Professional Counseling Executive Summary

The Board of Professional Counselors and Marital and Family Therapists is composed of five members appointed by the governor. The terms are five years. The boards responsibility is to regulate the practice of professional counseling and marital and family therapy. The boards responsibilities include: “Adopt and revise rules and regulations as may be necessary to carry out its powers and duties, Adopt and/or administer examinations. Examine for, deny, withhold, or approve the license of an applicant and renew licenses or certificates. Establish continuing education requirements, appoint designee to assist in the performance of its duties, i.e. oral examination committee, and Conduct hearings” (Rules of Tennessee board for professional counselors,
“All requests, applications, notices, other communications and correspondence shall be directed to the board’s administrative office” (TN Department of Health, 2016). Any requests that requires a board decision or action the request must be received 14 days prior to the next board meeting. These requests shall be held in the administrative office until the board meeting presides. The attorney and the designated board consultant will then review the complaint heavily to determine whether there has been a violation of the Practice Act. The details of the complaint are then reviewed and examined by the attorney and the board consultant. The review of practitioner files, both confidential and public might occur. Once the review process is done a decision is made whether to pursue the investigation. Upon the filing of a notice of charges by the Department of Health complaints made on a practitioner will be made public. Based on the findings of the investigation a decision is then made. The board consultant will then do the following acts: “One, recommend whether and under what type of disciplinary actions should be instituted as the result of complaints received or investigations conducted by the Division. Two, recommend whether and what terms a complaint, case or disciplinary action might be informally settled. Any matter proposed for informal settlement must be subsequently ratified by the full board before it will become effective” (Rules of Tennessee board for professional counselors, marital and, family therapists and clinical pastoral therapists, 2016). A formal public hearing may be held. When a decision is reached, you will receive a letter from the board consultant. The decision is put in letter form then sent out. The letter will say one of the following: “One, there was no violation of the Practice Act that