Senate Bill 2403

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTIONS 73-54-17 AND 73-54-23, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CLARIFY THE EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS FOR MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPY LICENSURE APPLICANTS AND TO PROVIDE THAT A MINIMUM PERIOD OF PRACTICE BY NONRESIDENT APPLICANTS IS NOT REQUIRED FOR LICENSURE BY RECIPROCITY; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. Section 73-54-17, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

73-54-17. (1) Any person who applies for a marriage and family therapy license after September 1, 2000, shall be issued that license by the board if he or she meets the qualifications set forth in Section 73-54-13, and submits the required application fees, and provides satisfactory evidence to the board that he or she:

(a) Meets educational and experience qualifications as follows:

(i) Holds a master's degree or doctoral degree in marriage and family therapy from an institution of higher education in a program that is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE), or that was in COAMFTE candidacy status at the time of graduation and subsequently received COAMFTE accreditation;

(ii) Following the receipt of the first qualifying degree, has at least two (2) years of supervised experience in marriage and family therapy, or its equivalent, acceptable to the board; and

(iii) Has completed at least one hundred (100) hours of marriage and family therapy supervision following receipt of the first qualifying degree, as defined by the board; and

(b) Passes the national Examination in Marital and Family Therapy prescribed by the Association for Marital and Family Therapy Regulatory Boards; and

(c) Has been successfully cleared through a criminal history records check, including a fingerprint and an acceptable sex offender check, by appropriate governmental authorities as prescribed by the board.

(2) Any person who applies for a marriage and family therapy associate license after September 1, 2011, shall be issued that license by the board for a period of twenty-four (24) months, which may be renewed biennially for a period not to exceed a total of forty-eight (48) months, if the applicant meets the qualifications set forth in Section 73-54-13, submits the required application fees, and provides satisfactory evidence to the board that he or she:

(a) Holds a master's degree or doctoral degree in marriage and family therapy from an institution of higher education in a program that (a) is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE), or (b) that was in COAMFTE candidacy status at the time of graduation and subsequently received COAMFTE accreditation, or (c) that is a nationally accredited institution that meets or exceeds the COAMFTE accreditation regulations;

(b) Completed a clinical practicum that consisted of a minimum of five hundred (500) client contact hours and one hundred (100) hours of clinical supervision before receipt of the qualifying degree;

(c) Passes the national Examination in Marital and Family Therapy prescribed by the Association for Marital and Family Therapy Regulatory Boards;

(d) Provides all professional services under the supervision of a qualified supervisor in accordance with a supervision contract approved by the board; and

(e) Has been successfully cleared through a criminal history records check, including a fingerprint and an acceptable sex offender check, by appropriate governmental authorities as prescribed by the board.

SECTION 2. Section 73-54-23, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

73-54-23. The board shall issue a license by examination of credentials to any applicant licensed or certified as a marriage and family therapist in another state that has such requirements for the license or certificate that the board is of the opinion that the applicant is competent to engage in the practice of marriage and family therapy in this state, provided that the applicant submits an application on forms prescribed by the board, has passed the national Examination in Marital and Family Therapy, and pays the original licensure fee prescribed by Section 73-54-25. There shall be no required minimum period of licensure or certification in the nonresident state for the issuance of a license by reciprocity. The issuance of a license by reciprocity to a military-trained applicant or military spouse shall be subject to the provisions of Section 73-50-1.

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2016.