the practice of counseling and therapy means selecting, administering, scoring, and interpreting evaluative or standardized instruments; assessing, diagnosing, and treating, using standard diagnostic nomenclature, a client's attitudes, abilities, achievements, interests, personal characteristics, disabilities, and mental, emotional, and behavioral problems that are typical of the developmental life cycle; and the use of methods and techniques for understanding human behavior in relation to, coping with, adapting to, or changing life situations. A counselor may assess more serious problems as categorized in standard diagnostic nomenclature but only if the counselor has been specifically trained to assess and treat that particular problem. If a client presents with a problem which is beyond the counselor's training and competence, the counselor must refer that problem to a licensed professional who has been specifically trained to diagnose and treat the presenting problem. In all cases, ethical guidelines as established by the board must be followed.

(5) "Associate" means an individual who has met the requirements for licensure as a professional counselor associate, marriage and family therapy associate, or addiction counselor associate under the provisions of this article and has been issued a license by the board.

(6) "Board" means the South Carolina Board of Licensed Professional Counselors, Marriage and Family Therapists, Addictions Counselors, and Psycho-Educational Specialists.

(7) "Client" means a person or patient, whether an individual or a member of a group, a group, an agency or an organization, who receives in an office setting any treatment or service that falls within the scope of practice of a Licensed Professional Counselor, Marriage and Family Therapist, Addiction Counselor, or Psycho-Educational Specialist.

(8) "Consulting" means the application of scientific principles and procedures in counseling and human development to provide assistance in understanding and solving current or potential problems that the client may have in relation to a third party, individuals, groups, and organizations.

(9) "Director" means the Director of the Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation.

(10) "Federally assisted program" means a program directly funded by the federal government, operated by the federal government, certified for Medicaid reimbursement, receiving federal block grant funds through a state or local government, licensed by the federal government, or exempt from paying taxes under a provision of the federal Internal Revenue Code.

(11) "License" means an authorization to practice counseling, marriage and family therapy, issued by the board pursuant to this article and includes an authorization to practice as a professional counselor associate, marriage and family therapy associate, or addiction counselor associate.

(12) "Licensee" means an individual who has met the requirements for licensure under this article and has been issued a license to practice as a professional counselor or professional counselor associate, marriage and family therapist or marriage and family therapy associate, or addiction counselor associate.

(13) "Licensed professional counselor" means an individual who practices professional counseling.

(14) "Marriage and family therapy" means the assessment and treatment of mental and emotional disorders, whether cognitive, affective, or behavioral, within the context of marriage and family systems. Marriage and family therapy involves the application of psycho-therapeutic and family systems theories and techniques in the delivery of services to individuals, couples, and families for the purpose of treating diagnosed emotional, mental, behavioral, or addictive disorders.

(15) "Person" means an individual, organization, or corporation, except that only individuals can be licensed under this article.

(16) "Practice of marriage and family therapy" means the rendering of marriage and family therapy services to individuals, couples, and families, singly or in groups, whether these services are offered directly to the general public or through organizations, either public or private.

(17) "Practice of professional counseling" means functioning as a psycho-therapist and may include, but is not limited to, providing individual therapy, family counseling, group therapy, marital counseling, play therapy, couples counseling, substance abuse counseling, vocational counseling, school counseling, rehabilitation counseling, intervention, human growth and development counseling, behavioral modification counseling, and hypnotherapy. The practice of professional counseling may include assessment, crisis intervention, guidance and counseling to facilitate normal growth and development, including educational and career development; utilization of functional assessment and counseling for persons requesting assistance in adjustment to a disability or handicapping condition; and consultation and research. The use of specific methods, techniques, or modalities within the practice of licensed professional counseling is restricted to professional counselors appropriately trained in the use of these methods, techniques, or modalities.

(18) "Practice of addiction counseling" means providing professional services that are delivered by a licensed addiction professional, designed to change substance use or addictive behavior, and involve specialized knowledge and skill related to addictions and addictive behaviors, including understanding addiction, knowledge of the treatment process, application to practice and professional readiness. The term includes:

(a) gathering information through structured interview screens using routine protocols;

(b) reviewing assessment findings to assist in the development of a plan individualized for treatment services and to coordinate services;

(c) referring for further assessment, diagnosis, evaluation and mental health therapy;

(d) providing client and family education related to addictions;

(e) providing information on social networks and community systems for referrals and discharge planning;

(f) participating in multidisciplinary treatment team meetings or consulting with clinical addiction professionals;

(g) counseling, through individual and group counseling, as well as group and family education, to treat addiction and substance use disorders in a variety of settings; and

(h) maintaining the highest level of professionalism and ethical responsibility.

(19) "Referral" means evaluating and identifying needs of a client to determine the advisability of referral to other specialists, informing the client of this determination, and communicating as requested or considered appropriate with these referral sources.

(20) "Supervision" means the supervision of clinical services in accordance with standards established by the board under the supervision of an approved supervisor.

HISTORY: 1998 Act No. 396, Section 8; 2018 Act No. 249 (H.4601), Section 4, eff May 18, 2018.

Editor's Note

Prior Laws:1985 Act No. 191, Section 1; 1976 Code Sections 40-75-80, 40-75-90.

Effect of Amendment

2018 Act No. 249, Section 4, rewrote the section.