New Registered Associate Information

Please review this information carefully- it contains important details about your associate registration. We recommend that you carefully review the supervision requirements and responsibilities listed in OAR Chapter 833, Division 50 (Registered Associates) and the Board’s Associate Registration Webpage on a periodic basis to stay apprised of changes.  Following is only a summary overview of the current requirements.

Any change in contact information (including email address) must updated within thirty days.  Log into the Licensee Portal using the same credentials as you established with the Applicant Portal to make the needed changes.  Be sure to add our listserv (oblpctenews@omls.oregon.gov) to your email “safe list” to ensure you receive notifications and information from the Board.

The Board will email you courtesy reminders that your annual registration renewal is coming due; however, it is your responsibility to renew on time.  Your renewal is due by the first day of the month of initial registration.  If you renew after that date, but within the renewal month, you will owe a delinquent fee.  If you do not renew by the month of initial registration, your associate registration will expire and you will be required to reapply in order to practice as a registered associate or be considered for licensure.  We recommend that you set calendar alerts to avoid this situation, as we cannot waive the consequences of late renewal.  Hours accrued under an expired plan do NOT count towards licensure and may constitute unlicensed practice, which could result in Board sanction including civil penalty and revocation of registration.  

Registered associates must indicate registration and use the title "Registered Associate", "Professional Counselor Associate", or "Marriage and Family Therapist Associate" in connection with a practice that is covered by an approved plan. Registered associates must also indicate the supervisor’s name and designation as “supervisor.”  Registrants and supervisors are responsible for ensuring that appropriate designations are used in any representation in which registered associates are offering, practicing, or representing that they practice counseling or marriage and family therapy services, including advertisements, websites, directories, business cards, letterhead, and billings. Registered associates may NOT use "LPC Associate," "LPCi" or "LMFTa" or variations thereof as titles.

Client Contact Hours are counseling/therapy hours, where the registered associate provides clinical counseling or therapy directly to a client (individual, couple, family, and group).  Direct contact is face-to-face, voice-to-voice communication.  Related activities that are not considered direct client contact hours include: related client services or professional activities such as case management, advocacy, administration of programs, casual/social contact, casual client interaction in milieu therapy, research, receiving supervision; instruction or teaching; training; participating in discussion groups; or counseling by correspondence.

Group Supervision involves supervision of no less than two, and no more than six, individual supervisees.  The leader must maintain a leadership role.  Group supervision should not be claimed where: there is an insufficient number of supervisees in attendance; or the group includes non–counselor staff members or is review or a peer review group.  Group supervision is counted the same as individual supervision (one hour in group supervision equals one hour of supervision). 

The reporting period begins the month that initial registration is approved. For an example, if you were initially registered on September 19th, the first month of your reporting period would include September 19th through September 30th. The Registered Associate Supervisor Evaluation & Hours Report form is submitted during each annual registration renewal. If in any month a registered associate does not receive the minimum supervision hours required, no client contact hours will be credited for that month. Reports that include future projected hours (that have not yet been completed) will not be accepted.  At the conclusion of a plan, submit the final form via the Licensee Portal (select the "Associate Registration Plan" menu item and click "Submit Supervision Report"). 

The Registered Associate Supervised Work Plan is an agreement between the Board, the supervisor, and the registered associate. The purpose of this agreement is to enhance the applicant’s professional development while meeting the licensing requirements, keeping in mind the responsibilities toward clients and the profession. Supervised work experience is more than a means to an end (licensure), but an opportunity to gain, demonstrate, and possibly enhance professional competence.

Supervision must meet the standards set forth in the Oregon Administrative Rules.  The Board accepts hours obtained under the conditions set forth in the plan as approved or subsequently modified. Registrants may request changes using forms and instructions posted to the Associate Registration Webpage.  Changes to registration plans must be pre-approved by the Board.  Failure to obtain advance approval will result in rejection of the hours obtained and may subject the registered associate and supervisor to Board sanction.

Registered associates must practice only under supervision pursuant to their registration plan until all license requirements are met and the license is issued.  Registered associates must continue to renew their registration until the license issued.  There are no fee refunds/waivers/discounts.  To maintain registration, registered associates must meet the conditions of their Board-approved plan.  Registered associates must notify the Board within 14 days and explain any interruption or proposed termination of supervision or employment.

Supervisors and registered associates need to be clear regarding their respective roles, including acceptance of shared responsibilities.  There should be mutual respect and trust as you share relevant thoughts, experiences, and emotional reactions, but the supervisory relationship should permit the freedom to challenge, differ, experiment, make and share mistakes, and should include a willingness to obtain third party support and guidance when necessary.  Supervision should be geared specifically to the registered associate’s needs and capabilities, mutually agreeing on goals and method of supervision, and measures for evaluation of performance and professional advancement.  Supervision is the examination of a therapist’s work to encourage responsible provision of services, to promote the welfare and best interests of the clients served, to foster the acquisition and refinement of skills, and to promote personal and professional development.

Supervision must involve discussions based on the review of case notes, charts, records, and available audio or visual tapes.  The purpose of review is to evaluate the appropriateness of the services to clients and the supervisee’s therapeutic skill.  Supervision takes place in a professional setting, one-on-one with the supervisee, or privately with a small group of other supervisees. In addition to evaluating practice, supervision should include discussions about:

Evaluation of practice should include review of:

Supervision can be on-site or off-site and can be provided by the employer or privately contracted by the Registered Associate.  The supervisor and registrant share responsibility for establishing and maintaining a good client/supervision recordkeeping system that will be available to the Board, if requested.

All registered associates are required to designate a Custodian of Record who will take care of client files and referrals in the case of death or incapacity of the registrant. Besides being a legal requirement, planning for contingencies like this will save your clients, staff, and family from what could be a messy situation.  More information on the custodian of record requirement and professional wills can be found on the website.  Please complete your designation within 60 days of registration.