Section 27A-1-3 - Qualifications of mental health professionals.
27A-1-3. Qualifications of mental health professionals. As used in this title, the term, "qualified mental health professional", means a physician licensed pursuant to chapter 36-4 or a member of one of the professions listed in this section who has received a competency-based endorsement as a qualified mental health professional from the Department of Human Services. The following persons are eligible to apply for the endorsement:
(1) A psychologist who is licensed to practice psychology in South Dakota;
(2) A psychiatric nurse with a master's degree from an accredited education program and two years of supervised clinical experience in a mental health setting;
(3) A certified social worker with a master's degree from an accredited training program and two years of supervised clinical experience in a mental health setting;
(4) A person who has a master's degree in psychology from an accredited program and two years of supervised clinical mental health experience and who meets the provision of subdivision 36-27A-2(2);
(5) A counselor who is certified under chapter 36-32 as a licensed professional counselor --mental health; or
(6) A counselor who is certified under chapter 36-32 as a licensed professional counselor and has two years of supervised clinical experience in a mental health setting and who is employed by the State of South Dakota or a mental health center.
(7) A therapist who is licensed under chapter 36-33 as a marriage and family therapist with two years of supervised clinical experience in a mental health setting.
Except as provided in § 36-4-20, each qualified mental health professional shall meet all licensing and certification requirements promulgated by the State of South Dakota for persons engaged in private practice of the same profession in South Dakota. However, the private practice licensure requirements for persons referred to in subdivisions (3) and (4) do not apply to those employed by the State of South Dakota or mental health centers.
Source: SL 1975, ch 181, §§ 1 (9), 30; SDCL Supp, §§ 27-1-1.1 (9), 27-1-3.1; SL 1978, ch 193, § 1; SL 1987, ch 198, § 1; SL 1991, ch 220, § 3; SL 1994, ch 222, §§ 1, 2; SL 1995, ch 226, § 5; SL 2003, ch 151, § 1; SL 2003, ch 152, § 1.