Requirements for licensure as a marriage and family therapist

262 CMR 3.00: REQUIREMENTS FOR LICENSURE AS A MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPIST Section 3.01: Preface 3.02: Definitions 3.03: Licensure Eligibility Requirements 3.04: Reciprocity 3.05: Legally Protected Health Care Facility 3.01: Preface To qualify for licensure as a marriage and family therapist, pursuant to M.G.L. c. 112, § 165, an applicant must provide evidence satisfactory to the Board that the professional standards and education experience requirements of one of the Licensure Eligibility Requirements described in 262 CMR 3.03 have been met by the applicant. All Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists are charged with having knowledge of the existence of 262 CMR and are required to practice marriage and family therapy in accordance with 262 CMR. 3.02 Definitions AAMFT. The American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy Approved Supervisor: An Approved Supervisor is any of the following: (a) A Massachusetts Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist or Massachusetts licensed mental health counselor with: 1. three years of full-time, or the equivalent part-time, experience as a practicing Massachusetts Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist or Massachusetts licensed mental health counselor; or 2. an Approved Clinical Supervisor certification from the Massachusetts Mental Health Counselors Association (MaCCS), American Mental Health Counselors Association, AAMFT, or National Board for Certified Counselors, or a similar certificate approved by the Board; or 3. 12 continuing education hours in supervision provided by Entity-approved Sponsors, as defined in 262 CMR 7.02: Definitions, that cover legal and ethical issues, theories, and recordkeeping in supervision. A Massachusetts licensed independent clinical social worker with three years of full-time, or the equivalent part-time, experience as a practicing Massachusetts licensed independent clinical social worker; or (c) A Massachusetts licensed psychologist with health service provider certification; or (d) A Massachusetts licensed physician with a sub-specialization in psychiatry; or (e) A Massachusetts licensed nurse practitioner with a sub-specialization in psychiatry; or (f) If a supervisee's training and supervision occurred outside of Massachusetts, an Approved Supervisor is a licensed person who, as determined by the Board, has equivalent qualifications in that state to a licensed mental health practitioner in a category listed above. Board. The Board of Registration of Allied Mental Health and Human Services Professions established under M.G.L. c. 13, § 88. Clinical Field Experience Site: A site providing pre- and post-Master's degree clinical field experience training that is a public or private Recognized Educational Institution or health or mental health institution regulated by the state, or other appropriate entity regulated by the state or otherwise exempt from regulation, that has integrated programs for the delivery of clinical Marriage and Family Therapy and has established provisions for appropriate supervision. (Mass. Register #1579, 07/31/2026) 3.02: continued Clinical Internship or Practicum. A supervised internship or practicum in Marriage and Family Therapy shall be included in the Master’s degree or doctoral program of study. The internship or practicum shall include a minimum of 300 hours of direct, face-to-face client contact with individuals, family groups, couples, groups or organizations (public or private) under the direction of an Approved Supervisor. The supervision shall consist of 100 face-to-face hours, of which 50 must be Individual Supervision. Full-time. 35 hours per week for 48 weeks per year. The Full-time practice of Marriage and Family Therapy includes at least ten hours per week of clinical work with individuals, family groups, couples, groups or organizations (public or private). Graduate Level Course. Three semester credit or four-quarter credit graduate credits from a Recognized Educational Institution. Group Supervision. A regularly scheduled meeting of Marriage and Family Therapy supervision of not more than six practitioners, plus an Approved Supervisor, for a period of at least 1½ hours. “Peer” supervision does not qualify. Individual Supervision. A regularly scheduled meeting of Marriage and Family Therapy supervision of not more than two practitioners with an Approved Supervisor for a period of at least one hour. Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. A person licensed as a marriage and family therapist under M.G.L. c. 112, § 165. Licensure Examination. The Association of Marital and Family Therapy Regulatory Board's Examination in Marital and Family Therapy. Marriage and Family Therapy. The rendering of professional mental health services to individuals, family groups, couples, groups or organizations (public or private) for compensation, monetary or otherwise. Said professional services shall include applying systemic principles, methods and therapeutic techniques to individuals, family groups, couples, groups or organizations (public or private) for the purpose of resolving emotional conflict, modifying perceptions and behavior, enhancing communication and understanding among family members and the prevention of family and individual crises. Marriage and Family Therapists may also engage in Psychotherapy of a Non-medical Nature and make appropriate referrals to psychiatric resources and other mental health professionals and organizations. Psychotherapy of a Non-medical Nature. The utilization of psychological and interpersonal systemic theories and related practice methodologies to assess, diagnose, treat and interpret to modify conscious and unconscious processes of behavior. Recognized Educational Institution. An educational institution licensed or accredited by the state in which it is located which meets national standards for the granting of a master’s or doctoral degree. Meeting National Standards includes, but is not limited to, approval by the United States Department of Education. Relevant Field. Psychology, social work, counselor education, counseling psychology, theology, law, medicine, nursing, community mental health, education with a concentration in counseling or psychology, or other field determined by the Board to be a Relevant Field. Supervised Clinical Experience (Post-degree). A minimum of 200 hours of supervision in the clinical practice of Marriage and Family Therapy by an Approved Supervisor. A minimum of 100 hours of the required minimum 200 hours of supervision must be Individual Supervision. 