N.J. Admin. Code § 13:34-11.8

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 21, November 4, 2024

Section 13:34-11.8 - Professional counselor: credit towards licensure for education, training, and experience received while serving as a member of the Armed Forces

(a) An applicant who has served in the Armed Forces of the United States (Armed Forces) and who does not meet all of the training, education, and experience requirements for licensure under 13:34-11.2 and 11.3 may apply to the Committee for recognition of the applicant's training, education, or experience received while serving as a member of the Armed Forces, which the Committee shall consider, together with any training, education, and experience obtained outside of the Armed Forces, for determining substantial equivalence to the training, education, and experience required for licensure.

(b) The Board shall issue a license as a professional counselor to the applicant, if the applicant presents evidence to the Committee that:

1. The applicant has been honorably discharged from active military service;

2. The relevant training, experience, and education the applicant received in the military, together with any training, education, and experience obtained outside of the Armed Forces, is substantially equivalent in scope and character to the training, experience, and education required for licensure under 13:34-11.2 and 11.3.

i. An applicant seeking credit for military training and experience shall submit to the Committee the applicant's Verification of Military Experience and Training (VMET) Document, DD Form 2586.

ii. An applicant seeking credit for education courses and/or training completed while in the military, who does not hold a master's degree or a doctorate in counseling as described in 13:34-11.2, shall submit to the Committee a Joint Services Transcript of his or her education for a determination that the education courses and/or training completed are substantially equivalent in level, scope, and intent to a master's degree or a doctorate in counseling as described and required for licensure under 13:34-11.2. For the purpose of determining substantial equivalence of the applicant's military education and/or training, the Committee shall consider only those courses relevant to the practice of counseling that have been evaluated by the American Council on Education for substantial equivalence to civilian postsecondary curricula; and

3. The applicant complies with all other requirements for licensure as a professional counselor, including successful completion of the National Counselor Examination (NCE) or its successor, administered by the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) or its successor, as set forth in 13:34-11.4.

(c) It is the applicant's responsibility to provide timely and complete evidence of the education, training, and experience gained in the military for review and consideration.

(d) If the applicant's military training, education, and experience, or a portion thereof, is not deemed to be substantially equivalent to that required for licensure as a professional counselor, the Committee shall credit whatever portion of the military training, education, and experience that is substantially equivalent towards meeting the requirements under 13:34-11.2 and 11.3 for the issuance of the license as a professional counselor.

(e) Satisfactory evidence of such education, training, and experience shall be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

N.J. Admin. Code § 13:34-11.8

Adopted by 47 N.J.R. 1637(a), effective 7/6/2015