Clinical Supervision

National Associations

American Counseling Association

American Association for Marriage and Family Counseling Association

American Psychological Association

National Association for Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Counselors

National Association of Social Workers

National Peer Recovery Alliance

Psychiatrists are medical doctors (MD/DO) who focus on the biological aspects of mental illness, specializing in diagnosing, treating, and prescribing medication. Psychologists hold doctoral degrees (PhD/PsyD) and specialize in psychotherapy, psychological testing, and behavioral change without prescribing medication. They frequently collaborate, with psychiatrists managing medication and psychologists providing therapy.

Psychologist v. Psychiatrist

MFTs (Marriage and Family Therapists), LPCs (Licensed Professional Counselors), and LCSWs (Licensed Clinical Social Workers) are all master's-level mental health professionals who can diagnose and treat mental health issues. The primary differences lie in their clinical focus, training philosophy, and career versatility.

MFT v. LPC. v. SW

Employers typically offer FREE supervision. Average cost for supervision is $25/hr. and can be accomplished in Groups and/or Individual work

Ohio Clinical Supervision Designation Requirements

Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPC | LPCs)

To become a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) in Ohio, LPCs must complete 3,000 hours of post-LPC supervised clinical experience over at least 24 months. This includes a minimum of 150 hours of face-to-face training supervision with an LPCC-S, with 1,500 hours dedicated to direct client contact.

Ohio.gov website +2

Key Requirements for LPCC Independent Licensure in Ohio:

Total Experience: 3,000 hours of clinical counseling, obtained in no less than 24 months after earning the LPC license.
Direct Contact: At least 1,500 of the 3,000 hours must be in direct, face-to-face client contact, focusing on diagnosis and treatment.
Supervision Hours: A minimum of 150 hours of documented training supervision with an LPCC-S is required.
Supervision Ratio: Training supervision should average 1 hour of supervisor contact per 20 hours of work.
Supervisor Requirement: For experience obtained in Ohio, supervision must be provided by an LPCC with a supervision designation (LPCC-S).
Evaluations: Supervision evaluations must be submitted to the Board after the first 1,500 hours and upon completion of the full 3,000 hours.

Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT | IMFT)

In Ohio, MFT supervision for licensure as an Independent Marriage and Family Therapist (IMFT) requires two years of post-degree experience, including 1,000 hours of direct client contact (500 with couples/families) and 200 hours of training supervision, with at least 100 hours individual. Supervision must be provided by an IMFT-S or an AAMFT-approved supervisor.

Supervision Requirements for IMFT Licensure:

Experience Hours: 1,000 hours of documented direct client contact.
Relational Hours: At least 500 of the 1,000 hours must be with couples or families present.
Supervision Hours: 200 hours of training supervision.
Individual Supervision: A minimum of 100 hours must be in an individual setting.
Supervisor Qualifications: Supervision must be provided by an Independently Licensed MFT with a supervision designation (IMFT-S) or an AAMFT-approved supervisor.
Hardship Exception: Up to 50 hours of supervision may be earned from an LISW-S or LPCC-S if an IMFT-S is unavailable, according to Ohio.gov website and Ohio.gov website.
Clinical/Work Supervision: Independent marriage and family therapists must have their work supervised to ensure they are properly diagnosing and treating clients, according to Ohio Laws (.gov).

Association for Marriage and Family Therapy +4

Supervisors must ensure they hold the proper training designation (IMFT-S) to provide supervision, as detailed in www.claritytogethercounseling.com and

Social Worker (LSW | LISW)

Ohio social worker supervision requirements for LISW licensure necessitate 3,000 hours of supervised experience over at least two years (post-LSW). This must include 150 hours of training supervision (individual/group) under an LISW-S. Supervision should average one hour per 20 hours of work.

Supervision Requirements for LISW Licensure:

Total Work Experience: 3,000 hours of supervised social work practice.
Time Requirement: At least 2 full years (24 months).
Total Training Supervision: 150 hours of documented training supervision by an LISW-S (Licensed Independent Social Worker-Supervisor).
Supervision Frequency: Average one hour of supervision per 20 hours of work.
Supervision Types: Individual (private session) or group (no more than six supervisees).

Key Aspects of Ohio Social Work Supervision:

LSW to LISW: An LSW (Licensed Social Worker) must be supervised by an LISW-S to obtain their independent license.
Supervision Registry: The NASW Ohio Supervision Registry helps connect LSWs with LISW-S supervisors.
Supervision Records: Supervisors are required to maintain records and sign them quarterly, according to Ohio Law.
LISW-S Requirement: To supervise, an LISW must have a supervision designation (LISW-S), obtained by either one year of LISW experience plus 9 hours of CEUs in supervision, or a master's level supervision course.

Supervision Definition:

Training Supervision: Mentoring to develop professional skills and earn independent licensure.
Work Supervision: Supervision required to provide diagnostic and treatment services.

Ohio.gov website +1

Note: Starting July 10, 2026, the ASWB Advanced Generalist Exam will no longer be accepted for LISW licensure; applicants will need the ASWB Clinical Exam.

Licensed Independent Chemical Dependency Counselor (LCDC | LICDC)

CLINICAL SUPERVISION For Chemical Dependency Counselors What is Clinical Supervision? CLINICAL SUPERVISION REVIEWS A SUPERVISEE’S WORK. It is an organized, intentional process that ensures client welfare, supervisee development, and adherence to ethical and legal standards of clinical practice.

CLINICAL SUPERVISION OCCURS AT REGULAR, CONSISTENT INTERVALS  The Board recommends a minimum of:

one (1) hour of Clinical Supervision for every 40 hours of work.
The frequency of clinical supervision should be determined by the skill level and experience of the supervisee and the context of the services provided.