3.03 Licensure Eligibility Requirements A candidate for licensure as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist must meet the requirements of 262 CMR 3.03 or 262 CMR 3.04. (1) Clinical Fellow of the AAMFT. A candidate applying under this category must provide satisfactory evidence that: (a) the applicant is currently a clinical fellow of the AAMFT in good standing; and the applicant has achieved a passing score on the Licensure Examination, or its equivalent; or Initial Applicant. A candidate applying under this category must meet the following requirements: (a) Education. Eligible applicants must have a minimum of 60 semester credit hours or 80 quarter credit hours (each semester credit equals 1.33 quarter credits) in Marriage and Family Therapy or a Relevant Field from an integrated, planned and comprehensive program from a Recognized Educational Institution, which degree/certificates includes an Internship or Practicum as defined in 262 CMR 3.02 and the Required Course Areas as defined by 262 CMR 3.03(2)(b). Eligible applicants must have obtained the required education through the following degree programs: 1. a Master's degree in Marriage and Family Therapy or a Relevant Field of at least 60 semester credits (80 quarter credits); or 2. a Master's degree in Marriage and Family Therapy or a Relevant Field of at least 48 semester credits (64 quarter credits) with completion of at least 12 semester credits (16 quarter credits) of additional qualifying courses listed in 262 CMR 3.03(2)(b); or 3. a Master's degree in Marriage and Family Therapy or a Relevant Field with a certificate of advanced graduate studies (CAGS); or 4. two Master's degrees in Marriage and Family Therapy or a Relevant Field; or 5. a Doctoral degree in Marriage and Family Therapy or a Relevant Field. Eligible applicants who hold degrees listed in 262 CMR 3.03(2)(a), but are missing credits or required courses, may supplement their degree program by taking additional qualifying courses or credits listed in 262 CMR 3.03(2)(b). No applicant shall earn credit for any supervised experience that occurs prior to the applicant's completion of all education listed in 262 CMR 3.03(2). (b) The required coursework must include: 1. Three graduate level courses in each of the following content areas, for a total of nine courses: a. Marital and Family Studies. Family life cycle; sociology of the family; families under stress; violence in the family; the contemporary family; the role of intimacy and sexuality in the family; family in a social context; consultation with families and larger systems; substance abuse and the family; the cross-cultural family; and youth/adult/aging and the family; family subsystems; individual, interpersonal relationships (marital, parental, sibling). This content area should focus on marital and family studies, not marital and family therapy as described in 262 CMR 3.03(2)(b). b. Marital and Family Therapy. Family therapy methodology; family assessment; treatment and intervention methods; overview of major clinical theories of Marital and Family Therapy as defined in 262 CMR 3.02; couples therapy; sex therapy. c. Human Development. Human development; personality theory; human sexuality; psychopathology; behavior-pathology. One course in this category must be in psychopathology or its equivalent. 2. One graduate level course in each of the following content areas, for a total of two courses: a. Professional Studies. Professional socialization and the role of the professional organization; legal responsibilities and liabilities; independent practice and interprofessional cooperation; ethics; family law. 3.03: continued b. Research. Research design; methods; statistics; research in marital and family studies and therapy; (c) Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE). In the absence of evidence to the contrary, a Master's degree or Doctoral program that is accredited by COAMFTE is presumed to meet the requirements of 262 CMR 3.03(2)(a) and (b). (3) Experience. A candidate must complete: (a) Clinical Internship or Practicum and Post-Master's Degree Experience. At least 3,360 hours of post-Master's degree experience in Marriage and Family Therapy completed at a Clinical Field Experience Site under the direction of an Approved Supervisor. The 3,360 hours must include Supervised Clinical Experience and 1,000 hours of face-to-face contact hours of clinical experience with individuals, family groups, couples, groups or organizations (public or private) under the direction of an Approved Supervisor, of which at least 500 hours must be with couples and family groups. A candidate may not earn more than 35 experience hours per week for 48 weeks a year. (4) Examination. A candidate must pass the Licensure Examination. 3.04: Reciprocity Any applicant who holds a license, certification or registration as a Marriage and Family Therapist, or the equivalent thereof as determined by the Board, issued by another state or jurisdiction, may apply to the Board for licensure as a Marriage and Family Therapist by reciprocal recognition. Such applicants must submit to the Board: (1) a complete application for licensure as prescribed by the Board; a final transcript which demonstrates that the applicable degree and education requirements under 262 CMR 3.03 have been met; (3) evidence of a passing score on the Licensure Examination, or the equivalent; and written proof, in a form acceptable to the Board, that the applicant's license, certification, or registration has been in good standing with the licensing authority that issued it for the three years preceding the date the applicant applied for licensure. 3.05: Legally Protected Health Care Activity No person shall be denied initial licensure or denied renewal due to any complaint, criminal charge, conviction, judgement, discipline, or other sanction due to providing or assisting in providing reproductive health or other gender-affirming care services, as defined in M.G.L. c. 12, § 11I½, so long as the services provided would have been lawful in Massachusetts and are consistent with the standards for good professional practice.