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Thursday, July 5, 2012

State MFT Licensure Requirements



I found a very useful chart of all the requirements for MFT licensure by state from the mftprogress blog that I follow.  He linked this pdf with the information (it's on page 258).  It is several years old, however.  But offers the best state to state comparison that I've come across.  If I get really ambitious I might type it out so it's more easily accessible.

Update:  I found myself in a very productive mood yesterday and this morning, so I transferred the data from the pictures into the following chart.  If you click on link that is the name of the state it will take you to that state's licensing webpage.  While this is proving to be a very time consuming task, I like the resource of seeing the comparison between states of the hours required for a Marriage and Family Therapy license.  I'm not really satisfied with the education requirements as listed on the chart, so I plan to update it...someday.  I know California has quite a few additional courses that are not included in the COAMFTE coursework.  I believe there is a psychopharmacology class among others.  I believe Idaho also required two courses in diagnosis.

State Education Direct Client Contact Hours Direct Hours that must be MFT Indirect or Other Hours Supervision Post Graduate Years of Experience Other Requirements Specified Master's degree Credit Hours Practicum
Alabama COAMFTE Master's degree or equivalent 1000 250 200 (1:5 ratio) at least 100 hours must be individual 2 years experience post master's degree Good Moral Character 500
Alaska Graduate degree in MFT or allied field 1500 1500 200 (100 individual and 100 group) 4 years Training in domestic violence One year
Arizona COAMFTE Master's degree or equivalent 1600 1000 200 hours 2 years 300 hours
Arkansas COAMFTE Master's or equivalent 3 years with 1000 hours of client contact per years Year 1=1000 hour with 100 supervision hours; Year 2=1000/50; Year3=1000/25 3 years 30 post master's credit hours may be substituted for one year Oral exam after passing written exam. Approval of therapy tape. Criminal background check. 60 hour Master's degree 500 hours
California Master's degree in MFT or equivalent 1700 500 1300 1 to 10 ratio for the duration of supervised post master's experience (1 to 5 during graduate program) 2-6 years Additional training- Check website for specifics 48 hour Master's degree 500 hours
Colorado COAMFTE Master's degree or equivalent 1500 500 (0 if a Ph.D) 100, 50 must be individual, 75/37.5 if a Ph.D 2 years for Masters degree, 1 year Ph.D Jurispreudence Exam 45 hour Master's degree 300 hours
Connecticut 1000 in at least 12 months 100 hours, 50 must be individual 1 year 45 hour Master's degree 500 hours completed in 1-2 years
Delaware COAMFTE Master's or equivalent 1600 500 100 hours 60 must be individual 2 years Not specified
District of Columbia COAMFTE Master's or equivalent 1500 1500 300 (1 to 5 ratio) at least 100 must be individual 2 years Good Moral Character 60 hours Master's degree Not Specified
Florida MFT Master's degree 2 years supervised experience 8 hour law & rules course, 2 hour prevention of medical errors course PDF of requirements
Georgia COAMFTE Master's or equivalent 2000 2000 200, 100 with an approved supervisor, 50 must be individual 2-5 years Criminal Background check 1 year, 500 hours
Hawaii MFT Master's degree 1000 1000 200 hours 2 years 1 year 300 hours
Idaho COAMFTE CACREP Master's or equivalent 2000 1000 200 hours, 100 hours must be individual 2 years 60 hour Master's degree 1 year 300 hours 150 MFT hours
Illinois COAMFTE Master's degree or equivalent 2000 1000 200 (1 to 5 ratio) at least 100 must be individual 2 years Good Moral Character 48 hour Master's degree 300 hours
Indiana COAMFTE Master's degree or equivalent 1000 500 200 (1 to 5 ratio) 3 years Good Moral Character 500 hours
Iowa COAMFTE Master's or equivalent 1000 1000 200 hours 100 must be individual, 1 hour per week must be face to face individual 2 years 45 hour Master's degree 300 hours
Kansas COAMFTE Master's degree or equivalent 4000 1 to 15 ratio 500 hours
Kentucky COAMFTE Master's degree or equivalent 1000 1000 200 hours 2 years N/A 300 hours
Louisiana COAMFTE Master's or equivalent, CACREP Master's with MFT coursework 3000, 2000 must be direct client contact 1000 200 hours 100 must be individual face to face (100 if graduate of COAMFTE program) 2 years Good Moral Character 48 hour Master's degree 500, 250 must be with couples and families
Maryland MFT Master's or equivalent from an accredited university 1000 100 at least 50 must be face to face individual 2 years N/A 60 hour Master's degree 300 hours
Massachusetts COAMFTE Master's degree or equivalent 1000 500 200 at least 100 must be face to face individual 2 years N/A 60 hour Master's degree 300 hours
Michigan COAMFTE Master's degree or equivalent 1000 1000 200(1 to 5 ratio) at least 100 hours individual Not specified Good Moral Character 300 hours
Minnesota COAMFTE Master's degree or equivalent 1000 500 200 at least 100 must be individual face to face 2 years Good Moral Character 300 hours
Mississippi COAMFTE Master's degree 1000 hours 200 at least 100 must be individual face to face 2 years N/A 500 hours
Missouri COAMFTE Master's degree or equivalent 1500 1500 200 face to face supervision hours 2 years (no more than 4 years) N/A 45 hours Master's degree 500 hours
Montana
