{"data":{"id":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-59-59-1903","jurisdiction":"us-ok","citation":"Okla. Stat. tit. 59, § 59-1903","heading":"Construction and application of act - Exemptions","body":"A. The Licensed Professional Counselors Act shall not be\n\nconstrued to include the pursuits of the following professionals\n\nacting within the scope of their duties as such professionals, nor\n\nshall the title \"Licensed Professional Counselor\" or \"LPC\" be used\n\nby such professionals:\n\n1. Physicians, psychologists, social workers, marital and\n\nfamily therapists and attorneys, who are licensed by their\n\nrespective licensing authorities;\n\n2. Rehabilitation counselors, vocational evaluation\n\nspecialists, psychiatric and mental health nurses, alcohol and drug\n\ncounselors, school administrators, school teachers and school\n\ncounselors, who are certified by their respective certifying\n\nauthorities;\n\n3. Persons in the employ of accredited institutions of higher\n\neducation, or in the employ of local, state or federal government;\n\nand\n\n4. Members of clergy.\n\nB. The Licensed Professional Counselors Act shall not be\n\nconstrued to allow the practice of any of the professions specified\n\nin subsection A of this section by a licensed professional counselor\n\nunless said licensed professional counselor is also licensed or\n\naccredited by an appropriate agency, institution or board.\n\nC. The activities and services of a person in the employ of a\n\nprivate, nonprofit behavioral services provider contracting with the\n\nstate to provide behavioral services with the state shall be exempt\n\nfrom licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor if such\n\nactivities and services are a part of the official duties of such\n\nperson with the private nonprofit agency.\n\n1. Any person who is unlicensed and operating under these\n\nexemptions shall not use any of the following official titles or\n\ndescriptions:\n\na. psychologist, psychology or psychological,\n\nb. licensed social worker,\n\nc. clinical social worker,\n\nd. certified rehabilitation specialist,\n\ne. licensed professional counselor,\n\nf. psychoanalyst, or\n\ng. marital and family therapist.\n\n2. Such exemption to the provisions of this section shall apply\n\nonly while the unlicensed individual is operating under the auspices\n\nof a contract with the state and within the employ of the nonprofit\n\nagency contracting with the state. Such exemption will not be\n\napplicable to any other setting.\n\n3. State agencies contracting to provide behavioral health\n\nservices will strive to ensure that quality of care is not\n\ncompromised by contracting with external providers and that the\n\nquality of service is at least equal to the service that would be\n\ndelivered if that agency were able to provide the service directly.\n\nThe persons exempt under the provisions of this section shall\n\nprovide services that are consistent with their training and\n\nexperience. Agencies will also ensure that the entity with which\n\nthey are contracting has qualified professionals in its employ and\n\nthat sufficient liability insurance is in place to allow for\n\nreasonable recourse by the public.\n\nD. The activities and services of a person in the employ of a\n\nprivate, for-profit behavioral services provider contracting with\n\nthe state to provide behavioral services to youth and families in\n\nthe care and custody of the Office of Juvenile Affairs or the\n\nDepartment of Human Services on March 14, 1997, shall be exempt from\n\nlicensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor if such activities\n\nand services are a part of the official duties of such person with\n\nthe private for-profit contracting agency.\n\n1. Any person who is unlicensed and operating under these\n\nexemptions shall not use any of the following official titles or\n\ndescriptions:\n\na. psychologist, psychology or psychological,\n\nb. licensed social worker,\n\nc. clinical social worker,\n\nd. certified rehabilitation specialist,\n\ne. licensed professional counselor,\n\nf. psychoanalyst, or\n\ng. marital and family therapist.\n\n2. Such exemption to the provisions of this section shall apply\n\nonly while the unlicensed individual is operating under the auspices\nial titles or\n\ndescriptions:\n\na. psychologist, psychology or psychological,\n\nb. licensed social worker,\n\nc. clinical social worker,\n\nd. certified rehabilitation specialist,\n\ne. licensed professional counselor,\n\nf. psychoanalyst, or\n\ng. marital and family therapist.\n\n2. Such exemption to the provisions of this section shall apply\n\nonly while the unlicensed individual is operating under the auspices\n\nof a contract with the state and within the employ of the for-profit\n\nagency contracting with the state. Such exemption shall only be\n\navailable for ongoing contracts and contract renewals with the same\n\nstate agency and will not be applicable to any other setting.\n\n3. State agencies contracting to provide behavioral health\n\nservices will strive to ensure that quality of care is not\n\ncompromised by contracting with external providers and that the\n\nquality of service is at least equal to the service that would be\n\ndelivered if that agency were able to provide the service directly.\n\nThe persons exempt under the provisions of this section shall\n\nprovide services that are consistent with their training and\n\nexperience. Agencies will also ensure that the entity with which\n\nthey are contracting has qualified professionals in its employ and\n\nthat sufficient liability insurance is in place to allow for\n\nreasonable recourse by the public.","path":["OK Code","Title 59"],"source_url":"https://www.oklegislature.gov/OK_Statutes/CompleteTitles/os59.pdf","current_through":"2026-08-14","vintage":"open-us-law v2026.08, retrieved 2026-09-14","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T18:32:36Z","sha256":"f25ff1040ff0b586c0c9842f551253adaec4780b6f4427f4e13c4e178cb1569e","source_id":"us-ok","stale":false,"prev":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-59-59-1902","next":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-59-59-1905"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}