Supervision Requirements and Supervisor Responsibilities
Domain 7 tests the structure that makes LGPC practice lawful and the supervisor's separate accountability.
Required supervision
The LGPC must practice under a Board-approved supervisor. The supervisor holds the required independent license and experience, provides the required face-to-face supervision, reviews cases, and documents the supervision. The supervised experience is commonly 3,000 hours over at least two years with 100 hours of supervision; the supervisor must ensure the supervisee does not practice independently or hold out as an LCPC. A written supervision agreement should define goals, frequency, emergency contact, documentation, and evaluation.
Supervisor duties
- Protect client welfare and review the supervisee's cases.
- Provide direct observation or recorded review as required.
- Disclose the supervisory relationship to clients.
- Avoid supervising a friend, family member, or employee in a way that creates a conflict.
- Sign only accurate hours; false certification is unprofessional conduct.
Worked example
A supervisor moves out of state and begins supervising a Maryland LGPC only by phone, without meeting the Board's format requirements. At the end of the year the supervisor signs the hours. The Board may deny the hours and charge the supervisor with false certification.
Traps
- Assuming any LCPC can supervise without Board approval.
- Counting group supervision without the individual-supervision minimum.
- Treating supervision as a signature on a log rather than a clinical relationship.