(1) The experience requirements for the marriage and family therapist applicant's practice area include successful completion of a supervised experience requirement. Applicants who have held an active marriage and family therapy license for the past five consecutive years or more in another state or territory, without a disciplinary record or disqualifying criminal history, are deemed to have met the supervised experience requirements for Washington state licensure in subsection (3) of this section.
(2) In accordance with RCW
18.225.090 and
18.225.095, for applicants who can demonstrate they have practiced as a substance use disorder professional for at least three years within ten years from the date their application for a marriage and family therapist license is submitted to the department, the department shall reduce the total required supervised hours from three thousand hours to two thousand seven hundred hours. The requirements in subsection (3)(a) through (e) of this section shall apply regardless of the reduction of total required hours.
(3) The experience requirement consists of a minimum of two calendar years of full-time marriage and family therapy. Total experience requirements include a minimum of three thousand hours to include the following:
(a) One thousand hours of direct client contact with at least five hundred hours gained in diagnosing and treating couples and families;
(b) At least two hundred hours of qualified supervision with an approved supervisor.
(i) Of the two hundred hours, one hundred hours must be with a licensed marriage and family therapist with at least five years of clinical experience; the other one hundred hours may be with an equally qualified licensed mental health practitioner;
(ii) At least one hundred of the two hundred hours must be one-on-one supervision; and
(iii) The remaining hours may be in one-on-one or group supervision.
(c) Applicants who have completed a master's program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy boards will be credited with five hundred hours of direct client contact and one hundred hours of qualified supervision with an approved supervisor;
(d) Licensed marriage and family therapist associate applicants are not required to have supervised postgraduate experience prior to becoming an associate; and
(e) Licensed marriage and family therapist associate applicants must declare they are working towards full licensure.
[Statutory Authority: 2019 c 444, 2019 c 446, 2019 c 351, and RCW
18.19.050,
18.205.060,
18.225.040,
43.70.110, and
43.70.250. WSR 20-12-074, § 246-809-130, filed 6/1/20, effective 7/2/20. Statutory Authority: RCW
18.225.040. WSR 17-13-082, § 246-809-130, filed 6/16/17, effective 7/17/17. Statutory Authority: Chapter
18.225 RCW. WSR 09-15-039, § 246-809-130, filed 7/8/09, effective 7/8/09. Statutory Authority: RCW
18.225.040 and [18.225.]090. WSR 06-18-043, § 246-809-130, filed 8/30/06, effective 9/30/06. Statutory Authority: 2001 c 251, RCW
43.70.250. WSR 01-17-113, § 246-809-130, filed 8/22/01, effective 9/22/01.]