Item Writing

Introduction

If you want to make an impact in your profession, are an experienced professional, and would like to supplement your income, the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) and the Center for Credentialing & Education (CCE) are recruiting item writers for our examinations. Please explore the examinations and the requirements for item writers below.

Selected participants must complete a complimentary item writing training to learn:

how to critique multiple-choice items.
how a test blueprint is established and used for item writing.
how to write effective item stems (questions) and alternatives (response options).
how psychometric methods are used for evaluating test items.
how to write items that measure specific foundational theories and job tasks.
how to write items that measure knowledge and skills at different cognitive levels.
how to properly cite test items.

How to apply:

In order to be considered for a position, please identify the examination(s) in which you are interested and submit a copy of your current CV, a copy of your active license(s) and certification(s) if applicable, and a professional letter of endorsement from an employer or colleague to itemwriter@cce-global.org.

NBCC will review each applicant’s submitted materials and will direct them to a survey to determine how their skills and expertise align with the requirements of the examination. After completion of the survey, invitations will be sent out on an individual basis to attend follow-up trainings and meetings.

Time Commitment:

Time commitments can vary. Item/narrative writers will be compensated for each item/narrative as outlined in the agreement with NBCC. Most of the training and work on items/narratives will be done virtually. Some of the training and work may take place at the NBCC office in Greensboro, North Carolina, and NBCC will cover associated travel and accommodation expenses. To request additional information, please email itemwriter@cce-global.org.

NCMHCE

The National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination (NCMHCE) measures an individual’s ability to apply and evaluate the knowledge necessary to perform as a minimally competent professional counselor. It does so by assessing an entry-level clinical mental health counselor’s ability to apply knowledge of theoretical and skill-based tenets through response to clinical case studies.

NBCC and CCE are excited to announce the new format of the NCMHCE. This new format will be composed of case studies consisting of a clinical narrative and multiple-choice questions. Clinical narratives on the NCMHCE represent identified clients with presenting concerns and/or diagnoses frequently encountered by practicing clinical mental health counselors. The Content Outline was developed from a national job analysis survey with more than 16,000 credentialed counselors that was completed in 2019.

We are currently contracting clinical narrative writers and item writers for the NCMHCE.

Narrative Writers

Requirements:

A minimum of a master’s degree in counseling from a program accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) or from an institutionally accredited university
Licensure as a clinical mental health counselor
Experience as a provider of clinical counseling services, including assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up for 10 or more clients per week for 2 or more years
Demonstrated excellence with English writing skills
Ability to accept constructive criticism when working with others
Should not be involved in test prep or other educational and/or required training

Preferred Qualifications:

Ability to write multiple-choice questions
Credentialed as a clinical supervisor (e.g., LCMHCS, LPC-S, or ACS)
Previously taken and passed the NCMHCE

Item Writers

Requirements:

A minimum of a master’s degree in counseling from a program accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) or from an institutionally accredited university
Licensure as a clinical mental health counselor
Experience as a provider of clinical counseling services, including assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up for 10 or more clients per week for 2 or more years
Demonstrated excellence with English writing skills
Ability to accept constructive criticism when working with others
Previously taken and passed the NCMHCE
Should not be involved in test prep or other educational and/or required training

Preferred Qualifications:

Credentialed as a clinical supervisor (e.g., LCMHCS, LPC-S, or ACS)

NCE

The National Counselor Examination (NCE) measures an examinee’s knowledge and understanding of theoretical and skill-based tenets necessary to practice safely and competently as an entry-level counselor. The NCE is anchored on the six empirically validated work behaviors determined to be most relevant for competent counseling practice and the eight Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) curriculum educational standards.

Requirements:

A minimum of a master’s degree in counseling from a program accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) or from an institutionally accredited university
At least 2 years of active practice as an independently licensed professional counselor or a provisionally licensed professional counselor associate
Demonstrated excellence with English writing skills
Familiarity with CACREP curriculum standards and the knowledge and skills necessary for the practice of professional counseling
Ability to accept constructive criticism when working with others
Previously taken and passed the NCE
Should not be involved in test prep or other educational and/or required training

BCCE

The Board Certified Coach Examination (BCCE) is a certifying examination that measures coaching knowledge and skills in four content domains: Ethics and Regulatory Guidelines, Coaching Knowledge and Applications, Assessment, and Practice Management. The BCCE was created from the consensus of coaching subject matter experts and normed on a population of professionals in the field.

Requirements:

A minimum of a bachelor’s degree
At least 2 years of active practice as a Board Certified Coach (BCC)
Demonstrated excellence with English writing skills
Ability to accept constructive criticism when working with others
Should not be involved in test prep or other educational and/or required training

CPCE

The Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Examination (CPCE) is an evaluation tool that assesses students’ competence in foundational, counseling-related knowledge. The CPCE is designed to assess students who have completed graduate-level courses that are grounded primarily in a counseling curriculum. The CPCE parallels the nationally recognized standards published by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).

Requirements:

A minimum of a master’s degree in counseling from a program accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) or from an institutionally accredited university
Demonstrated familiarity with CACREP standards
Demonstrated excellence with English writing skills
Ability to accept constructive criticism when working with others
Should not be involved in test prep or other educational and/or required training

HS-BCPE

The Human Services-Board Certified Practitioner Examination (HS-BCPE) independently verifies a candidate’s human services knowledge. It was created through the collaboration of human services subject matter experts and normed on a population of professionals in the field. The HS-BCPE covers the following areas: Assessment, treatment planning, and outcome evaluation; Theoretical orientation/interventions; Case management, professional practice, and ethics; and Administration, program development/evaluation, and supervision.

Requirements:

A minimum of a bachelor’s degree in a human services field
At least 2 years of active work as a human services practitioner or educator
Demonstrated excellence with English writing skills
Ability to accept constructive criticism when working with others
Should not be involved in test prep or other educational and/or required training

Preferred Qualifications:

Active HS-BCP credential holder

TMHE

The TeleMental Health Examination (TMHE) measures the essential knowledge and skills necessary to perform as a minimally competent telemental health provider. It was created from the consensus of subject matter experts in telemental health services and normed on a population of professionals in the field. The examination covers the following competency areas: Professional Orientation to TeleMental Health (TMH); Client-Practitioner Protocol; Disclosure and Informed Consent; Technology; Professional, Legal, and Ethical Considerations and Compliance Standards; and Crisis Management.

Requirements:

A minimum of a master’s degree in a mental health field
Active BC-TMH credential holder
At least 2 years of active practice as a telehealth provider
Demonstrated excellence with English writing skills
Ability to accept constructive criticism when working with others
Should not be involved in test prep or other educational and/or required training