Below you will find links to counseling boards or state health departments, because as drama therapists, in general, our work is more closely aligned with counseling than with other licensed professions. We recognize a wide diversity within our field, however, and you may find that your own work (or training) is more in alignment with a different license or credential. We hope this list will give you a place to start in order to find out more about licensing in your region.

Licensing laws vary widely and the laws change. We also encourage you to find ways to think and work outside the box, in order to find gainful and meaningful employment as a drama therapist, whether or not you are able to be licensed. If you do not have a degree in counseling, you may have to advocate strongly for yourself in order to obtain a license. There are many jobs and opportunities, however, which may not require you to have a license. Be creative and diligent!

There are many people working towards licensure in many different locations. Please reach out the Government Affairs Chair and your Regional Representative to get connected to work already being done!

LCAT Fact Sheet

Are you interested in obtaining licensure in New York State? The LCAT Fact Sheet is a guide prepared to assist you in the process. The information contained in the guide includes tips from people who have applied for the LCAT as well as information from the NYS Office of the Professions.

New Jersey Taskforce

The Drama and Dance/Movement Therapists in New Jersey have become the New Jersey Taskforce and have been diligently working towards seeking licensure (LCDT- Licensed Clinical Drama and Dance/Movement Therapists). Currently, they are gathering legislative sponsors in both the Assembly and the Senate. To find out more about New Jersey efforts, please contact the Government Affairs Chair at [email protected].

Links for Counseling Licenses

Alabama

The Alabama Board of Examiners in Counseling: www.abec.alabama.gov

Alaska

Board of Professional Counselors: www.commerce.state.ak.us/occ/ppco.htm

Arizona

Arizona Board of Behavioral Health Examiners: http://www.azbbhe.us

Arkansas

Arkansas Board of Examiners in Counseling: https://abec.statesolutions.us/

California

Board of Behavioral Sciences: www.bbs.ca.gov

The Californian Association of Marriage and Family Therapists: http://www.camft.org/

Colorado

The Colorado State Board of Professional Counselor Examiners: www.dora.state.co.us/mental-health

Connecticut

Department of Public Health: http://www.ct.gov/dph

Delaware

Department of State Division of Professional Regulation: http://dpr.delaware.gov

District of Columbia

Department of Health: http://doh.dc.gov/

Professional Counseling Licensing: http://doh.dc.gov/node/160252

Florida

Division of Medical Quality Assurance: http://www.floridahealth.gov/licensing-and-regulation/index.html

Georgia

Georgia Composite Board of Professional Counselors, Social Workers, and Marriage and Family Therapists: www.sos.state.ga.us/plb/counselors

Guam

The only link we found pertaining to counseling in Guam had to do with being a school counselor. This link may be outdated. It is a PDF document, from January 2011, which has information on state requirements for school counseling, which also applies to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands: http://www.counseling.org/docs/licensure/schoolcounselingregs2011.PDF?sfvrsn=2

Hawaii

Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Professional and Vocational Licensing: www.hawaii.gov/dcca/areas/pvl/programs/mental/

Idaho

Professional Licensing: https://dopl.idaho.gov/DOPLPortal/Home.aspx

Illinois

Department of Financial and Professional Regulation: https://www.idfpr.com/

Indiana

Behavioral Health and Human Services Licensing Board: www.in.gov/pla/social.htm

Iowa

Bureau of Professional Licensure: https://ibplicense.iowa.gov/PublicPortal/Iowa/IBPL/common/index.jsp

Kansas

Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board: https://ksbsrb.ks.gov/

Kentucky

Board of Licensed Professional Counselors: http://lpc.ky.gov/

Louisiana

Professional and Occupational Licenses: https://www.louisiana.gov/licenses/

Licensed Professional Counselors Board of Examiners: https://www.lpcboard.org/

Maine

Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation: https://www.maine.gov/pfr/

Board of Counseling Professionals: https://www.maine.gov/pfr/professionallicensing/professions/counselors/index.html

Maryland

Department of Health and Mental Hygiene: https://health.maryland.gov/statestat/Pages/Home.aspx

The Board of Professional Counselors and Therapists: https://health.maryland.gov/bopc/Pages/index.aspx

Massachusetts

Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation: http://www.mass.gov/ocabr/

Board of Registration of Allied Mental Health and Human Services Professionals: http://www.mass.gov/ocabr/licensee/dpl-boards/mh/

Michigan

Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs: http://www.michigan.gov/lara

Board of Counseling: http://www.michigan.gov/lara/0,4601,7-154-35299_63294_27529_27536---,00.html

Minnesota

Board of Behavioral Health and Therapy: https://mn.gov/boards/behavioral-health/

Licensed Professional Counselor: https://mn.gov/elicense/a-z/?id=1083-231433#/list/appId//filterType//filterValue//page/1/sort//order/

NOTE: check for provisions for unlicensed professionals

Mississippi

State Board of Examiners for Licensed Professional Counselors: http://www.lpc.ms.gov/lpc/web.nsf