Nebraska (Licensed Mental Health provider) COAMFTE Master's degree or equivalent 1500 1500 2 face to face hours per 15 hours of direct client contact 2-5 years N/A 300
Nevada MFT Master's degree or equivalent 1500 A maximum of 300 hours as a group facilitator, a maximum of 150 of personal therapy, a maximum of 200 hours of psychoeducation, a maximum of 50 hours of trainings, and a maximum of 500 hours of direct client contact hours from a graduate program. 300 hours, 160 must be provided by an approved supervisor other can be by secondary supervisor Not specified N/A 45 hour Master's degree Not specified
New Hampshire COAMFTE Master's degree or equivalent 1000 1000 200 hours face-to-face supervision 2 years N/A Not specified
New Jersey COAMFTE Master's degree or equivalent Full time practice for 5 years, at least 20 hours of client contact per week 11 hours per week for 5 years 5 years, 2 of which must be in supervised MFT practice. 4 hours of supervision per week, 2 must be face-to-face (1 to 5 ratio) 5 years Good Moral Character 3 credit hour practicum
New Mexico MFT Master's degree from a regionally accredited university 1000 200 (100 must be individual face-to-face) 2 years 45 hours Master's degree 300
New York Accredited MFT Master's degree or equivalent 1500 1 hour per week Not Specified Good Moral Character, complete training in child abuse reporting 45 hour Master's degree 300 hours
North Carolina MFT Master's degree or equivalent 1500 hours 1500 200 hours 3 years Good Moral Character 45 hour Master's degree 500 hours
North Dakota
Ohio MFT master's degree or related master's with required coursework 1000 1000 200 (1 to 5 ratio) at least 100 hours individual 2 years Good Moral Character 60 hour Master's degree 300 hours
Oklahoma MFT Master's degree or equivalent 1000 150 face to face (75 may be group). Supervisor must ovserve live or on tape 2 times ever 6 months 2 years Criminal background check 300 hours
Oregon COAMFTE Master's degree or equivalent 2000 1000 At least 2 hours per month for every 45 client contact hours. 3 hours per month when 46 or more client client contact hours. 3 years Law and rules examination 48 hour Master's degree Not Specified
Pennsylvania COAMFTE Master's degree or equivalent 1800 1800 2 hours for every 40 of the 3600 3 years Good Moral Character 48 hour master's degree or 60 hours of graduate credit in a planned program 300 hours
Rhode Island COAMFTE Master's degree or equivalent 2000 100 hours of supervision spread across 2 years 2 years Good Moral Character 60 hour Master's degree 12 semester hours of practicum and internship
South Carolina MFT Master's degree or equivalent 1500 150 hours, 100 must be individual face-to-face 5 years of practice, 2 of the 5 years must be under the supervision of an MFT supervision 48 hours Master's degree 300 hours
South Dakota COAMFTE or CACREP Master's degree or equivalent 1700 200 3 years 48 hours Master's degree 1 year
Tennessee MFT Master's degree or equivalent 1000 200 2 years Criminal background check, good moral character 300 hours
Texas MFT Master's degree or equivalent 1500 750 200, 100 must be face-to-face individual 2 years Jurisprudence exam 45 hour Master's degree 12 months 9 credit hours
Utah COAMFTE Master's degree or equivalent 4000 hours must include 1000 hours of mental health therapy 500 100 individual face-to-face hours 2 years 500 hours
Vermont MFT Master's degree or equivalent 2 years experience under the supervision of a licensed MFT 2 years
Virginia CACREP or COAMFTE degree or equivalent 2000/w 4000 hours experience 1000 200 (1 to 5 ratio) at least 100 individual 2 years Good Moral Character 60 hour Master's degree 600 hours
Washington COAMFTE Master's degree or equivalent 3000, 1000 must be direct contact with clients 500 200, 100 must be face-to-face 2 years AIDS Education and Training 1 year 9 credit hours
West Virginia
Wisconsin COAMFTE Master's degree or equivalent 1000 w/3000 hours experience Not Specified 2 years N/A Not Specified
Wyoming MFT Master's degree or equivalent 3000 100 hours face-to-face supervision

6 comments:

  1. Thank you for this! I was looking for a DC, MD, VA comparison chart, since that region is so connected that one could theoretically seek work in all 3 locations. as a first yr MFT grad student, I want to make sure I am prepared to work in all possible states in my region. Hopefully DC will accept online MFT degrees by the time I graduate. Very helpful - thanks again!

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    Replies
    1. Hi, just curious, is your entire program online? Do you all do role plays? And how many years is it? Thanks

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  2. I have taken a practice test and am in need of some help. I want to take a MFT exam course from a reputable source with good pass rates. I am thinking of TherapistDevelopmentCenter and have a few backups options from http://www.naswak.org/prof-info/resources/ Any advice on a solid prep school?

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    Replies
    1. look into http://www.amandarowanlcsw.com/exam-coaching/. she is amazing.

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  3. As a military spouse who will move during the course of my program (online) and certainly move multiple times while licensed, this chart is a God send. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete

 

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