Clinical Supervision Requirements in Louisiana

Licensing Board Overview

Louisiana has separate licensing boards for different mental health disciplines. The Louisiana State Board of Social Work Examiners (LABSWE) oversees social work licenses. The Louisiana LPC Board of Examiners regulates professional counselors. Marriage and family therapists are also regulated by the LPC Board of Examiners. Each board sets its own requirements for supervised clinical experience, supervisor qualifications, and documentation.

LCSW: Licensed Clinical Social Worker (Louisiana)

Supervised Experience Requirements

• Total supervised experience: 5,760 total practice hours, including at least 3,840 hours under supervision (confirm current requirements with your licensing board)
• Supervision hours: Typically 96 hours of face-to-face supervision (combination of individual and group permitted; confirm with the board)
• Individual supervision: A substantial portion must be individual (one-on-one) supervision
• Timeline: Must be completed over a minimum of 2 years and no more than 5 years
• Direct client contact: Must include direct clinical services to clients

Supervisor Qualifications

• Must hold an active Louisiana LCSW license in good standing
• Must be Board Approved Clinical Supervisor (BACS) or hold equivalent board-approved status
• Minimum of 3 years of post-licensure clinical experience
• Must have completed supervisor training approved by the board

LPC: Licensed Professional Counselor (Louisiana)

Supervised Experience Requirements

• Provisional licensure: Louisiana uses a Provisional Licensed Professional Counselor (PLPC) designation during the supervised experience period
• Total supervised experience: Typically 3,000 hours of supervised counseling experience as a PLPC (confirm current requirements with your licensing board)
• Supervision hours: At least 100 hours of supervision (50 hours individual, 50 hours group)
• Timeline: Must be completed within a board-specified timeframe (typically 2–6 years)
• Direct client contact: Substantial portion must involve direct counseling services

Supervisor Qualifications

• Must hold an active Louisiana LPC license with Board Approved Supervisor status
• Must have completed LPC Board-approved supervisor training
• Minimum of 3 years of post-licensure counseling experience per LAC 46:LX.801(A)(1)(b)

LMFT: Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (Louisiana)

Supervised Experience Requirements

• Total supervised experience: Supervised clinical experience focused on marriage and family therapy, as specified by the board
• Supervision hours: Board-specified minimum of direct supervision, including both individual and group formats
• Case requirements: Must include work with couples and families, not exclusively individual therapy

Supervisor Qualifications

• Must hold an active Louisiana LMFT license
• AAMFT Approved Supervisor designation is typically recognized or required
• Must meet board requirements for supervision training and clinical experience

General Documentation Requirements

Louisiana licensing boards expect clear and organized documentation of supervised clinical experience. Supervisors and supervisees should maintain:

• Written supervision contract or agreement executed before supervision begins
• Meeting-by-meeting supervision documentation including date, duration, type (individual/group), and topics covered
• Hour tracking logs with breakdowns by category (direct client contact, supervision hours, indirect hours)
• Supervisor verification forms confirming hours completed and competency
• Records of evaluations, feedback, and any remediation or corrective action plans

Both the supervisor and supervisee should retain copies of all documentation. Digital records with timestamps and signatures strengthen board submissions and audit readiness.

Virtual Supervision in Louisiana

Louisiana has increasingly supported telehealth and virtual supervision. Supervision via HIPAA-compliant video conferencing platforms is generally accepted, though specific boards may have additional requirements or limitations. Supervisors should verify current board policies on virtual supervision modality, frequency, and whether initial in-person meetings are required.

Key Louisiana Board Contact Information

• Louisiana State Board of Social Work Examiners (LABSWE): labswe.org
• Louisiana LPC Board of Examiners: lpcboard.org
• Phone (LABSWE): (225) 756-3470
• Phone (LPC Board): (225) 295-8444

How to Become a Clinical Supervisor in Louisiana

If you're a licensed clinician in Louisiana considering offering clinical supervision, each licensing board has its own requirements for supervisor approval. Below is a summary by license type. Requirements change, so always confirm the current standards with your licensing board before applying.

Becoming an LPC Board Approved Supervisor

The Louisiana LPC Board of Examiners requires supervisors of Provisional Licensed Professional Counselors (PLPCs) to meet the following criteria per LAC Title 46, §LX-801:

• Licensure: Must hold an active Louisiana LPC license in good standing (license cannot be lapsed, expired, or subject to probation, suspension, or revocation)
• Clinical experience: Minimum of 3 years of post-licensure experience practicing mental health counseling
• Supervision training: Must complete training consistent with ACA, LCA, NBCC, or CACREP standards, within 5 years of application for board-approved supervisor status. This can be satisfied through either:
  • At least one graduate-level academic course in counseling supervision equivalent to CACREP standards (minimum 45 clock hours, equivalent to a 3-credit-hour semester course), or
  • A professional training program in supervision approved by ACA, LCA, or NBCC (minimum 25 clock hours of face-to-face interaction with the instructor)
• Board approval: Must apply to the LPC Board for Board Approved Supervisor designation before supervising PLPCs

Becoming a BACS (Board Approved Clinical Supervisor) for Social Work

The Louisiana State Board of Social Work Examiners (LABSWE) requires supervisors to obtain Board Approved Clinical Supervisor (BACS) status:

• Licensure: Must hold an active Louisiana LCSW license in good standing
• Clinical experience: Typically a minimum of 3 years of post-licensure clinical social work experience (confirm current requirements with LABSWE)
• Supervision training: Must complete supervisor training approved by the board
• Application: Must apply to LABSWE for BACS designation and receive approval before beginning supervision

Becoming an LMFT Supervisor

• Licensure: Must hold an active Louisiana LMFT license
• AAMFT designation: AAMFT Approved Supervisor designation is typically recognized or required by the board
• Experience and training: Must meet board-specified requirements for clinical experience and supervision training (confirm current standards with the board)

Cross-Discipline Supervision

Louisiana generally requires supervisors to hold the same license type as the credential the supervisee is pursuing. An LPC cannot typically supervise a social work supervisee working toward LCSW licensure, and vice versa. Verify current cross-discipline rules with the relevant licensing board.

How Guidara Helps Louisiana Supervisors

Guidara structures your supervision records the way Louisiana licensing boards expect: signed supervision documentation, hour tracking by category, timesheet approvals, and exportable reports. Whether you're working toward LCSW, LPC, or LMFT licensure, everything is stored digitally with timestamps and audit trails so you're always board-ready.