Md. Code Regs. 10.58.08.05 - Licensed Clinical Marriage and Family Therapists

A. To qualify for licensure as a clinical marriage and family therapist, an applicant shall have:

(1) A graduate marriage and family therapist license or other credential approved by the Board;

(2) Completed the course work requirements set forth under Regulation .04B of this chapter;

(3) Completed a minimum of 2 years and 2,000 hours of clinical experience in marriage and family therapy, of which:

(a) A minimum of the 1,000 hours shall be direct clinical therapy services;

(b) A maximum of 1,000 hours may consist of indirect clinical therapy services;

(c) A minimum of 2,000 hours of supervised clinical experience as a licensed graduate marriage and family therapist shall be completed after the awarding of the master's degree under a Board-approved supervisor;

(d) At least 80 percent of the requisite direct and indirect hours included as supervised clinical experience hours shall be completed under the supervision of a Board-approved marriage and family therapy supervisor who is a licensed clinical marriage and family therapist; and

(e) No more than 20 percent of the requisite direct and indirect hours included as supervised clinical experience hours shall be completed under the supervision of a Board-approved marriage and family therapy supervisor, as defined in Regulation .02B of this chapter, who is one of the following, provided the supervisor can document a minimum of 5 years' experience delivering marriage and family therapy services:

(i) A licensed clinical alcohol and drug counselor;

(ii) A licensed clinical professional counselor;

(iii) A licensed clinical professional art therapist: or

(iv) Another licensed mental health care provider as defined under Regulation .02B of this chapter and approved by the Board; and

(f) 100 hours of face-to-face clinical supervision hours shall be completed within 2 years of the awarding of the master's degree, including:

(i) A minimum of 50 hours shall be individual face-to-face clinical supervision; and

(ii) A maximum of 50 hours may be face-to-face group clinical supervision;

(4) Achieved a passing score on:

(a) A national certification exam approved by the Board; and

(b) An examination of:

(i) Health Occupations Article, Title 17, Annotated Code of Maryland; and

(ii) This subtitle;

(5) Met all of the requirements set forth under Regulation .03 of this chapter; and

(6) Complied with:

(a) Health Occupations Article, Title 17, Annotated Code of Maryland; and

(b) The code of ethics as set forth in COMAR 10.58.03.

B. An applicant who fails an examination for licensure:

(1) May retake the exam if:

(a) It is within the time frame set by the applicable testing authority; or

(b) A waiver is approved by the Board to extend the testing deadline upon proof of exceptional circumstances; or

(2) Shall be required to:

(a) Submit a new application; and

(b) Pay the nonrefundable fee set forth in COMAR 10.58.02.

C. The Board shall act upon applications as set forth under Regulation .03B of this chapter.

D. The Board may include hours of clinical supervised experience obtained in another jurisdiction toward the total 2,000 required hours of supervised experience required for the licensed clinical marriage and family therapist, if the clinical experience hours:

(1) Were obtained in accordance with the rules and regulations of that jurisdiction; and

(2) Included the course work requirements set forth under Regulation .06D of this chapter.

E. Renewal.

(1) To renew a clinical marriage and family therapist license, the applicant shall:

(a) Submit a completed Board-approved application;

(b) Pay the required application fee set forth in COMAR 10.58.02; and

(c) Attest to completion of continuing education activities as specified in COMAR 10.58.05.05 and .06.

(2) A licensed clinical marriage and family therapist shall comply with the renewal requirements as provided in Health Occupations Article, § 17 "504, Annotated Code of Maryland.

(3) An individual who fails to renew licensure:

(a) Is not authorized to and may not practice clinical marriage and family therapy; and

(b) May be subject to sanctions pursuant to Health Occupations Article, §§ 17-513 and 17-604, Annotated Code of Maryland.

F. Reinstatement.

(1) Within 5 calendar years after the license renewal date, the Board may reinstate the license of a licensed clinical marriage and family therapist otherwise entitled to reinstatement under Health Occupations Article, § 17-505(b), Annotated Code of Maryland, whose license was not renewed for any reason, if the licensee:

(a) Completes within that 5-year period the minimum of 20 CEUs required for each year; and

(b) Pays the reinstatement fee set by the Board in COMAR 10.58.02.

(2) CEUs which are acquired in order to reinstate under COMAR 10.58.05.05 and.06 may be credited only once and may not be credited for any future renewals.

(3) For any licensed clinical marriage and family therapist whose license has expired more than 5 calendar years before the request for reinstatement, a new application for licensure shall be completed and the current licensure requirements shall be met.

(4) An individual who fails to reinstate licensure is not authorized to and may not practice clinical marriage and family therapy.

G. Inactive Status.

(1) In accordance with Health Occupations Article, § 17-505, Annotated Code of Maryland, a request to transfer a license to inactive status shall be granted upon receipt of the:

(a) Completed Board-approved application; and

(b) Payment of the required, nonrefundable, annual fee set forth in COMAR 10.58.02.

(2) An individual may apply for inactive status only if the individual's license is still active at the time application for inactive status is made.

(3) An individual on inactive status is not authorized to and may not practice clinical marriage and family therapy.

(4) Within 5 calendar years after being placed on inactive status, an individual seeking to be reinstated to active status shall be required, as a condition of reinstatement, to submit proof of having completed 20 CEUs for each year of inactive status, at least 40 of which shall have been obtained within the 2-year period immediately preceding the application for reinstatement.

(5) If an individual on inactive status seeks to be reinstated beyond the required 5-year period and conditions set forth under §G(4) of this regulation, the individual shall be required to:

(a) Submit a new application; and

(b) Pay the nonrefundable fee set forth in COMAR 10.58.02.

Notes

Md. Code Regs. 10.58.08.05

Regulations .05 adopted as an emergency provision effective October 1, 2001 (28:22 Md. R. 1932); adopted permanently effective January 21, 2002 (29:1 Md. R. 24); amended effective 49:7 Md. R.467, eff. 4/4/2022