How to Start a Private Practice as an LPCA in KY

Starting a Private Practice as a Pre-Licensed Counselor in Kentucky

Starting your private practice begins with laying a strong legal and business foundation. In this lesson, you'll learn how to officially register your business in Kentucky, form the correct type of entity, and obtain the federal identification needed to operate legally.

Before seeing clients and accepting payments, pre-licensed professionals in Kentucky must have clinical supervision, billing supervision, and a board-compliant supervision agreement in place. This lesson outlines how to secure the right kind of supervision, stay compliant with board regulations, and ensure you're legally able to bill for your services.

One of the most important and often overlooked steps in building a successful private practice is defining your niche

You could be the best therapist in the world, but if no one knows you exist, your practice won’t grow. Marketing doesn’t have to be sleazy or overwhelming. It’s about making it easy for your ideal clients to find and connect with you.

Even if you’re just seeing a few clients, setting up your systems now pays off later.

Even as a pre-licensed clinician, your private practice is a small business. The earlier you treat it that way…tracking income, setting your rates, and understanding how billing works…the more sustainable and stress-free your practice will be.

Billing Medicaid as an LPCA comes with specific rules and it all hinges on your supervisor’s credentials.

The CMS-1500 is the standard paper (or electronic) form used to bill insurance, including Medicaid.

CPT and HCPCS codes are used to identify the services you're providing in claims. As an LPCA billing under supervision, you’ll use standard psychotherapy and mental health codes, with the appropriate modifiers to indicate supervision.

If you're an LPCA in Kentucky using SimplePractice, you’ll be billing under your supervisor’s NPI and Tax ID. This is allowed within the platform by creating a Group Practice or Supervisor-Supervisee structure with the correct billing configuration.

Before seeing any clients in private practice, you must have legally sound intake and consent forms in place. These protect you, your supervisor, and your client, and are often required by insurance companies and Medicaid.

Keeping clear, organized, and compliant documentation is one of the most important responsibilities you have as a pre-licensed clinician in private practice, especially if you’re billing insurance or Medicaid. Good documentation protects you, your supervisor, and your clients.

This language protects both parties.

Congratulations! You’ve just completed a major step toward launching a compliant, sustainable, and authentic private practice as a pre-licensed professional in Kentucky.

What’s next?