CLINICAL SUPERVISION FACE-TO-FACE CONTACT

It utilizes a variety of methods (such as Direct Observation, Audio/Video Recording, Individual and Group Supervision) as the unique needs of supervisees are identified.
It includes a review of the Supervisee’s clinical documentation and discussion of ethics and scope.

CLINICAL SUPERVISION IS A FORMALIZED PROCESS

It includes a written supervision contract with clear descriptions of the goals, context, methods, frequency, and responsibilities of both supervisee and supervisor.
It includes documentation of supervision session dates, lengths and content.

Who Needs Clinical Supervision?

CDCA - A CDCA may practice only while under formalized supervision.
LCDC II - An LCDC II may not practice as an independent practitioner. While this license does not require formalized clinical supervision it is strongly recommended.
LCDC III - An LCDC III may not practice as an independent practitioner and needs formalized clinical supervision if they are diagnosing or clinically supervising others. Clinical supervision for all other areas of practice, while not required, is strongly recommended.
LICDC - An LICDC needs formalized clinical supervision if they are clinically supervising others and do not hold the CS Endorsement.

Who Can Provide Clinical Supervision?

LCDC III & LICDC (if they are under clinical supervision),

Peer Supporter

An essential component to the incorporation of Peer Supporters in any organization is regular supervision. In making the decision to assign a supervisor to Peer Supporters, take the following variables into account. The potential supervisor should:

have a thorough understanding of and believe in recovery,
believe sharing lived experience is helpful, and
be available for regular supervision.

Please note that there is not a state certification for individuals supervising Peer Supporters, therefore the names of individuals who meet the requirements to supervise Peer Supporters cannot be located using the eLicense website.

Please review the below (3) steps that you will take to meet the Ohio Administrative Code requirements to supervise Peer Supporters, outlined in Ohio Administrative Code 5122-29-15.1.

🧠 Core Competency Areas for
Clinical Supervision

1. Foundations of Clinical Supervision

Models of supervision (developmental, discrimination, systems, reflective)
Roles and responsibilities of supervisor vs. supervisee
Stages of supervisee development
Supervision contracts and informed consent

3. Cultural Humility & Diversity Competence

Addressing race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, SES
Power, privilege, and bias in supervision
Working with diverse client populations through supervisees
Trauma-informed and culturally responsive supervision

5. Clinical Competence & Case Conceptualization

Supporting diagnostic skills and treatment planning
Theoretical orientation integration
Evidence-based practices
Crisis intervention guidance

7. Supervisory Relationship & Alliance

Building trust and psychological safety
Managing transference and countertransference in supervision
Navigating conflict and resistance
Maintaining appropriate boundaries

9. Documentation & Administrative Responsibilities

Supervision notes and logs
Compliance with state licensing boards
Insurance and billing considerations (when applicable)
Record retention policies

2. Ethical, Legal, and Professional Standards

Code of ethics (discipline-specific + cross-disciplinary)
Confidentiality in supervision
Documentation and liability
Dual relationships and boundary management
Mandated reporting and risk management

4. Supervision Skills & Interventions

Providing effective feedback (supportive vs. corrective)
Use of live, video, and case consultation methods
Reflective questioning and critical thinking development
Gatekeeping and evaluation skills

6. Evaluation & Gatekeeping

Formal and informal evaluation methods
Competency-based assessment
Addressing impairment or ethical concerns
Remediation plans and documentation

8. Teaching & Mentoring Skills

Adult learning theory
Structuring supervision sessions
Coaching professional identity development
Supporting licensure readiness

10. Self-Awareness & Use of Self

Supervisor self-reflection
Managing bias and emotional reactions
Burnout prevention and modeling self-care
Ongoing professional development

Discipline-Specific Emphasis

Systems theory and relational dynamics
Family process observation
Circular questioning techniques

Individual counseling frameworks
Career and developmental models
Diagnosis and treatment planning (often DSM-focused)

Person-in-environment perspective
Advocacy and case management
Systems navigation and resource coordination

MFT

LPC

SW

📊 Common Supervision Methods

Individual supervision
Group supervision
Live supervision (behind mirror or real-time)
Recorded session review
Case consultation

🧩 Optional Advanced Competencies

Trauma-informed supervision
Substance use disorder treatment supervision
Telehealth supervision best practices
Clinical documentation auditing
Leadership and program development

National Supervision Links:

Ohio:

Finding Supervision

What is Clinical Supervision

Getting Started in Clinical Supervision

Looking for Clinical Supervision?
In the BHFL App, notice that the Practitioners Contact group witll designate who is able to supervise. Sign Up Today!
BHealthy offers Clinical Supervision every Friday in a group setting from 9-11am. Cost is $25 per person. If you re interested in Supervision, please contact Virginia at (614) 352-6807. Please be sure to pick up the Supervision Workbook on Amazon, come prepared to learn a lot and have some fun!

Sample Supervision Form

Social Work Training Supervision Log

Date: Time: Length of supervision:

Type of supervision: Individual or Group:

Concentration:

Practitioners Name:

License No:

Supervisors Name:

License No:

I. Goals of Supervision:

II. Content of Supervision:

A. Competencies:

B. Knowledge and practice behaviors specific to concentration:

III. Supervisor’s Note (feedback to practitioner):

Goals of Supervision:

A. To learn the skills necessary to be a competent clinical social worker

B. To obtain a more comprehensive understanding of the mental health levels of care

C. To gain a better understand of appropriate evidence based interventions for clients receiving outpatient mental health services

Content of Supervision: