Supervision Success: Leveling up with the ACS Credential

Supervisors are taking their role to the next level with the Approved Clinical Supervisor (ACS) credential. As mental health professionals continue to expand on their therapeutic skills and advance within their profession, it’s becoming more common to see an emphasis placed on training and preparation when identifying yourself as a clinical supervisor in the field. 

Gone are the days of working in the field for “x” number of years to justify your readiness to mentor and supervise others. With the complexities of supervision including liability, responsibility, clinical competence, ethics, and brand recognition, agencies and organizations are sending supervisors to additional training to assist them in growing into the role of supervisor in ways that are both ethical and empowering. Private Practice clinicians are also offering their services as supervisors when focusing on niche populations or specialties. Therefore it’s important to take a closer look at the ACS credential and how it can help your professional goals.

What is the ACS Credential?

The Approved Clinical Supervisor (ACS) Credential* requires a total of 45 clock hours of clinical supervision training specific to providing clinical supervision or becoming a clinical supervisor, which must include each of the following content areas:

1.     Roles and functions of clinical supervisors

2.     Models of clinical supervision

3.     Mental health–related professional development

4.     Methods and techniques in clinical supervision

5.     Supervisory relationship issues

6.     Cultural issues in clinical supervision

7.     Group supervision

8.     Legal and ethical issues in clinical supervision

9.     Evaluation of supervisee competence and the supervision process

There are several organizations and entities that offer trainings that meet this criteria. Supervisionary is one of them, with bolded items above fitting both ACS training requirements and Supervisionary’s 4.0 CE Hour, NBCC Single Program Training titled: The Empowerment Model of Clinical Supervision**

What’s required for the ACS?

In addition to training content, the ACS candidate must submit proof of:

1.     A minimum of 100 hours of supervision, to be endorsed and signed off by licensed mental health professional with supervision experience. 

2.     Have 4000+ hours of mental health experience post masters or doctorate degree with proof of licensure

3.     Professional Disclosure Statement

4.     Transcript from master’s level or higher education

5.     Application fee

All of these items would then be submitted as part of your application in order to be considered for the ACS credential, awarded by Center for Credentialing and Education (CCE). ™ 

Where do I get training?

The CCE website includes a directory of Approved Continued Education Providers (ACEP) through NBCC that can be of assistance when finding training in supervision, including university programs and private entities offering workshops or trainings face-to-face or online. 

Check out the ACEP directory to find trainers at: https://www.nbcc.org/search/acepdirectory

Maintaining your ACS Credential

If you’ve already completed the initial requirements for your ACS credential, congratulations on joining the ACS professional community! You know the next step in celebrating your commitment to quality supervision is maintaining good standing. ACS credentials are renewed every 5 years and must include 20 hours of continued education specific to supervision. Therefore we hope you’ll consider Supervisionary once again for further training or material focused on supervision to enhance your skills!

To engage Supervisionary in our 4.0 CE hour training, please visit www.empowermentmodelsupervision.com or email us at empowermentmodelsupervision@gmail.com

Congratulations on exploring the next step of your professional journey by considering “leveling up” as a clinical supervisor! We are confident you will find the experience as engaging and rewarding as we do and we look forward to bringing the community together through meaningful trainings and quality materials!

Written by Khara Croswaite Brindle, MA, LPC, ACS

*As noted by CCE at https://www.cce-global.org/credentialing/acs

**The continuing education program "The Empowerment Model of Clinical Supervision" has been approved by NBCC for NBCC credit. Supervisionary, LLC is solely responsible for all aspects of the program. NBCC Approval No. SP-3446