Missouri

Division of Professional Registration: http://pr.mo.gov/

Committee for Professional Counselors: http://pr.mo.gov/counselors.asp

Montana

Department of Labor and Industry: http://boards.bsd.dli.mt.gov/bbh

Board of Social Work Examiners and Professional Counselors:

Nebraska

Department of Health and Human Services: http://dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/default.aspx

Certified Professional Counselor: http://dhhs.ne.gov/licensure/Pages/Mental-Health-and-Social-Work-Practice.aspx

Nevada

Board of Examiners for Marriage and Family Therapists and Clinical Professional Counselors: http://marriage.state.nv.us/

New Hampshire

Board of Mental Health Practice: https://www.oplc.nh.gov/mental-health/mental-health-survey.htm

New Jersey

Department of Law and Public Safety: Division of Consumer Affairs: http://njconsumeraffairs.gov/

Board of Marriage and Family Therapy Examiners: http://www.njconsumeraffairs.gov/mft/

New Mexico

Regulation and Licensing Department: http://www.rld.state.nm.us/default.aspx

Counseling and Therapy Practice Board: http://www.rld.state.nm.us/boards/Counseling_and_Therapy_Practice.aspx

New York

State Education Department: http://www.nysed.gov/

Office of the Professions: http://www.op.nysed.gov/prof/

North Carolina

Board of Licensed Professional Counselors: http://www.ncblpc.org/

North Dakota

Board of Counselor Examiners: http://www.ndbce.org/

Ohio

Counselor, Social Worker, and Marriage and Family Therapist Board, (with internal links to applying for a license and FAQs): http://www.cswmft.ohio.gov/

Oklahoma

Division of Professional Counselor Licensing: http://www.ok.gov/health//Protective_Health/Professional_Counselor_Licensing_Division/

Oregon

Board of Licensed Professional Counselors and Therapists: http://www.oregon.gov/OBLPCT/Pages/index.aspx

Applying for a license: https://www.oregon.gov/oblpct/Pages/Apply.aspx

Pennsylvania

In PA, DT is included in the LPC credential

State Board of Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists, and Professional Counselors:https://www.dos.pa.gov/ProfessionalLicensing/BoardsCommissions/SocialWorkersMarriageanFamilyTherapistsandProfessionalCounselors/Pages/default.aspx

NOTE: check for licensure of drama therapy under the guidelines for Professional Counselors in PA

Puerto Rico

The only link pertaining to counseling in Puerto Rico had to do with being a school counselor. This link is a PDF document, from January 2011, which has information on state requirements for school counseling, which also applies to Guam, and the Virgin Islands: http://www.counseling.org/docs/licensure/schoolcounselingregs2011.PDF?sfvrsn=2

Rhode Island

Department of Health, Healthcare License Information, (scroll down to:) Mental Health & Counseling: http://www.health.ri.gov/licenses/healthcare/index.php#therapists

South Carolina

Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation: http://www.llr.state.sc.us/POL/Counselors/

South Dakota

Department of Social Services: http://dss.sd.gov/behavioralhealthservices/licensingboards/board_examiners_lpc.asp

Tennessee

Department of Health, Board of Licensed Professional Counselors, Licensed Marital and Family Therapists and Licensed Pastoral Therapists: http://health.state.tn.us/boards/PC_MFT&CPT/

Texas

Department of State Health Services, Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors: http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/counselor/

Utah

Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing:http://www.dopl.utah.gov/

Vermont

Board of Allied Mental Health, with information on licensed and non-licensed mental health specialists, and the laws pertaining to mental health counseling in VT:http://vtprofessionals.org/opr1/allied_mental_health/

NOTE: check for provisions for unlicensed professionals in the state of Vermont

Virgin Islands

The only link pertaining to counseling in the Virgin Islands, had to do with being a school counselor. This link is a PDF document, from January 2011, which has information on state requirements for school counseling, which also applies to Puerto Rico, and Guam: http://www.counseling.org/docs/licensure/schoolcounselingregs2011.PDF?sfvrsn=2

Virginia

Board of Counseling:http://www.dhp.virginia.gov/counseling/

Department of Health Professions, for information on other kinds of licenses in Virginia:http://www.dhp.virginia.gov/

Washington

Washington State Department of Health: http://www.doh.wa.gov/LicensesPermitsandCertificates/ProfessionsNewReneworUpdate/MentalHealthProfessions.a spx

West Virginia

West Virginia Board of Examiners in Counseling, which includes links on licensure on becoming and LPC, and an MFT in West Virginia, and many additional links: http://www.wvbec.org/

Wisconsin

Professional Counselor License: http://dsps.wi.gov/Default.aspx?Page=4b15ef4e-f1b5-4754-a283-a04430b230ef

Wyoming

Counselor License Requirements:http://www.counselor-license.com/states/wyoming-counselor-license.html

Additional Information

Counselor License Requirements – state by state: (some information may be out of date): http://www.counselor-license.com/