Section 4999.47.

(a) Clinical counselor trainees, interns, and applicants shall perform services as an employee or as a volunteer.

The requirements of this chapter regarding gaining hours of clinical mental health experience and supervision are applicable equally to employees and volunteers. Experience shall not be gained by clinical counselor interns or trainees as an independent contractor.

(1) If employed, a clinical counselor intern shall provide the board with copies of the corresponding W-2 tax forms for each year of experience claimed upon application for licensure as a professional clinical counselor.

(2) If volunteering, a clinical counselor intern shall provide the board with a letter from his or her employer verifying the intern's employment as a volunteer upon application for licensure as a professional clinical counselor.

(b) Clinical counselor trainees, interns, and applicants shall not receive any remuneration from patients or clients, and shall only be paid by their employers.

(c) While an intern may be either a paid employee or a volunteer, employers are encouraged to provide fair remuneration.

(d) Clinical counselor trainees, interns, and applicants who provide voluntary services or other services, and who receive no more than a total, from all work settings, of five hundred dollars ($500) per month as reimbursement for expenses actually incurred by those clinical counselor trainees, interns, and applicants for services rendered in any lawful work setting other than a private practice shall be considered an employee and not an independent contractor.

(e) The board may audit an intern or applicant who receives reimbursement for expenses and the intern or applicant shall have the burden of demonstrating that the payments received were for reimbursement of expenses actually incurred.

(f) Clinical counselor trainees, interns, and applicants shall only perform services at the place where their employer regularly conducts business and services, which may include other locations, as long as the services are performed under the direction and control of the employer and supervisor in compliance with the laws and regulations pertaining to supervision. Clinical counselor trainees, interns, and applicants shall have no proprietary interest in the employer's business.

(g) Each educational institution preparing applicants for licensure pursuant to this chapter shall consider requiring, and shall encourage, its students to undergo individual, marital or conjoint, family, or group counseling or psychotherapy, as appropriate. Each supervisor shall consider, advise, and encourage his or her interns and clinical counselor trainees regarding the advisability of undertaking individual, marital or conjoint, family, or group counseling or psychotherapy, as appropriate. Insofar as it is deemed appropriate and is desired by the applicant, the educational institution and supervisors are encouraged to assist the applicant in locating that counseling or psychotherapy at a reasonable cost.

(Amended by Stats. 2011, Ch. 148, Sec. 5. Effective August 1, 2011.)