As individuals prepare to become licensed professional counselors, CCE’s state licensure facilitators help them navigate each step of the process.
Sherry Hughes has been a CCE state licensure facilitator for a little over a year. She and her coworkers receive comprehensive training to assist candidates in the United States, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands on the path to licensure. Hughes stresses that helping them achieve their professional goals is important work.
“State facilitators help ensure that mental health counselors meet the educational requirements and are prepared to have the credentials necessary to assist their community with all of life’s stressors as professionals,” Hughes says.
When a candidate first contacts CCE’s state licensure facilitators, they are encouraged to contact their state board to understand the rules, regulations, and policies for testing. For instance, some individuals live in “preapproved” states, and others must have an approval letter from their board before registering. Candidates then register in the Credentialing Gateway and pay the fee to test for the National Counselor Examination (NCE), National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination (NCMHCE), or Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Examination (CPCE).
“Once we receive the registration, we begin the process of getting the candidate approved to sit for their examination,” Hughes says. Facilitators review each candidate’s account to ensure that they meet the criteria for testing and whether they require special accommodations. Approval letters are uploaded to the candidate’s account and are typically valid for 1 year.
“After a candidate is approved to sit for their examination, their registration is exported to Pearson VUE, our testing administrator,” Hughes says. In 24–48 hours, Pearson VUE sends an “Authorization to Test” email, and each candidate is given a 6-month testing window. Next, they may either call Pearson VUE or visit the company’s website to schedule a date, time, and place to sit for their examination. Scores are sent to the proper state board 30–45 days after the testing cycle. If an individual does not receive a passing score, they must wait 90 days before reregistering.
CCE’s state licensure facilitators enjoy their role in helping candidates with their professional development on the pathway to licensure, Hughes says.
“We are helping people who have a compassion for helping others,” Hughes says. “Mental health counselors are truly helping to save lives, and I believe we help to set the foundation of success for each person who decides to become a counselor.”
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