Nebraska Counselor License Exam

To get licensed in Nebraska, Professional Counselors are required to take an exam covering such subjects as assessment and diagnosis, counseling and psychotherapy and professional ethics. Whether you live in Omaha, Lincoln, Bellevue or another city or county, the resources below will help you get started on the path to receive your Professional Counselor’s license.

Need of a License: A license is needed to work as a counselor in Nebraska. Licenses are granted by the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.

To qualify to become a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) in Nebraska, the following must be met:

Obtain a graduate degree in counseling from an accredited school meeting credit limits.
Meet supervised clinical experience requirements of 3,000 hours of postgraduate professional counseling, including at least 1500 hours of direct client contact.
Earn the Certified Professional Counselor (CPC) credential for Nebraska.
Earn the LMHP (Licensed Mental Health Practitioner) credential for Nebraska.
An applicant must earn a passing score on the NCE (National Counselor Exam) or the National Clinical Mental Health Counselor Examination (NCMHCE).

The Application for Licensure

An Application for Licensure and other documentation can be obtained online. All documents must be sent to:

DHHS Licensing Unit

Attn: Mental Health
PO Box 94986
Lincoln, NE 68509

1-402-471-2117

Test Content of the NCE

The NCE consists of 200 multiple-choice questions and is administered over a four-hour period. The NCE covers the following six knowledge, skill and task domains:

Professional Practice and Ethics
Intake, Assessment and Diagnosis
Areas of Clinical Focus
Treatment Planning
Counseling Skills and Interventions
Core Counseling Attributes

The questions are aligned to the following CACREP Common Core Areas:

Human Growth and Development
Social and Cultural Diversity
Counseling and Helping Relationships
Group Counseling and Group Work
Career Development
Assessment and Testing
Research and Program Evaluation
Professional Orientation and Ethical Practice

For more information, see the NCE Candidate Handbook.

How to Apply to Take the Exam

Apply online to take the NCE.

Test content of the NCMHCE

The test format comprises of 12 to 14 case studies. Each case study is followed by 10 multiple-choice questions, divided into counseling phases: the intake and assessment phase, the first follow-up counseling session, and the second follow-up counseling session. Candidates will have one hour and 45 minutes to complete the exam.

Six different counseling domains will be addressed throughout these case simulations, to include:

Intake, Assessment, and Diagnosis
Treatment Planning
Counseling Skills and Interventions
Professional Practice and Ethics
Core Counseling Attributes
Areas of Clinical Focus, which is the given information provided in each case study

For more information, see the NCMHCE Candidate Handbook.

How to Apply to Take the Exam

Apply online to take the NCMHCE.

License Renewal and Continuing Education Requirements

To renew a license, regulations require 32 clock hours of continuing education in acceptable courses and programs offered by Continuing Education providers, which must be completed every two year license renewal period. At least two hours must be in professional ethics. Completion of continuing education hours and renewal of the LMHP will allow the holder to continue to present themselves as a LCPC.

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