Requirements for Counselors

Title 27, Chapter 4a V.I.C. § 201-220b are the laws and rules that regulate mental health counselors, marriage and family therapists, and substance abuse counselors. Per § 206, the following minimum requirements must be met in order to submit an application:

• submit all information and documentation of credentials requested by the Board on the appropriate form as prescribed by the Board;
• pay a non-refundable fee;
• be at least 21 years of age, of good moral character, and not have been convicted of a felony or a crime of moral turpitude and must not be addicted to alcohol or drugs;
• produce certified transcripts verifying satisfactory completion of educational course work or academic degrees as required;
• have declared to the Board and agreed to continue the area of professional competence through a statement of professional intent, describing the intended use of the license, the client population with whom the application will work, the professional procedures the applicant plans to utilize, including the applicant’s theoretical orientation and preferred intervention strategies; and
• have validated the competencies declared in the Statement of Professional Intent as well as demonstrated knowledge of the appropriate professional counseling field by passing a written examination given by the Board twice a year in the Virgin Islands at times to coincide with the exam date given by the National Certifying Boards of the respective disciplines in the United States whose exams are employed by the Board.

Period of Licensure:

All permanent licenses expire exactly two years from the calendar year and month in which the license is issued..

Application Process:

Applications & Fees must be submitted to CCE Global for education & application review. Upon successful review by CCE, the application will be forwarded to the Board for processing & determination regarding licensure approval. Upon approval for licensure and submission of all required fees, the license will be issued.

Licensure applications can be found at https://cce-global.org

Levels of Licensure:

Substance Abuse Counselor:Applicant must have a minimum of a master’s degree from master’s or doctorate degree in addictions counseling, professional counseling, counselor education, counseling psychology, community behavioral health or in a comparable field with a concentration in behavioral health and substance abuse; ; and no fewer than three years of post-academic degree experience in a professional setting, including a minimum of 2,500 hours of professional counseling, as defined in section 201, of which 1,000 hours involve direct client contact and a minimum of 300 hours of supervised experience under an approved supervisor. (See VIC 27, 4a, Section 207)

Marriage & Family Therapist:Applicant must have a minimum of 60 graduate semester hours, including a master’s or doctoral degree, with an emphasis in marriage and family therapy, or a closely related field, and has completed a year of supervised practicum or internship and graduate-level course work; and no fewer than three years of post-academic degree experience in a professional setting, including a minimum of 2,500 hours of professional counseling, as defined in section 201, of which 1,000 hours involve direct client contact marriage and family therapy, and a minimum of 300 hours of supervised experience under an approved supervisor; contact marriage and family therapy, and a minimum of 300 hours of supervised experience under an approved supervisor; completion of the AMFTRB exam. (See VIC 27, 4a, Section 208)

Professional Counselor:Applicant must have a minimum of 60 graduate semester
hours in counseling, including a master’s or doctoral degree in counseling that includes a practicum or internship in a counseling setting; and no fewer than three years of post-academic degree experience in a professional setting, including a minimum of 2,500 hours of professional counseling, as defined in section 201, of which 1,000 hours involve direct client contact, and a minimum of 300 hours of supervised experience under an approved supervisor; successful completion of the NCMHCE exam.  (See VIC 27, 4a, Section 209)

Renewal of License Requires:

Visit the Department of Licensing and Consumer Affairs website (www.dlca.vi.gov), and follow the steps in order to obtain a reference number and choose your payment option. Licensee is required to provide evidence of having completed the following number of continuing education hours:

Board Certifications Directory

DLCA Directory

Apply for License