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Our vision is to position clinical mental
health counselors to meet the health care needs of those we serve while advancing the profession.
Our mission is to advance the profession of clinical mental health counseling by setting the standard for:
Collaboration
Advocacy
Research
Ethical Practice
Education, Training, and Professional Development
Governance and Staff
AMHCA is committed to a broad-based, grassroots organization with wide membership participation.
Board of Directors
The AMHCA board of directors is responsible for the formulation of programs and policies for the association.
Committees and Task Forces
Much of the association work is carried out by committees. The AMHCA strategic plan drives the work of the association and thus, committee work.
Staff
AMHCA daily operations are carried out by a small virtual staff.
What is a Clinical Mental Health Counselor?
CMHC stands for clinical mental health counseling. Clinical mental health counseling is a distinct profession with national standards for education, training and clinical practice. Clinical mental health counselors are highly-skilled professionals who provide flexible, consumer-oriented therapy. They combine traditional psychotherapy with a practical, problem-solving approach that creates a dynamic and efficient path for change and problem resolution.
Different states have difference titles for their counselors. Below are some common ones that you will find.
CMHC - Clinical Mental Health Counselor
LPC - Licensed Professional
Counselors
LMHC - Licensed Mental Health Counselor
LPCC - Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor
LCPC - Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor
NCC - National Certified Counselor
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- Certification
- CCMHC
Certified Clinical Mental Health Counselors (CCMHC) have earned their board certification and offer the highest standards of practice in clinical mental health counseling because they have met stringent education, examination, supervision, experience, and ethical requirements.
Application Requirements
You must meet the following requirements in order to obtain certification as a CCMHC. After reviewing the requirements and the CCMHC Certification Eligibility Policy, you can begin your application in our Credentialing Gateway website.
Prerequisite
The National Certified Counselor (NCC) is a prerequisite for the CCMHC specialty. If you are not an NCC, please review these requirements.
Education
You must have completed a total of at least 60 semester or 90 quarter hours of graduate-level academic credit in counseling from an institutionally accredited program.
Coursework
All courses used to fulfill the coursework content areas, with the exception of supervised field experience, must carry at least two semester or three quarter hours of graduate-level credit. No course may be used to fulfill more than one content area. You must have taken a course covering Clinical Diagnosis and Treatment and also must have taken courses covering at least three of the following six content areas:
- Advanced Clinical Skills
- Family or Couples Counseling
- Addictions or Substance Abuse Counseling
- Human Sexuality Counseling
- Counseling for Trauma, Violence or Abuse
- Clinical Counseling for Special Populations
Learn more about the required coursework content areas.
In addition, you must have completed nine semester or 15 quarter hours of clinical training in supervised field experience. If you do not have nine semester or 15 quarter hours of supervised field experience, you may make use of one of the following alternative options:
- Six semester or 10 quarter hours of clinical training in supervised experience and a full state license
- Six semester or 10 quarter hours of clinical training in supervised experience and an additional 120 hours of direct supervision
- Three semester or five quarter hours of clinical training in supervised experience and 10 continuous years as a fully state-licensed counselor
Supervision
You must document at least 100 hours of postgraduate clinical supervision. The individual verifying supervision cannot be related to the applicant and cannot be the same individual providing the professional endorsement.
Professional Endorsement
You must obtain endorsement from a professional colleague who holds a master’s degree or higher in a mental health field. The individual providing endorsement cannot be related to the applicant and cannot be the same individual verifying supervision.
Work Experience
You must document at least 3,000 hours of postgraduate clinical client work experience.
Ethics
Since you must be an NCC in order to apply for this specialty, you are required to adhere to NBCC’s ethical policies, including the Code of Ethics and the Policy Regarding the Provision of Distance Professional Services.
Examination Requirement
You must have a passing score on the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination (NCMHCE). You can register for the exam as part of the application for the CCMHC or can document a passing result gained through a state licensure process or other administration.
Examination Information
For purposes of national certification, the NCMHCE is offered twice a year (April and October) in a computer-based exam format at a Pearson VUE testing center. Your exam results will be uploaded to your Credentialing Gateway account within four to five weeks of the examination.
| Credential | Without Exam Registration | Exam Registration Included |
| NCC | $250 | $375 |
| CCMHC | $250 | $375 |
| NCSC | $250 | N/A |
Begin Application
Recertification
Once you complete the application process, you will be certified on a five-year cycle and will need to meet ongoing requirements, including continuing education, payment of fees and an ethics attestation in order to maintain your CCMHC.
Once you satisfy all of the requirements, you must maintain your specialty certification through continuing education, payment of annual fees and adhering to ethical standards.