Licensed Professional Counselor Associate (LPC-Associate)

Licensed Professional Counselor Associate (LPC-Associate)

Position Title

LPC-Associate (LPC-A)

BHEC-issued Associate license; supervised toward full LPC

Board-approved LPC-Supervisor / Clinical Compliance Director

W-2 Employee or 1099 Independent Contractor (see below)

Roles and Responsibilities

• Provide individual, group, and family counseling to clients under the supervision of a Board-approved LPC-Supervisor, consistent with the supervision plan on file with the Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council (BHEC).
• Accrue supervised clinical experience hours toward full LPC licensure in accordance with BHEC rules governing associate licensure and supervision.
• Conduct clinical assessments and develop individualized treatment/service plans in collaboration with the supervising LPC.
• Document all clinical encounters (progress notes, treatment plans, assessments) timely and accurately in Notenetic, consistent with Medicaid, state, and agency documentation standards.
• Participate in regularly scheduled individual and/or group supervision sessions meeting BHEC minimum supervision requirements.
• Collaborate with the multidisciplinary team, including QMHPs, CSSPs, and referring agencies, on client care coordination.
• Maintain a caseload consistent with agency and supervisory capacity guidelines.
• Attend case staffings, treatment team meetings, and required trainings.
• Escalate clinical concerns, risk issues, and documentation questions to the supervising LPC promptly.

Compliance Requirements

• Must hold a current, active LPC-Associate license issued by BHEC.
• Must maintain an active, BHEC-registered supervision agreement with a Board-approved LPC-Supervisor at all times while providing counseling services.
• Must complete supervised experience hours in accordance with BHEC associate-licensure and supervision rules (22 TAC Chapter 681) — specific subchapter/section numbers should be verified against the current rule text before finalizing, as BHEC renumbers periodically.
• Must pass criminal background, CPS registry, and abuse/neglect registry checks.
• Must maintain professional liability insurance as required by agency policy.

Minimum Qualifications

• Master's degree in counseling or a closely related field from a CACREP-accredited or BHEC-recognized program.
• Current LPC-Associate license in good standing with BHEC.
• Active, BHEC-registered supervision agreement with an approved LPC-Supervisor.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs)

• Foundational clinical assessment and diagnostic knowledge (DSM-5-TR).
• Treatment planning and evidence-based counseling technique application.
• Crisis intervention and risk-assessment skills.
• Strong documentation proficiency and comfort with EHR platforms (Notenetic).
• Openness to feedback and active engagement in clinical supervision.
• Cultural competency and collaborative, team-based orientation.

Employment Classification

• This position may be filled as a W-2 employee or as a 1099 independent contractor, depending on business need, scope of engagement, and degree of direction and control involved.
• If engaged as a 1099 independent contractor, the individual must establish and maintain a formal business entity (DBA or LLC) with its own business EIN, and must submit all required credentialing documentation, prior to contract execution and service delivery.
• Employment classification is determined by Breakthrough Behavioral in accordance with IRS common-law and Texas Workforce Commission standards, and is subject to periodic review.
• Because BHEC rule requires ongoing individual clinical supervision for licensure progress, counsel should confirm this supervision structure does not, on its own, weigh toward employee classification if a 1099 arrangement is used.