7703.1 An applicant shall furnish proof satisfactory to the Board that the applicant has completed a minimum of two (2) years of full-time post-graduate supervised clinical experience, within five (5) years of graduation, consisting of supervised clinical work experience in marriage and family therapy following completion of the first qualifying graduate degree and practicum required as part of the course of study.

7703.2 Unless good cause is shown, the post-graduate supervised clinical experience shall be completed within five (5) years after the day the first qualifying degree was conferred and the practicum completed.

7703.3 The two (2)-year post-graduate supervised clinical experience required pursuant to § 7703.1 shall meet the following requirements:

1. (a) The experience shall be obtained under the supervision of a supervisor approved by the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) or a supervisor approved by the Board;
2. (b) The experience shall include a minimum of two thousand (2,000) hours of supervised practice in marriage and family therapy;
3. (c) The experience shall include a minimum of one thousand (1,000) hours of face-to-face direct client contact hours;
4. (d) The supervisee shall not receive compensation of any nature as a marriage and family therapist, either directly or indirectly, from a client, except for salary from an employer based on hours worked under supervision;
5. (e) The supervisor shall bear all responsibility for the practice by the supervisee and shall countersign all notes, documents, and correspondence;
6. (f) The client shall be informed of and consent to the services being performed under supervision;
7. (g) Prior to the initiation of the supervised clinical experience, the supervisor and the supervisee shall

discuss and agree upon the scope of supervision, the scope of the supervised clinical experience, and the respective rights and responsibilities of the supervisor, the supervisee, and the clients;

(h) The supervision shall be provided in the following manner:

(1) The supervisor and the supervisee shall conduct at minimum monthly face-to-face discussions of the practice and all related matters; and

(2) One (1) hour of direct supervisory contact shall be provided for every twenty (20) hours of direct client contact; and

(3) The supervisee's performance shall have been rated at least satisfactory by each supervisor.

7703.4 The Board may approve a supervisor who is not an AAMFT-approved supervisor provided that the intending supervisor meets the following requirements:

(a) Possesses a license, in good standing, to practice marriage and family therapy, professional counseling, counseling psychology, psychiatry, or independent clinical social work in the jurisdiction in which the supervised clinical experience shall occur;

(b) Possesses a minimum of five (5) years of clinical experience working with couples and families;

(c) Possesses sufficient experience and/or training in supervision;

(d) Shall not supervise more than five (5) individuals at any given time; and

(e) If not a licensed marriage and family therapist, agrees to comply with all the statutory and regulatory requirements of marriage and family therapy practice and to ensure that the supervisee receive adequate education, training, and mentoring to understand the legal and ethical obligations in the practice of marriage and family therapy.

7703.5 An applicant for licensure who has practiced marriage and family therapy, in a jurisdiction that does not require licensure, for a period of at least five (5) years prior to the date of submission of the application shall not be required to meet the supervised clinical experience requirements under this section.

7703.6 The Board may waive any requirements of § 7703.3 and § 7703.4 where an applicant started his or her supervised clinical experience prior to June 30, 2014.

SOURCE: Final Rulemaking published at 53 DCR 7845 (September 29, 2006); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 54 DCR 8247 (August 24, 2007); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 61 DCR 1288 (February 14, 2014).