CHAPTER 8. CERTIFICATION; EXAMINATIONS
IC 25-23.6-8
Chapter 8. Certification; Examinations
IC 25-23.6-8-1
Application for marriage and family therapist license;requirements
Sec. 1. An individual who applies for a license as a marriage andfamily therapist must meet the following requirements:
(1) Furnish satisfactory evidence to the board that the individualhas:
(A) received a master's or doctor's degree in marriage andfamily therapy, or in a related area as determined by theboard from an eligible postsecondary educational institutionthat meets the requirements under section 2.1(a)(1) of thischapter or from a foreign school that has a program of studythat meets the requirements under section 2.1(a)(2) or(2.1)(a)(3) of this chapter; and
(B) completed the educational requirements under section2.5 of this chapter.
(2) Furnish satisfactory evidence to the board that the individualhas met the clinical experience requirements under section 2.7of this chapter.
(3) Furnish satisfactory evidence to the board that theindividual:
(A) except as provided in section 1.7 of this chapter, holdsa marriage and family therapist associate license, in goodstanding, issued under section 5 of this chapter; or
(B) is licensed or certified to practice as a marriage andfamily therapist in another state and is otherwise qualifiedunder this chapter.
(4) Furnish satisfactory evidence to the board that the individualdoes not have a conviction for a crime that has a direct bearingon the individual's ability to practice competently.
(5) Furnish satisfactory evidence to the board that the individualhas not been the subject of a disciplinary action by a licensingor certification agency of another state or jurisdiction on thegrounds that the individual was not able to practice as amarriage and family therapist without endangering the public.
(6) Pay the fee established by the board.
As added by P.L.186-1990, SEC.9. Amended by P.L.33-1993,SEC.42; P.L.147-1997, SEC.61; P.L.2-2007, SEC.337;P.L.134-2008, SEC.39; P.L.177-2009, SEC.46.
IC 25-23.6-8-1.5
Application for marriage and family therapist associate license;requirements
Sec. 1.5. An individual who applies for a license as a marriageand family therapist associate must meet the following requirements:
(1) Furnish satisfactory evidence to the board that the individualhas: (A) received a master's or doctor's degree in marriage andfamily therapy, or in a related area as determined by theboard from an institution of higher education that meets therequirements under section 2.1(a)(1) of this chapter or froma foreign school that has a program of study that meets therequirements under section 2.1(a)(2) or 2.1(a)(3) of thischapter; and
(B) completed the educational requirements under section2.5 of this chapter.
(2) Furnish satisfactory evidence to the board that the individualdoes not have a conviction for a crime that has a direct bearingon the individual's ability to practice competently.
(3) Furnish satisfactory evidence to the board that the individualhas not been the subject of a disciplinary action by a licensingor certification agency of another state or jurisdiction on thegrounds that the individual was not able to practice as amarriage and family therapist associate without endangering thepublic.
(4) Pay the fee established by the board.
(5) Pass an examination provided by the board.
As added by P.L.134-2008, SEC.40.
IC 25-23.6-8-1.7
Doctoral program; associate license; clinical experience
Sec. 1.7. An individual who receives a master's degree and entersa doctoral program may do either of the following:
(1) Apply for a marriage and family therapist associate licenseunder section 1.5 of this chapter by meeting the requirements ofthis chapter.
(2) Elect not to apply for a marriage and family therapistassociate license under section 1.5 of this chapter, accrue theclinical experience required under section 2.7(b) of this chapter,and apply for a marriage and family therapist license at theconclusion of the doctoral program.
As added by P.L.177-2009, SEC.47.
IC 25-23.6-8-2
Repealed
(Repealed by P.L.147-1997, SEC.75.)
IC 25-23.6-8-2.1
Requirements for institution attended by applicant
Sec. 2.1. (a) An applicant for a license as a marriage and familytherapist under section 1 of this chapter or an applicant for a licenseas a marriage and family therapist associate under section 1.5 of thischapter must have received a master's or doctor's degree in marriageand family therapy, or in a related area as determined by the board,from an eligible postsecondary educational institution that meets thefollowing requirements:
(1) If the institution was located in the United States or a
territory of the United States, at the time of the applicant'sgraduation the institution was accredited by a regionalaccrediting body recognized by the Commission on Recognitionof Postsecondary Accreditation.
(2) If the institution was located in Canada, at the time of theapplicant's graduation the institution was a member in goodstanding with the Association of Universities and Colleges ofCanada.
(3) If the institution was located in a foreign country other thanCanada, at the time of the applicant's graduation the institution:
(A) was recognized by the government of the country wherethe school was located as a program to train in the practiceof marriage and family therapy or psychotherapy; and
(B) maintained a standard of training substantiallyequivalent to the standards of institutions accredited by aregional accrediting body recognized by the Commission onRecognition of Postsecondary Accreditation.
(b) An applicant for a license as a marriage and family therapistunder section 1 of this chapter or an applicant for a license as amarriage and family therapist associate under section 1.5 of thischapter who has a master's or doctoral degree from a program thatdid not emphasize marriage and family therapy may complete thecourse work requirement from an institution that is:
(1) accredited by the Commission on Accreditation forMarriage and Family Therapy Education; and
(2) recognized by the United States Department of Education.
