(a) In order to qualify as an executive director of a mental health program, the person shall be employed on a fulltime basis by the governing body of the program and shall be: - (i) A mental health professional who has had a minimum of three (3) years of post masters experience providing mental health treatment services in a mental health setting and who has had a minimum of two (2) years of relevant experience in mental health management or administration; and
- (ii) Assigned administration of the program as a primary responsibility, commensurate with the scope and size of the program. It is recommended to include but not be limited to management of fiscal, clinical, personnel, and program operations, liaison between staff and governing body, and liaison between the program and the community.
- (iii) Allowed to meet either the qualifications for a mental health executive director or the qualifications for a substance abuse executive director if the person is an executive director of a combined mental health and substance abuse program.
(b) A mental health professional is: - (i) A psychiatrist, a psychologist, or a human relations therapist who has had one year of documented, supervised experience providing mental health treatment services as part of or after the awarding of the qualifying degree.
- (ii) Allowed to supervise other mental health staff.
(c) A mental health counselor is: - (i) A human relations therapist or counselor who does not have the documented, supervised experience and training required of a mental health professional in (b)(i); or
- (ii) A person who has achieved a bachelors degree in a human relations discipline and who has had two (2) years of documented, supervised experience and training in providing mental health treatment services.
- (iii) Allowed to serve as a primary therapist for a programs clients under documented, scheduled supervision.
(d) A mental health assistant is: - (i) A person who has achieved a bachelors degree in a human relations discipline but who does not have the documented, supervised experience and training required of a mental health counselor in (c)(ii) .
- (ii) Allowed to work as primary therapist for a limited number of clients while receiving individual, documented supervision of these cases from a mental health professional who maintains responsibility for the clients treatment, if the program elects to prepare the assistant as a mental health counselor.
- (iii) Not allowed to be a primary therapist or solo group leader except as provided in (d)(ii) and shall work under the documented, scheduled supervision of a mental health professional.
(e) A mental health technician is: - (i) A person who has a GED, a high school degree, or a higher degree in an other than human relations discipline.
- (ii) Allowed to work as an aide to a mental health professional or a mental health counselor who is directly delivering the mental health treatment services to clients.