Definitions

As used in this rule, the terms and acronyms shall have the following meanings ascribed to them: (1) Actively engaged - Engaged in the practice of marital and family therapy for 10 or more face- to-face client contact hours per week. (2) Advertise - Means, but is not limited to, the issuing or causing to be distributed any card, sign, or device to any person, or the causing, permitting or allowing any sign or marking on or in any building or structure, or in any newspaper, or magazine or in any directory, or on radio or television, or by advertising by any other means designed to secure public attention; (3) AAMFT - When the acronym AAMFT appears in this rule, it is intended to mean American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. (4) Applicant - Any individual seeking licensure by the board who has submitted an official application and paid the application fee. (5) Approved Supervisor - MFT - A person who is an AAMFT Approved Supervisor or Supervisor-In-Training whose qualifications meet AAMFT standards, pursuant to rule 0450- 02-.10. (6) Board - The Board for Professional Counselors, Marital and Family Therapists, and Clinical Pastoral Therapists. (7) Board administrative office - The office of the administrator assigned to the board located at 665 Mainstream Drive, Nashville, TN 37243. (8) Board Designee - Any person who has received a written delegation of authority from the board to perform board functions subject to review and ratification by the full board where provided by these rules. (9) Certified Marital and Family Therapist - Any person who has met the qualifications for certified marital and family therapist and holds a current, unsuspended or unrevoked certificate which has been lawfully issued by the board. GENERAL RULES GOVERNING MARITAL AND FAMILY THERAPISTS CHAPTER 0450-02 (10) Client Contact Hour - A 50 minute period a therapist/counselor spends working with an individual, couple, family, or group. (11) Clinical practice/experience - A period of not less than 10 hours per week of face-to-face client contact. (12) Clock hour - Sixty minutes in a continuing education activity. Providers who measure continuing education activities in “continuing education units” shall define CEU in clock hours. (13) Closed Files - An administrative action which renders an incomplete or denied file inactive. (14) Continuing education - Education beyond the basic licensing educational requirement which is related to the practice of marriage and family therapy. (15) Department - Tennessee Department of Health. (16) Division - The Division of Health Related Boards, Department of Health, from which the board receives administrative support. (17) Fee - Money, gifts, services, or anything of value offered or received as compensation in return for rendering services. (18) Fee Splitting - The practice of paying commissions to colleagues out of fees received from clients who have been referred by the colleague for rendering services. (19) Good Moral Character - Any individual being highly regarded in personal behavior and professional ethics. (20) He/she Him/her - When he appears in the text of these rules the word represents both the feminine and masculine genders. (21) HRB - When the acronym HRB appears in this rule, it is intended to mean Health Related Boards. (22) Internship - The supervised, planned, practical experience completed near the end of the educational process and obtained in the clinical setting by observing and applying the principles, methods and techniques learned in training and/or educational settings. The internship involves a longer period of time than the practicum. (23) License - Document issued to an applicant who successfully completes the licensure process. The license takes the form of an ‘‘artistically designed’’ license as well as other versions bearing an expiration date. (24) Licensed Marital and Family Therapist - Any person who has met the qualifications for licensed marital and family therapist and holds a current, unsuspended or unrevoked, license which has been lawfully issued by the board. (25) Marital and Family Therapy - The diagnosis and treatment of cognitive, affective, and behavioral problems and dysfunctions within the context of marital and family systems. Marital and family therapy involves the professional application of psychotherapeutic family systems theories and techniques in the delivery of services to individuals (in the context of family system, theory and practice), couples, and families. (26) Person - Any individual, firm, corporation, partnership, organization, or body politic. GENERAL RULES GOVERNING MARITAL AND FAMILY THERAPISTS CHAPTER 0450-02 (27) Practice of Marital and Family Therapy - The rendering of professional marital and family therapy to individuals, family groups, and couples, singly or in groups, whether such services are offered directly to the general public or through organizations, either public or private, for a fee (excluding volunteer hours). (28) Practicum - The supervised, planned, practical experience occurring in a clinical setting, for an early introduction to subject matter. It is generally time-bound and for a shorter period of time than an internship, but it allows for demonstration and testing of information, knowledge, and skills acquired. (29) Private Practice - The practice of counseling or therapy other than in a public or nonprofit agency or entity. (30) Professional Examination Service - The testing service whose written examination has been adopted by the board. (31) Recognized educational institution - Any educational institution that is accredited by a nationally or regionally recognized educational body. (32) Registrant - Any person who has been lawfully issued a certificate or license. (33) Relative - Parent, spouse, former spouse, siblings, children, cousins, in-laws (present and former), aunts, uncles, grandparents, grandchildren, step-children, employees, or anyone sharing the same household. (34) Supervisee - An individual who is engaged in a graduate or post graduate, supervised experience under the direction of a supervisor. (35) Supervision - The ongoing, direct clinical review, for the purpose of training or teaching, by an approved supervisor who monitors the performance of a person’s supervised interaction with a client and provides regular documented face-to-face consultation, guidance, and instructions with respect to the clinical skills and competencies of the person supervised. Supervision may include, without being limited to, the review of case presentations, audio tapes, video tapes, and direct observation. (36) Use a title or description of - To hold oneself out to the public as having a particular status by means of stating on signs, mailboxes, address plates, stationery, announcements, business cards, or other instruments of professional identification. (37) Written evidence - Includes, but is not limited to, verification from supervisors or other professional colleagues familiar with the applicant’s work.