Title 5
Businesses and Professions

Chapter 63.2
Mental Health Counselors and Marriage and Family Therapists

R.I. Gen. Laws § 5-63.2-12

§ 5-63.2-12. Exemptions.

(a) No provision of this chapter shall be construed to limit the practice of medicine, osteopathy, psychology, clinical social work, psychiatric nursing, or other recognized business or profession, or to prevent qualified members of other professions from doing work of a nature consistent with their training so long as they do not hold themselves out to the public as a licensed counselor and family practice.

(b) No person shall be required to be licensed under this chapter who:

(1) Is a salaried employee of a government agency or of a developmental services program or of a mental-health, alcohol, or drug abuse facility operating pursuant to chapter 24 of title 40.1, or who is an employee of an accredited academic institution or research institution, if the employee is performing duties for which he or she was hired solely within the confines of the agency, facility, or institution;

(2) Is a student who is pursuing a course of study that leads to a degree in medicine or a profession regulated by this chapter who is providing services in a training setting; provided, that the activities or services constitute part of a supervised course of study, or is a graduate accumulating the experience required for any licensure under this chapter; provided, that the graduate or student is designated by a title, such as “intern” or “trainee,” that clearly indicates the in-training status of the student;

(3) Is certified in school psychology by the department of elementary and secondary education and is performing psychological services as an employee of a public or private educational institution;

(4) Is a rabbi, priest, minister, or member of the clergy of any religious denomination or sect when engaging in activities that are within the scope of the performance of his or her regular or specialized ministerial duties and for which no separate charge is made, or when the activities are performed, with or without charge, for or under the auspices or sponsorship, individually or in conjunction with others, of an established and legally recognized church, denomination, or sect, and when the person rendering service remains accountable to the established authority.

History of Section.
P.L. 1996, ch. 85, § 2.