As added by P.L.147-1997, SEC.62. Amended by P.L.2-2007,SEC.338; P.L.134-2008, SEC.41.
IC 25-23.6-8-2.5
Educational requirements
Sec. 2.5. (a) An applicant for a license as a marriage and familytherapist under section 1 of this chapter or an applicant for a licenseas a marriage and family therapist associate under section 1.5 of thischapter must complete the following educational requirements:
(1) Except as provided in subsection (b), complete twenty-seven(27) semester hours or forty-one (41) quarter hours of graduatecourse work that must include graduate level course credits withmaterial in at least the following content areas:
(A) Theoretical foundations of marriage and family therapy.
(B) Major models of marriage and family therapy.
(C) Individual development.
(D) Family development and family relationships.
(E) Clinical problems.
(F) Collaboration with other disciplines.
(G) Sexuality.
(H) Gender and sexual orientation.
(I) Issues of ethnicity, race, socioeconomic status, andculture.
(J) Therapy techniques. (K) Behavioral research that focuses on the interpretationand application of research data as it applies to clinicalpractice.
The content areas may be combined into any one (1) graduatelevel course, if the applicant can prove that the course work wasdevoted to each content area.
(2) Not less than one (1) graduate level course of two (2)semester hours or three (3) quarter hours in the following areas:
(A) Legal, ethical, and professional standards issues in thepractice of marriage and family therapy or an equivalentcourse approved by the board.
(B) Appraisal and assessment for individual or interpersonaldisorder or dysfunction.
(3) At least one (1) supervised clinical practicum, internship, orfield experience in a marriage and family counseling setting thatmeets the following requirements:
(A) The applicant provided five hundred (500) face to faceclient contact hours of marriage and family therapy servicesunder the supervision of a licensed marriage and familytherapist who has at least five (5) years of experience or aqualified supervisor approved by the board.
(B) The applicant received one hundred (100) hours ofsupervision from a licensed marriage and family therapistwho has at least five (5) years experience as a qualifiedsupervisor.
The requirements under clauses (A) and (B) may be met by asupervised practice experience that took place away from aninstitution of higher education but that is certified by an officialof the eligible postsecondary educational institution as beingequivalent to a graduate level practicum or internship programat an institution accredited by an accrediting agency approvedby the United States Department of Education Commission onRecognition of Postsecondary Education, the Association ofUniversities and Colleges of Canada, or the Commission onAccreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education.
(b) The following graduate work may not be used to satisfy thecontent area requirements under subsection (a):
(1) Thesis or dissertation work.
(2) Practicums, internships, or fieldwork.
As added by P.L.147-1997, SEC.63. Amended by P.L.2-2007,SEC.339; P.L.134-2008, SEC.42.
IC 25-23.6-8-2.7
Examination; clinical experience requirement
Sec. 2.7. (a) As used in this section, "first available examination"means the first examination after the date of:
(1) graduation; or
(2) moving into Indiana;
that has an application deadline that is at least thirty (30) days afterthe date of graduation or the date of moving into Indiana, unless the
individual chooses to meet a deadline that is less than thirty (30) daysafter either of those events.
(b) An applicant for a license as a marriage and family therapistunder section 1 of this chapter must have at least two (2) years ofclinical experience, during which at least fifty percent (50%) of theapplicant's clients were receiving marriage and family therapyservices. The applicant's clinical experience must include onethousand (1,000) hours of postdegree clinical experience and twohundred (200) hours of postdegree clinical supervision, of which onehundred (100) hours must be individual supervision, under thesupervision of a licensed marriage and family therapist who has atleast five (5) years of experience or an equivalent supervisor, asdetermined by the board.
(c) If an individual applies for, takes, and passes the first availableexamination, the individual may not count more than five hundred(500) hours of the postdegree clinical experience that is:
(1) required under subsection (b); and
(2) accumulated before taking the examination toward licensureas a marriage and family therapist.
(d) If an individual does not pass the first available examination,the individual may:
(1) retain the hours accumulated before taking the examination;
(2) continue working; and
(3) not accumulate any additional hours toward licensure as amarriage and family therapist until passing the examination.
(e) If an individual does not take the first available examination,the individual may not begin accumulating any postdegree clinicalexperience hours toward licensure as a marriage and family therapistuntil the individual passes the examination.
(f) When obtaining the clinical experience required undersubsection (b), the applicant must provide direct individual, group,and family therapy and counseling to the following categories ofcases:
(1) Unmarried couples.
(2) Married couples.
(3) Separating or divorcing couples.
(4) Family groups, including children.
(g) A doctoral internship may be applied toward the supervisedwork experience requirement.
(h) Except as provided in subsection (i), the experiencerequirement may be met by work performed at or away from thepremises of the supervising marriage and family therapist.
