Section 7Sec./Art. 7

Establishment of a Care Center in Every School; Conversion of Guidance Offices to Care Centers; Utilization of the Career Guidance and Counseling Program Centers. - The DepEd shall establish and maintain a Care Center, hereinafter referred to as the Center, in every public basic education school, as well as ensure their establishment and maintenance in private basic education schools in the country. The Center shall be equipped with functional physical facilities, located within an adequate space where confidentiality is maintained and accessible to all learners including out-of-school children in special cases as defined under Republic Act No. 11510, and the teaching and non-teaching personnel.

For this purpose, secondary schools may utilize the Career Guidance and Counseling Program (CGCP) Centers required to be established under Section 5 of Republic Act No. 11206, or the "Secondary School Career Guidance and Counseling Act:. All existing Guidance and Counseling Offices shall be converted and renamed to "Care Center".

The Center shall be headed by a School Counselor who shall be under the direct supervision of the Schools Division Counselor of the Mental Health and Well-Being Office at the division level. The School Counselor shall be assisted by a School Counselor Associate, and other necessary support personnel as may be determined by the DepEd upon the recommendation of the Schools Division Counselor. The School Counselor Associate shall be subject to the conditions of professional practice under Sections 27 and 28 of Republic Act No. 9258, or Sections 30 and 32 of Republic Act No. 10029, or the "Philippine Psychology Act of 2009", as applicable.

In addition to implementing the program and delivering the services of the Center under this Act, the School Counselor and School Counselor Associate shall likewise assist the school administrator in the CGCP Centers, in accordance with Section 5 of Republic Act No. 11206.