Providers
Chapter 11
Section 3.10
Pastoral
Counselor
Issue Date: February 23, 1994
Revision: C-54, October 10, 2019
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 Prior to March
1, 2019, 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.
2.1.3.3 Beginning March
1, 2019, in jurisdictions that do not offer licensure or certification,
a pastoral counselor must be (or meet all the requirements to become)
an Association for Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE) Psychotherapist,
as determined by the ACPE. ACPE Psychotherapists are listed on the
ACPE website at https://www.acpe.edu.
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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