Virginia Law

A. An applicant for registration shall submit:

1. A completed application on forms provided by the board and any applicable fee as prescribed in 18VAC115-80-20;

2. A current report from the National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB); and

3. Verification of any other mental health or health professional license, certification, or registration ever held in another jurisdiction. An applicant for registration as a QMHP-A shall have no unresolved disciplinary action. The board will consider a history of disciplinary action on a case-by-case basis as grounds for denial under 18VAC115-80-100.

B. An applicant for registration as a QMHP-A shall provide evidence of:

1. A master's degree in psychology, social work, counseling, substance abuse, or marriage and family therapy, as verified by an official transcript, from an accredited college or university with an internship or practicum of at least 500 hours of experience with persons who have mental illness;

2. A master's or bachelor's degree in human services or a related field, as verified by an official transcript, from an accredited college with no less than 1,500 hours of supervised experience to be obtained within a five-year period immediately preceding application for registration and as specified in subsection C of this section;

3. A bachelor's degree, as verified by an official transcript, from an accredited college in an unrelated field that includes at least 15 semester credits or 22 quarter hours in a human services field and with no less than 3,000 hours of supervised experience to be obtained within a five-year period immediately preceding application for registration and as specified in subsection C of this section;

4. A registered nurse licensed in Virginia with no less than 1,500 hours of supervised experience to be obtained within a five-year period immediately preceding application for registration and as specified in subsection C of this section; or

5. A licensed occupational therapist with an internship or practicum of at least 500 hours with persons with mental illness or no less than 1,500 hours of supervised experience to be obtained within a five-year period immediately preceding application for registration and as specified in subsection C of this section.

C. Experience required for registration.

1. To be registered as a QMHP-A, an applicant who does not have a master's degree as set forth in subdivision B 1 of this section shall provide documentation of experience in providing direct services to individuals as part of a population of adults with mental illness in a setting where mental health treatment, practice, observation, or diagnosis occurs. The services provided shall be appropriate to the practice of a QMHP-A and under the supervision of a licensed mental health professional or a person under supervision that has been approved by the Board of Counseling, Board of Psychology, or Board of Social Work as a prerequisite for licensure. Supervision obtained in another United States jurisdiction shall be provided by a mental health professional licensed in Virginia or licensed in that jurisdiction.

2. Supervision shall consist of face-to-face training in the services of a QMHP-A until the supervisor determines competency in the provision of such services, after which supervision may be indirect in which the supervisor is either onsite or immediately available for consultation with the person being trained.

3. Hours obtained in a bachelor's or master's level internship or practicum in a human services field may be counted toward completion of the required hours of experience.

4. Supervised experience obtained prior to meeting the education requirements of subsection B of this section shall not be accepted.