OAR 833-010-0001: Definitions

The definitions of terms used in ORS 675.705 to 675.835 and these administrative rules of the Board are: (1) “AAMFT” means the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. (2) “Accredited program” means the graduate program is fully accredited by COAMFTE, CACREP, or CORE. (3) “Applicant” means a person who submits to the Board a complete application for licensure with the appropriate fees. (4) “Associate registration plan” means a written description of post-graduate supervised work experience activities an applicant must complete to qualify for a license as a professional counselor or marriage and family therapist. (5) “Board” means the Oregon Board of Licensed Professional Counselors and Therapists. (6) “Board approved program” means a graduate program that the Board had found to be comparable to an accredited program. (7) “CACREP” means the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs. (8) “CRCC” means the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification. (9) “Client record” means any information maintained in a written or electronic form about a client. (10) “Clinical experience” means the professional practice of applying principles and methods to provide assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of individuals and families with mental health disorders. (11) “Clock hour” means a full 60-minute duration of time. Clock hours should be rounded down to the nearest tenth for purposes of reporting to the Board. (12) “COAMFTE” means the Commission on Accreditation of Marriage and Family Therapy Education. (13) “CORE” means the Council on Rehabilitation Education. (14) “Direct client contact hours” means only those clinical experience hours that are therapeutic or a combination of assessment and subsequent therapeutic interactions. (15) “Distance learning" means coursework, or training that does not involve attending a presentation or program in the presence of the instructor or facilitator and other courses through electronic communication. (16) “Distance Services” means any use of technology that replaces face to face delivery of counseling or therapy service. Such technologies include, but are not limited to, use of computer hardware and software, telephones, the internet, online assessment instruments and other communication devices. (17) “Electronic communication” means communication through use of videoconference, telephone, teleconference, internet, electronic mail, chat-based, or video-based. (18) "Equivalent" means comparable in content and quality, but not identical. (19) “Hour Equivalents” means that when requirements for licensure are given in quarter hours, the following formula will be used to determine equivalent hours: (a) Two semester hours is equal to three quarter hours; (b) One semester is equal to 1.5 quarters; (c) One quarter credit hour equals 10 clock hours; (d) One semester credit hour equals 15 clock hours. (20) “LMFT” means licensed marriage and family therapist. (21) “LPC” means licensed professional counselor. (22) “NBCC” means the National Board for Certified Counselors. (23) "Official transcript" means a document certified by an accredited college or university indicating degree earned, hours and types of coursework, examinations and scores, completed by the student; and submitted by the school to the Board. (24) “Petitioner” means a person who submits to the Board a complete petition for licensure predetermination with the appropriate fee. (25) "Practicing" means engaging in any of the activities listed in the definitions of marriage and family therapy and professional counseling set forth in ORS 675.705, including but not limited to providing clinical supervision to another mental health professional who is providing counseling or therapeutic services to clients. (26) "Regionally accredited institution" means an educational institution that is accredited by one of the following six institutional (regional) accrediting agencies recognized by the United States Secretary of Education and established to accredit senior institutions of higher education: (a) Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE); (b) New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE); (c) Higher Learning Commission (HCL); (d) Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU); (e) Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC); and (f) WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC). (27) "Registered associate" (formerly "registered intern") means an applicant for licensure who has met the educational requirement for licensure, and is in the process of obtaining the required supervised work experience under a registration plan approved by the Board. (28) “Supervision” means a professional relationship between a qualified supervisor and an intern, registered associate, counselor, or therapist during which the supervisor provides guidance and professional skill development and oversight to the intern, registered associate counselor or therapist.