Monthly Sign-Off Requirements for Texas LPC Supervision

Monthly Sign-Off Requirements for Texas LPC Supervision

Monthly sign-offs are one of the most critical documentation requirements for LPC-Associates in Texas. These monthly summaries, signed by both supervisee and supervisor, serve as the official record of your supervised experience and form the backbone of your eventual licensure application.

What Is a Monthly Sign-Off?

A monthly sign-off is a summary document that captures:

• Total direct client contact hours for the month
• Total indirect clinical hours for the month
• Total supervision hours for the month (broken down by individual vs. group)
• Both the supervisee's and supervisor's signatures (or typed names as electronic signatures)
• The date of signing

This document attests that the hours were worked, that supervision occurred, and that both parties verify the accuracy of the information.

Why Monthly Sign-Offs Matter

Monthly sign-offs create a contemporaneous record — documentation created at or near the time the work occurred. This is far more credible to BHEC reviewers than records compiled retroactively. When you apply for your full LPC license, BHEC reviewers look at your monthly sign-offs as evidence that supervision was:

• Regular and consistent
• Verified by a qualified supervisor
• Appropriate in scope and timing

Applications with complete, signed monthly summaries move through the review process more smoothly than those with incomplete documentation.

The Signature Requirement

Both signatures are required. The supervisee typically signs first, certifying the accuracy of the hours. The supervisor then countersigns, verifying that supervision occurred and the records appear accurate.

Electronic signatures are increasingly accepted. Typed full names as signatures, with dated records, are commonly used in digital tracking systems. If you're unsure whether a particular signature format is acceptable to BHEC, contact BHEC directly for clarification.

Generating Monthly Sign-Offs

Step 1: Compile Your Weekly Logs At the end of each month, review all weekly logs from that period. Your monthly totals should exactly match the sum of your weekly logs.

Step 2: Check Your Compliance Ratios Before generating your sign-off, verify:

• Direct hours are on track toward the 1,500-hour minimum
• Group supervision hasn't exceeded 50% of total supervision hours
• Supervision hours meet the 4-hour monthly minimum

Step 3: Draft the Summary Record the totals clearly. Include the month and year, your name, your LPC-Associate license number, and your supervisor's name and LPC-S license number.

Step 4: Sign and Get Countersignature Promptly The longer you wait to obtain your supervisor's signature, the more likely records will be questioned. Aim to get the supervisor's countersignature within the first week of the following month.

Step 5: File Securely Store signed copies in a secure, backed-up location. You will need these for your licensure application, so treat them as important legal documents.

Common Mistakes with Monthly Sign-Offs

Delay in signing: Generating sign-offs months after the fact — or all at once near the end of your associate period — raises credibility concerns with BHEC.

Inconsistent totals: Monthly sign-off totals that don't match the underlying weekly logs suggest incomplete or retroactive record-keeping.

Missing supervisor license information: Always include your supervisor's current LPC-S license number on the sign-off document.

Supervisor license lapse: If your supervisor's license lapsed during a month, those months' hours may not be creditable. Check your supervisor's license status quarterly.

Digital vs. Paper Sign-Offs

While paper sign-offs are the traditional approach, digital systems have significant advantages:

• Automatic calculation of totals from weekly logs
• Timestamp records that prove contemporaneous documentation
• Easy backup and retrieval
• No risk of loss, damage, or illegibility

Many LPC-Associates now use platforms specifically designed for licensure hour tracking, which automate the monthly sign-off generation process and provide electronic signature workflows.

Filing Your Sign-Offs with BHEC

Monthly sign-offs are submitted as part of your LPC licensure application, not on an ongoing basis during your associate period. However, BHEC can audit your records at any time, so keep them organized and accessible throughout your supervised experience.

When you're ready to apply for full LPC licensure, you'll compile all of your monthly sign-offs — typically 18-30 or more — as part of your application package. Having these in order from the start makes the application process straightforward.

Treat your monthly sign-offs with the same care and professionalism you bring to your clinical documentation. They are, in many ways, the official story of your supervised professional journey.