Chapter 5

Certified Mental Health Worker

 

Section 1.The Practice of a Certified Mental Health Worker. The practice of a Certified Mental Health Worker is the application of human services or psychological theory and methods to the assessment, treatment or prevention of psychosocial dysfunction, disability, or impairment, including emotional or mental disorders, under administrative supervision and the supervision of a DQCS licensed in the state of Wyoming. The practice of a CMHW does not include assigning a diagnosis or acting as a primary treatment provider.

 

Section 2.General Requirements for Certification. Applicants shall have six (6) months from the date of employment to complete all of the requirements for certification. If the applicant fails to complete the requirements in that six (6) month time frame, the applicant shall immediately stop working as a Certified Mental Health Worker. Providing the services regulated by this Act prior to submitting an application to the Board may result in the denial of the application.  The Board may, for good cause shown, grant an extension of this grace period.  It is the sole responsibility of the applicant to ensure that the Board receives all documentation necessary to prove to the Board's satisfaction that the applicant meets all the requirements for certification herein.   The applicant shall provide satisfactory evidence to the Board that they:

 

(a) are of majority age;

 

(b) have no felony convictions, and no misdemeanor convictions that relate adversely to the practice as a mental health worker or to the ability to practice as a mental health worker, although exceptions to this requirement may be granted by the Board if consistent with the public interest;

 

(c) are legal inhabitants of the United States; and

 

(d) satisfy the requirements established in these rules.

 

Section 3.Education Requirement for Certification. Applicants may meet the educational criteria by the completion of a baccalaureate degree program in a human behavioral discipline from an educational institution accredited by one of the regional or national institutional accrediting bodies recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), with:

 

(a)Course work completed in each of the following five (5) content areas:

 

(i)Human Services/Psychological Theories - Three (3) Semester Credits.  A theoretical foundation in psychology, health, or human services, with a focus on mental health;

 

(ii)Communication Skills - Three (3) Semester Credits.  Methods and techniques of individual and/or group communication in a mental health, addictions, or counseling related field;

 

(iii)Human Development - Three (3) Semester Credits.  Development of humans, to include social, cognitive, and/or developmental issues; may also include an in-depth focus on one or more developmental areas or populations;

 

(iv)Cognitive Psychology - Three (3) Semester Credits.  A focus on the development of cognition and resulting behavior; and

 

(v)Abnormal Psychology - Three (3) Semester Credits.  A focus on the major types of abnormal behavior, including anxiety, affective, schizophrenic, brain, substance and the disorders of childhood origin

 

(b)Additional course work must be completed in each of the following five (5) subject areas for a minimum of twenty-four (24) combined semester hours:

 

(i)Human Services/Psychological Theory or Practice: A theoretical foundation or practical implications/experience in psychology, health, or human services, with a focus on mental health, as well as social situations;

 

(ii)Drugs and Behavior:  To include biochemical, socio-cultural, and psychological factors of alcohol/drug/behavior addiction; psychopharmacological information;

 

(iii)Special Populations or Subjects:  A focus on adolescents, women, elderly, addiction, family or marriage, impaired professionals, athletes, criminals, abnormal populations, developmentally disabled, gambling, eating disorders, diverse populations, program development, etc.;

 

(iv)Research & Statistics/Assessment: Research methods and statistical analysis, appraisal, and/or testing to include training in provision of assessment instruments; or

 

(v)Ethical & Professional Issues: The study of applied professional ethics, due process, dual relationships, client advocacy, value clarification and professional standards in the profession.

 

(c)Six (6) additional contact hours of specialty training shall be completed in communicable diseases that must include content on HIV/AIDS.  This category may be satisfied by completing college course work or workshops that may include online options.

 

Section 4.Experience Requirement for Certification.  One hundred (100) hours of direct contact with identified clients under the direct supervision of a DQCS and four hundred (400) of indirect experience in a psychological/human services environment must be satisfied prior to certification.  This category must be satisfied through paid work experience after completion of the baccalaureate degree.

 

Section 5.Examination Requirement for Certification.

 

(a) The Board shall accept the passing score as established by the examination provider approved by the Board.

 

(b)The Board shall accept a passing score on the following examinations:

 

(i)The Human Services-Board Certified Practitioner Examination (HS-BCPE)

 

(ii)Other examinations as may be approved by the Board.

 

(c)Applicants are allowed three (3) attempts to pass the exam. The Board may allow an applicant to make one (1) more attempt to pass the examination upon approval of a remediation plan submitted by the applicant.

 

(d)The examination shall have been passed within the immediate five (5) years prior to submission of the application or after receiving board approval to sit for the examination.  This requirement does not apply to those applying under Section 6 of this chapter.

 

Section 6.Certification by Reciprocity.  An individual who holds a baccalaureate degree in a human behavioral discipline, has passed the examination as required in Section 4 of this Chapter and holds a certification that is free from discipline and in good standing to engage in the practice as a mental health worker under the laws of another state may, upon approval of the Board, be issued a certification as a CMHW in this state. If the individual has held a certification to practice addictions therapy in more than one state, the individual shall be required to provide verification that all certifications held within the last five (5) years have not had any discipline against the certification.

 

Section 7.Standards of Conduct.

 

(a)The terms "Certified Mental Health Worker" shall be used only after the applicant is granted certification by the Board, and only in conjunction with activities and services that are part of the supervised employment.

 

(b)In the required professional disclosure statement, the Certified Mental Health Worker shall also provide full disclosure to every client of the supervised nature of their work, which shall include the name, address and telephone number of their DQCS.

 

(c)The supervisory relationship shall be indicated, and the DQCS's name, address and telephone number shall appear on all documents relating to advertisement by the Certified Mental Health Worker.

 

(d)The Certified Mental Health Worker shall comply with the American Counseling Association "Code of Ethics" incorporated into these rules in Chapter 15.