MA/MS How to transfer a mental health counseling license/ apply for license in a different state?

[Kaitlyn.w0009]

Hello! I am going to be pursuing my mental health counseling in Florida- I am currently a sophomore in my undergraduate degree. I want to work in California. Here are my two plans:
1) Apply to California Graduate degree programs, get accepted, go to school in Cali and get licensed there, which is the goal.
However, if this does not happen...
2) Go to graduate school in Florida and work in California.
IF I have to go with option two, is there a way to attend school in Florida however apply for a California license? If so, how?
If this is not possible when I get my Florida license, how would I go about getting my Florida license transferred to a California license?
Please answer both! Im trying to plan this out.
Thanks!!

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[MAClinician]

California is highly saturated for mental health providers in many areas, especially the larger markets. You will be competing against psychologists, LMFTs, and LCSWs. Keep that in mind as you pursue higher education, as that will impact the jobs you are applying for. CA also has very specific course requirements that other states don’t have, so be aware of that. There is no such thing as “transferring” your license like you transfer credits. Each state has its own board that determines the minimum requirements to become licensed. Most schools in a state develop a curriculum that meets that state’s standards. You need to look at what FL requirements are and compare to CA. Each state has its own process for dealing with applicants who were previously licensed in another state or completed degree in another state. If you are dead set on working in CA, search the California Board of Behavioral Science for the information you need. They approve licenses.

 

[foreverbull]

Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS)

https://www.bbs.ca.gov/pdf/forms/lpc/lpcc_oos_req_guide.pdf

It would be MUCH easier license-wise to get the degree in California and become licensed there. California will require extra coursework and the California Law and Ethics exam, in addition to possible further requirements to verify that your experience matched their standards. They will probably make you send all syllabi from master’s courses and tons of paperwork to show equivalency.

There’s no true equivalency between states’ licenses for counselors, so check the LPCC license info for folks with an out-of-state license above. It’s a headache and a half.

You could get a social work master’s with clinical emphasis and then move to California and practice psychotherapy, because the accrediting body in social work allows for equivalency of license nationwide. You might look that up. I’m not sure on the exact details, but the social work master’s is by far more portable between states.