Mental Health Regulatory Agency
Oregon Board of Licensed Professional Counselors and Therapists - Chapter 833
Division 40
REQUIREMENTS FOR LICENSED MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPISTS
833-040-0011
Educational Requirements for Licensure as a Marriage and Family Therapist
To qualify for licensure as a marriage and family therapist under ORS 675.715(1)(b), an applicant must hold a graduate degree from one of the following:
(1) A marriage and family therapy program approved by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE) or a marital and family therapy program fully accredited by the Counsel for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP);
(2) A program at an institution of higher learning that was accredited by a regional accrediting agency as of the date the degree was conferred; or
(3) A foreign program that has been evaluated by a credentialing body recognized by the Board. Submission of foreign degree evaluation and cost of the foreign degree qualification determination are the responsibility of the applicant.
(4) A graduate degree under section (1) must have included at least two semester credit hours or three credit quarter hours of coursework in the diagnosis of mental disorders.
(5) A graduate degree under sections (2) or (3) must have included all of the following requirements:
(a) For graduate degrees granted before October 1, 2014:
(A) At least two years in duration, including at least 48 semester credit hours or 72 quarter credit hours;
(B) At minimum, the following coursework:
(i) Human Development- four semester hours or six quarter hours;
(ii) Marital and Family Theoretical Foundation Studies- two semester hours or three quarter hours;
(iii) Marital and Family Therapy Diagnosis and Assessment, Treatment, Principles and Techniques Studies- eight semester hours or 12 quarter hours;
(iv) Professional Studies- two semester hours or three quarter hours;
(v) Research Methods or Statistics- two semester hours or three quarter hours;
(vi) Supporting Coursework Focusing on the Systems Paradigm for Specialty Areas- 16 semester hours or 24 quarter hours; and
(C) A supervised clinical practicum or internship experience of at least 600 clock hours, including 240 direct client contact hours.
(b) For graduate degrees granted on or after October 1, 2014:
(A) At least two years in duration, including at least 60 semester hours or 90 quarter hours of graduate-level credit;
(B) At minimum, the following graduate-level coursework:
(i) Individual and Family Development- four semester hours or six quarter hours;
(ii) Couple and Family Theoretical Foundation Studies- six semester hours or nine quarter hours;
(iii) Couple and Family Therapy, Treatment, and Techniques Studies- six semester hours or nine quarter hours;
(iv) Diagnosis of mental disorders- two semester hours or three quarter hours;
(v) Diversity studies that include issues related to diversity, power and privilege- two semester hours or three quarter hours;
(vi) Ethical and Professional Studies- two semester hours or three quarter hours;
(vii) Research Methods or Statistics- two semester hours or three quarter hours;
(viii) Supporting coursework focusing on counseling and/or systems approaches- 36 semester hours or 54 quarter hours; and
(C) A supervised clinical practicum or internship experience of at least 700 clock hours with 280 hours of direct client contact.
(c) The program’s clinical practicum or internship experience must have:
(A) Had supervisory staff with a minimum of a master's degree in the program emphasis and with pertinent professional experience;
(B) Made provision for faculty monitoring of operations;
(C) Kept records of student-client contact hours including summary of student progress by the supervisor;
(D) Had a written agreement with the program and student specifying learning objectives; and
(E) Had a mechanism for program evaluation.
(e) Deficiencies in the credit hour requirements of sections (a), (b) or (c) may be remedied by completing graduate level coursework in the deficient area(s) at a regionally accredited institution.
(f) Deficiencies in the supervised experience requirement of section (d) may be remedied by completion of:
(A) At least 700 clock hours of supervised clinical experience, including 280 direct client contact hours; or
(B) At least five years of full-time post-degree clinical experience, the majority of which must consist of work in relationship issues.
Statutory/Other Authority: ORS 675.785 - 675.835 & 676.160 - 676.180
Statutes/Other Implemented: ORS 675.785 - 675.835
History:
BLPCT 4-2016, f. & cert. ef. 10-10-16
BLPCT 1-2010, f. & cert. ef. 1-5-10