Integrated Behavioral Health FAQ

The course work for this program fulfills the education and internship requirements for three Minnesota licenses:

• The Minnesota Licensed Drug and Alcohol Counselor (MNLADC)
• The Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)
• The Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC)

Graduates of IBH are eligible to sit for the National Counselor Certification, a national exam required in many states (including Minnesota) for counselor licensure, and the ICRC or NAADAC exams, required in Minnesota for the MNLADC. 

In addition to the MNLADC, a graduate of the IBH program can apply to the Minnesota Board of Behavioral Health and Therapy (BBHT) to have their credentials evaluated to become an LPC (need 2,000 hours of post-degree supervised clinical experience). LPCs practice professional counseling in Minnesota under an approved clinical supervisor.

LPCs with 4,000 hours (approximately two years) of appropriate post-degree supervised clinical experience can then apply to the MNBBHT to become an LPCC. An LPCC is licensed to engage in the independent practice of professional counseling in Minnesota. This degree program fulfills the 60-credit educational requirement for the LPCC.

For detailed information on the LADC, LPC, and LPCC licensing requirements, visit the Minnesota Board of Behavioral Health and Therapy (MNBBHT) website.

It depends on your personal and professional goals.

The IBH program:

• prepares you for both the Minnesota Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor (MNLADC) and the Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) licenses
• is 60 credits and includes an internship (approx. 880−1,320 hours)
• must be completed and degree awarded within five calendar years after initial enrollment
• requires a professional portfolio versus a final paper/exam

Graduates can open private practice and work as an independent clinical counselor (do not need to be supervised after obtaining the LPCC license).

The median salary for positions which request an LPCC is approximately $69,500 (Lightcast™, accessed 3.6.23).

The ADDC program:

• prepares you for Minnesota Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor (MNLADC) licensure
• is 30 credits and includes an internship (approx. 880 hours)
• must be completed and degree awarded within five calendar years after initial enrollment 
• is the best option if you are seeking to work as a Licensed Alcohol and Drug counselor or if you already have your LPC, LPCC, MSW, LICSW, MFT, LMFT, or LP, and want to become dually licensed

The median salary for positions which request an LADC is approximately $70,000 (Lightcast™, accessed 3.6.23).

Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)

• Basic license in clinical mental health counseling
• Requires 48 credits in graduate-level counseling
• If you later decide to pursue the LPCC, you will need to take additional courses to satisfy the remaining 12 credits required for the license
• 2,000 hours of post-degree supervision required (approx. one year)
• Exam
• Many clinical mental health practitioners obtain the LPC on the way to the LPCC
• Can not work as an independent clinical counselor because you will need to be supervised
• LPC salary is comparable to someone with the MNLADC

Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC)

• Advanced license in clinical mental health counseling
• Requires 60 graduate credits in graduate-level counseling
• 4,000 hours of post-degree supervision required (approx. two years)
• Exam
• Can work as an independent clinical counselor because you will not need to be supervised
• Equal to the LICSW and LMFT

We offer a variety of learning formats including face-to-face, online, and hybrid (some face-to-face and some online class sessions). However, at this time it is not possible to complete the program fully online.

Yes, IBH is a master’s degree program, and therefore admitted students are eligible for federal financial aid.

Admitted students may be allowed to transfer up to 24 credits of previous graduate-level coursework. See Transferring Credits section under Admission Requirements.

While we can identify non-UMN coursework that meets our program requirements, the MNBBHT ultimately reviews and determines coursework that meets licensing requirements. Contact the MNBBHT to discuss your specific situation.

You must apply and be admitted to the IBH. 

If you have already obtained your MNLADC and took ADDS 5011 through ADDS 5091, or courses with similar content as part of your previous MNLADC training, and if these courses are on a graduate transcript and less than five years old, you may not need to take some ADDS courses. 

If you took these courses as part of an undergraduate program or these courses appear on an undergraduate transcript, you may select elective courses in consultation with your mentor/advisor to replace the credits needed for the total 60 credits required for the LPCC. You will need to complete at least 700 hours of IBH internship to meet the MNBBHT licensing requirements.

For detailed information on the MNLADC and LPCC licensing requirements, visit the Minnesota Board of Behavioral Health and Therapy (MNBBHT) website.

It will depend on the coursework you’ve already completed and the gaps identified by the MNBBHT.

Not directly, no. Many students are hired by their internship site when they have completed the internship and obtained the required license. In addition, the program receives notices of positions and  posts these opportunities for admitted students. 

Potential career paths for IBH graduates include private practice, private contractor/consultant for multiple treatment programs/clinics, a clinician within a hospital, and teaching faculty or adjunct faculty for community colleges and/or bachelor’s and some master’s programs.

Each state has its own education and credentialing requirements for counselors. You should check the licensing requirements for the state you are considering.

The number of credits you take should be based on your work demands, family, and other commitments, as well as the difficulty of the coursework. At the graduate level, full-time status is 6 or more credits. The University of Minnesota’s policy on expected graduate student academic work per credit is that it will exceed 3 hours per credit per week.

Yes, you can work with clients in recovery. However, please be aware admitted students must be free of problematic substance use as defined in Minnesota Statutes 245G for at least two years immediately preceding SUD service delivery, per Minnesota DHS. This service delivery may include courses in clinics/hospitals or internships.