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Pass the NCMHCE With Practice Cases That Explain Every Answer

The Mentara Case Bank gives you 25 timed cases in the current exam format, a rationale for every answer and a score card by domain. Every case is written by licensed clinicians who supervise new counselors. Plans start at $79 a month, and after the exam we’re here for your CE, your practice and your peers.

Try a free practice case →See Case Bank plans
Free, about 20 minutesScored by exam domainRationale for every answer
Counselor talking with a client across a table in a bright office
  • Created by licensed clinicians
  • Small-group tutoring, 8 or fewer
  • Practice cases in the current exam format
  • Built for clinicians across the U.S.
A look inside

See the Case Bank Before You Buy

One client across an intake and two sessions, a rationale after every answer, and a score card that shows where to focus next.

Maria Vasquez: Moving Through Wet CementIntake · Question 1 of 12
0:15
Case narrativeMaria Vasquez is a 32-year-old woman who self-referred after her primary care physician noted an 8-pound unintentional weight loss and a PHQ-9 score of 17. She says, “I feel like I’m moving through wet cement. I used to be the one who had it together.” Over the past seven weeks she reports depressed mood most of the day…

Maria says, “Some nights I think I wouldn’t mind if I didn’t wake up.” What should the counselor do FIRST?

AComplete a written safety plan with her before the session ends
BExplore the stressors that have led her to feel this way recently
CAsk permission to contact a family member to stay with her tonight
DAsk directly about any plan, intent, access to means, or timeline
Correct.Any disclosure of ideation, even passive, calls for direct inquiry into plan, intent, means and timeline before moving on. Asking directly does not increase risk, and the answers determine whether safety planning, a higher level of care or routine follow-up is indicated.
Intake, Assessment, and Diagnosis
A real question and rationale from the Case Bank

Your score card

6 / 25Cases completed
77%Overall score

Intake, Assessment & Diagnosis84%

Professional Practice & Ethics81%

Counseling Skills & Interventions76%

Treatment Planning Focus here68%

Core Counseling Attributes Focus here66%

Sample results for illustration. Your score card also breaks scores down by case and client population.

Scores by exam domain, saved as you go
Try a free case first →See plans and pricing
From our learners

What Clinicians Are Saying

★★★★★
"What helped me most was the breakdown of the cases and the explanation of the reasoning behind the correct answers."
TPTareah P.LMHC
★★★★★
"The weekly case studies were the most helpful during the six weeks of learning. I would recommend this course because it was a very educational 6 weeks."
ADAnnmarie D.MHC-LP
★★★★★
"I love how thorough Faye was with the worksheets... We all asked relevant questions and weren't afraid to participate."
DVDarlene V.MHC-LP
Our programs

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For exam candidates

NCMHCE Test Prep

Practice the way the exam is scored.

  • Practice case bank with rationales
  • Small-group and 1:1 tutoring
  • Full timed exam in the Pass Plan
From $79/mo
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For licensed clinicians

Continuing Education

Courses you'll use in session.

  • For LMHCs, LMFTs, LCSWs and LMSWs
  • Self-paced, 3 contact hours each
  • Supervision, documentation, diagnosis, boundaries
Coming soon
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For new practice owners

Practice Building

From license to a practice that runs.

  • Practice launch toolkit for any state
  • 1:1 strategy sessions
  • The Practice Lab community
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Free NCMHCE practice case

See How You'd Score on the NCMHCE Today

Work through one client across three sessions, timed like the real exam. You'll get a score in each domain and a rationale for every answer, so you know what to study next.

FormatCurrent NCMHCE case style
Questions13
TimeAbout 20 minutes
ResultsScore by domain + rationales
CostFree
Try a free practice case →
Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the NCMHCE?
The National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination (NCMHCE) is the clinical licensing exam for mental health counselors in most states, including New York. It uses client case studies to test intake, assessment and diagnosis, treatment planning, counseling skills, professional practice and ethics, and core counseling attributes.
How should I study for the NCMHCE?
Practice on timed cases, not just flashcards. The exam rewards clinical reasoning, so read the rationale for every answer, find your lowest domain and focus your study there. A small prep group or tutor helps you catch reasoning errors you can't see on your own.
Is the practice case really free?
Yes. Enter your name and email to start one timed case with 13 questions. When you finish, you'll see your score in each domain and a rationale for every answer. No payment needed.
Do your prep packages include a practice exam?
The Pass Plan and Small-Group Tutoring include a full-length timed practice exam, so you can rehearse your pacing before test day.
Who are your CE courses for, and are they approved in New York?
Our courses are written for LMHCs, LMFTs, LCSWs and LMSWs. Mentara Health has applied to the NYSED State Board for Social Work to become an approved CE provider, and that approval is pending. Each course page lists its contact hours and will show approvals as they're granted.
Can you help me start a private practice?
Yes. Our practice-building program walks newly licensed clinicians through forming the right business entity for their state, getting credentialed, setting up documentation and launching a practice. 1:1 strategy sessions are led by a group practice owner.

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