Licensing, Compliance, & Coaching Guidance

Licensing, Compliance, & Coaching Guidance

Navigating the licensing landscape in mental health can be complex, with each professional license governed by specific codes, standards, supervision requirements, and ethical guidelines. Some of the professional licenses mental health professionals practice under include: LCSW, LMSW, LCAT, LMHC, LMFT, Physician, Psychology, Psychoanalyst, and pre-licensed or permit-holding professionals.

By staying current on changes in regulations and professional standards, we help our clients mitigate risks and establish practices that adhere to the latest requirements.

In addition to providing licensing and compliance guidance, Schaupp McDermott offers advice for individuals seeking to provide coaching services rather than, or in addition to, the services of a licensed mental health professional. As the field of mental health continues to evolve, coaching has emerged as a valuable tool for expanding the scope of services available to individuals seeking support.

Unlike psychotherapy, which focuses on diagnosing and treating mental health disorders, coaching aims to enhance overall well-being and optimize normal functioning. By partnering with a coach, individuals can gain valuable insights, develop new skills, and achieve their personal and professional goals.

At Schaupp McDermott, we provide legal guidance to aspiring coaches who are seeking to reach a wider audience, or pivot from the provision of professional mental health services, aligning their mission while operating within permissible boundaries and ensuring fidelity to ethical principles, business practices, as well as standards of professional conduct.

Some of the areas our firm provides consultation services include:

• License Compliance: Ensuring mental health professionals understand and adhere to the specific rules, duties, and standards of practice governing their licensure. New York State State oversees mental health professionals through the Office of Professional Discipline (OPD) and the Education Department’s Office of the Professions (NYSED). Additionally, numerous professional associations affiliated with each license provide ethical codes and practice guidelines. We help mental health professionals navigate this complex regulatory landscape, ensuring compliance and mitigating the risk of disciplinary or legal action.
• Supervision and Training: Providing guidance on appropriate supervision and supervisory settings as well as training for unlicensed, pre-licensed and non-terminal licensed clinicians, ensuring compliance with regulatory standards.
• Ethical and Legal Compliance: Assisting mental health professionals in navigating complex ethical and legal issues, including confidentiality, dual relationships, self-disclosures, informed consent, and professional boundaries.
• Changes in Licensing Laws and Regulations: Helping mental health professionals keep abreast of evolving licensing laws and regulations, and providing timely updates and guidance to our clients.
• Diagnostic Privileges: Offering guidance on NYSED’s new diagnostic privileges for LMHCs, LMFTs Licensed Psychoanalysts, and LCATs, ensuring practitioners understand and appropriately utilize these privileges.
• Scope of Licensure: Helping clinicians ensure they are practicing within the scope of their licensure with respect to services offered, training, diagnosing, and the geographic scope and limits of licensure given the changing telehealth laws and emergence of inter-state compacts.
• Coaching Services: Ensuring your clientele is appropriate for coaching services, and providing written and web-based disclosures protecting you and your clients from conflating coaching with the provision of mental health treatment or an expectation of any particular outcome.

Partnering for Success – Reach Out to Us Today

We look forward to hearing about your work and offering our assistance. Contact us today to learn more about our licensing and compliance guidance services at Schaupp McDermott.