Providers
Chapter 11
Section 3.10
Pastoral Counselor
Issue Date: February 23, 1994
Revision:
1.0 ISSUE
Pastoral Counselors.
2.0 POLICY
2.1 Provider
Certification. A pastoral counselor may provide covered mental health
services upon the referral and under the supervision of a physician.
The pastoral counselor must have the following:
2.1.1 A recognized graduate professional
education with the minimum of an earned master’s degree from a regionally
accredited educational institution in an appropriate behavioral
science field, mental health discipline;
2.1.2 Experience which consists
of either:
2.1.2.1 A combination of:
2.1.2.1.1 Two hundred
(200) hours of approved supervision in the practice of pastoral counseling,
ordinarily to be completed in a two- to three-year period, of which
at least 100 hours must be in individual supervision. This supervision
will occur preferably with more than one supervisor and should include
a continuous process of supervision with at least three cases; 1,000
hours of clinical experience in the practice of pastoral counseling
under approved supervision, involving at least 50 different cases; or
2.1.2.2 A combination
of:
2.1.2.2.1 One hundred and fifty (150) hours of approved
supervision in the practice of psychotherapy, ordinarily to be completed
in a two- to three-year period, of which at least 50 hours must
be individual supervision; plus at least 50 hours of approved individual
supervision in the practice of pastoral counseling, ordinarily to
be completed within a period of not less than one nor more than two
years; and
2.1.2.2.2 Seven hundred
and fifty (750) hours of clinical experience in the practice of psychotherapy
under approved supervision involving at least 30 cases; plus at
least 250 hours of clinical practice in pastoral counseling under
approved supervision, involving at least 20 cases;
2.1.3 Licensure
or certification as a pastoral counselor:
2.1.3.1 If licensure/certification
is offered by the jurisdiction in which the pastoral counselor is practicing,
it is required in all cases, even if the jurisdiction offers it
on an optional basis.
2.1.3.2 In jurisdictions
that do not offer licensure or certification, a pastoral counselor
must be (or must meet all the requirements to become) a fellow or
diplomate member in the American Association of Pastoral Counselors
(AAPC) as determined by the AAPC. Fellow or diplomate level pastoral counselors
are listed in the AAPC Registry which can be obtained by writing
to the AAPC at 9504-A Lee Highway, Fairfax, Virginia 22031. Updated
membership information may be obtained by calling the AAPC at (703)
385-6967.
2.2 Because of the similarity
of the requirements for licensure, certification, experience and education
a pastoral counselor may elect to be authorized as a certified marriage
and family therapist, and as such, would be subject to all previously
defined criteria for the certified marriage and family therapist
category, to include acceptance of the determined allowable charge
as payment in full, except for applicable deductibles and cost-shares
(i.e., balance billing of a beneficiary above the allowable charge
is prohibited; may not bill beneficiary for noncovered care). The
pastoral counselor must also agree to enter into the same participation
agreement with the Defense Health Agency (DHA) within which the
pastoral counselor agrees to all provisions, including conditions
upon termination, as specified in the
32 CFR 199.6 and
outlined in this chapter.
Note: No dual status
will be recognized. Pastoral counselors must elect one category
of extramedical providers as specified above. Once authorized as
either a pastoral counselor, or a certified marriage and family
therapist, claims review and reimbursement will be in accordance
with the criteria established for the elected provider category.
2.3 The services
of an authorized pastoral counselor are covered when:
2.3.1 A physician
refers the beneficiary for therapy;
2.3.2 A physician provides ongoing
oversight and supervision of the therapy; and
2.3.3 On each
claim, the pastoral counselor certifies that a written communication
has been (or will be) made to the referring physician of the results
of the treatment. Such communication will be made at the end of
the treatment or more frequently, as required by the referring physician
(see
32 CFR 199.7.
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