Graduate school is over and you have a lot on your mind! Where to start first and where to go next. Well, that is usually an individual decision because there are a lot of directions you can take and a lot of us will end up taking completely different routes. However, if you are interested in getting your licensure then, you have probably already started to think about the licensure exam. Most of us would like to tackle the exam as soon as possible and others may decide to wait and take it at a later point. Either way, when it’s time to sit down and register for the exam, you probably have forgotten where exactly you have to go and which exam you need to take. Well here is a little bit of information for you if you are interested in taking the National Clinical Mental Health Counselor Examination (NCMHCE).What exactly is the NCMHCE?
- It’s the National Clinical Mental Health Counselor Examination.
What States require the NCMHCE for State licensure?
- As of right now some states require one (NCMHCE) OR the other (NCE), in order to obtain a state licensure. Below is a list that shows which states ONLY accept one or the other, right now:
| NCMHCE |
NCE |
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Note: NCMHCE will get you the CPC credential in Nebraska
- Florida
- New York
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
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- Alaska
- Wyoming
- Arizona
- Colorado
- Nebraska
Note: NCE will get you the LMFT credential in Nebraska
- Oklahoma
- Texas
- Missouri
- Michigan
- Maryland
- Delaware
- New Jersey
- Alabama
- West Virginia
- Pennsylvania
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| Some states will accept either (NCMHCE) OR (NCE) exam for their licensure so, essentially if you are moving from any of the above states, to any of the below states, you wouldn’t necessarily have to take a whole other exam, you would still be able to use your scores from the NCMHCE. Here are the states that will accept either or exam as of right now: |
| NCMHCE or NCE |
- South Carolina
- North Carolina
- Virginia
- Connecticut
- Vermont
- Maine
- Oregon
- California
- Arkansa
- Iowa
- Minnesota
- Tennessee
- Mississippi
|
- Utah
- New Mexico
- North Dakota
- South Dakota
- Kansas
- Louisiana
- Wisconsin
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Ohio
- Kentucky
- Montana
- Idaho
- Georgia
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So now that we have established some of the basics, you may want to note that the differences between the words “accept” and “require”. That will be your main determination of which exam you need to take and where to put your main focus, if you want to get licensed in any of those states. For example, if you live in Florida (like myself) and decide you want to move to Texas, I would have to take the NCMHCE for Florida and then also take the NCE to become state licensed in Texas. However, If I moved to GA instead, I would be able to use my scores from the NCMHCE that I took for my Florida licensure. Yes, very confusing I know! I am right there with you!
Now, you’re probably wondering about the National Certification and why can’t I just take one test and be Nationally Certified, well.. you can. However, it’s a certification and not a licensure so; each state will still require what they need for you to become licensed in their state. That is a whole other topic in its self so we will put our focus on the NCMHCE for now.So, you have decided you want or need to take the NCMHCE. Here are a few basics of what you need to know:
| What is the NCMHCE like? |
- Simulations that cover a broad area of competencies, rather than simple facts to remember.
- You will be given 10 clinical cases
- Each case is divided into 5 – 8 sections that will be classified as either:
- Information Gathering (IG) or
- Decision Making (DM)
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| What does the exam cover? |
The exam will cover 3 main areas of your clinical competency:
- Assessment and Diagnosis
- This area will test you on your ability to integrate client assessments, observations, ability to identify precipitating problems, and your ability to identify individual/family/relationship problems.
- Counseling and Psychotherapy
- Your ability to inform the client about ethical standards, practice, counselor/client roles, treatment plans and evaluation of referrals.
- Administration, Consultation and Supervision
- Will determine how well you maintain case notes, records, and files as well as how you determine if services meet client’s needs, how to orally communicate with other professionals as well as, your ability to assist clients with obtaining social services.
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| What can I expect the exam to look and feel like? |
- The exam will assess you for your clinical problem solving abilities. Which will include your ability to identify, analyze, diagnose and treat clinical problems.
- To be presented in a real life scenario type of format such as a paragraph with key information about a client which will include information such as age, gender, presenting problem etc.
- You will be expected to gather appropriate information (IG from above) which might include missing information that is not provided but, necessary for a true diagnosis such as family background, physical health, previous experience in counseling etc.
- You will also be expected to make clinical judgments and/or decisions (DM from above) such as what to do with the information you have gathered, know or have been provided such as making a diagnosis, a referral elsewhere, other social services, etc.
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| Is there a right or wrong answer? How will my exam be scored? |
- Yes and no. You should know that this is not a fact based examination and that some questions will have multiple options and you should select all options that are appropriate for that question and then there will be some questions that are “single best answer” which will provide more than one acceptable option but, only one option is general more acceptable than the other. I know! I know! Trust me, they are really testing your clinical abilities with the NCMHCE and as we all know, real life scenarios are not black and white and we have to access each situations as individual situations. That is exactly what this test is designed for.
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| So, how can I prepare? |
- I personally, would prepare by allowing yourself to develop professionally first and gain experience in real life situations, during your first year of post-graduation licensure. Coming straight out of grad school we have been tested over and over again on factual, black and white, write or wrong answers. That’s not what the NCMHCE is looking for. So, allow yourself some time to adjust to the “grey” area of real life diagnosing, analyzing and decision making first.
- Then, prepare to study. There are numerous resources available but, here are a few that have worked well for others and have been suggested to help:
- Another good place to start would be the NBCC’s website. They supply a good list of study guides that others have found useful. Here is the link: http://www.nbcc.org/Exams/Study#NCMHCE
- Linton’s DSM-5 Online Study Prep for the NCMHCE 6th Edition, which includes online simulations and prep, prior to the actual exam. Many therapists have used this and suggest it as a great way to pass the exam!
- Howard Rosenthal’s Encyclopedia of Counseling aka the “purple book” is a great way to use as a complementary resource and refresher on areas that you need help with. However, this format is more related to passing the NCE.
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Whew! Now that we’ve established everything you need to know about the NCMHCE and what to expect, you’ve probably got a lot MORE on your mind than you did before you read this. The most important thing to remember is to take the test at your own pace, when YOU feel most ready for it.
For more information about cost, DSM 5, how to register and where visit the National Board of Certified Counselors (www.nbcc.org) and always check with your state to find out which exam they require. Some states will require “pre-approval” to sit for the NCMHCE through the NBCC first.If you have any additional resources for studying, or experience you with taking the NCMHCE that you would like to share please feel free to post in the comments below! We always love to hear what has worked and hasn’t for others! |