(i) The work requirement may not be performed away from thesupervising marriage and family therapist's premises if:
(1) the work is the independent private practice of marriage andfamily therapy; and
(2) the work is not performed at a place that has the supervisionof a licensed marriage and family therapist or an equivalentsupervisor, as determined by the board.
As added by P.L.147-1997, SEC.64. Amended by P.L.197-2007,
SEC.85; P.L.134-2008, SEC.43; P.L.177-2009, SEC.48.
IC 25-23.6-8-3
Examination; minimum requirements
Sec. 3. An individual who satisfies the requirements of section1.5(1) through 1.5(4) of this chapter may take the examinationprovided by the board.
As added by P.L.186-1990, SEC.9. Amended by P.L.134-2008,SEC.44.
IC 25-23.6-8-4
Examinations; times and places
Sec. 4. The board shall provide for examinations to be given atleast once annually at times and places established by the board.
As added by P.L.186-1990, SEC.9.
IC 25-23.6-8-5
Issuance of license
Sec. 5. The board shall issue a marriage and family therapistlicense or marriage and family therapist associate license, asappropriate, to an individual who:
(1) achieves a passing score, as determined by the board, on theexamination provided under this chapter; and
(2) is otherwise qualified under this article.
As added by P.L.186-1990, SEC.9. Amended by P.L.147-1997,SEC.65; P.L.134-2008, SEC.45.
IC 25-23.6-8-6
Repealed
(Repealed by P.L.33-1993, SEC.74.)
IC 25-23.6-8-7
Repealed
(Repealed by P.L.33-1993, SEC.74.)
IC 25-23.6-8-8
Duration of marriage and family therapist license; renewal
Sec. 8. (a) A marriage and family therapist license issued by theboard is valid for the remainder of the renewal period in effect on thedate the license was issued.
(b) An individual may renew a marriage and family therapistlicense by:
(1) paying a renewal fee on or before the expiration date of thelicense; and
(2) completing not less than fifteen (15) hours of continuingeducation each licensure year.
(c) If an individual fails to pay a renewal on or before theexpiration date of a license, the license becomes invalid.
As added by P.L.186-1990, SEC.9. Amended by P.L.147-1997,SEC.66; P.L.134-2008, SEC.46.
IC 25-23.6-8-8.5
Duration of marriage and family therapist associate license;renewal
Sec. 8.5. (a) A marriage and family therapist associate licenseissued by the board is valid for the remainder of the renewal periodin effect on the date the license was issued.
(b) An individual may renew a marriage and family therapistassociate license two (2) times by:
(1) paying a renewal fee on or before the expiration date of thelicense; and
(2) completing at least fifteen (15) hours of continuingeducation each licensure year.
(c) The board may renew a marriage and family therapistassociate license for additional periods based on circumstancesdetermined by the board.
(d) If an individual fails to pay a renewal fee on or before theexpiration date of a license, the license becomes invalid.
As added by P.L.134-2008, SEC.47.
IC 25-23.6-8-9
Reinstatement of invalid license
Sec. 9. (a) The board may reinstate an invalid marriage and familytherapist license issued under section 5 of this chapter up to three (3)years after the expiration date of the license if the individual holdingthe invalid license meets the requirements under IC 25-1-8-6.
(b) If more than three (3) years have elapsed since the date amarriage and family therapist license expired, the individual holdingthe license may renew the license by satisfying the requirements forrenewal established by the board and meeting the requirements underIC 25-1-8-6.
(c) The board may reinstate an invalid marriage and familytherapist associate license issued under section 5 of this chapter upto one (1) year after the expiration date of the license if theindividual holding the invalid license meets the requirements underIC 25-1-8-6. An associate license that has been expired for more thanone (1) year may not be reinstated under IC 25-1-8-6.
As added by P.L.186-1990, SEC.9. Amended by P.L.147-1997,SEC.67; P.L.2-1998, SEC.68; P.L.269-2001, SEC.22; P.L.134-2008,SEC.48.
IC 25-23.6-8-10
Temporary permit; requirements; expiration; renewal
Sec. 10. (a) The board may issue a temporary permit to anindividual to profess to be a marriage and family therapist if theindividual pays a fee and the individual:
(1) has a valid license or certificate to practice from anotherstate and the individual has applied for a license from the board;
(2) is practicing in a state that does not license or certifymarriage and family therapists, but is certified by a nationalassociation approved by the board and the individual has
applied for a license from the board; or
(3) has been approved by the board to take the examination andhas graduated from a school or program approved by the boardand the individual has completed any experience requirement.
(b) A temporary permit expires the earlier of:
(1) the date the individual holding the permit is issued a licenseunder this article;
(2) the date the board disapproves the individual's licenseapplication; or
(3) one hundred eighty (180) days after the initial permit isissued.
(c) The board may renew a temporary permit if the individualholding the permit was scheduled to take the next examination andthe individual:
(1) did not take the examination; and
(2) shows good cause for not taking the examination.
(d) A permit renewed under subsection (c) expires on the date theindividual holding the permit receives the results from the nextexamination given after the permit was issued.
As added by P.L.186-1990, SEC.9. Amended by P.L.147-1997,SEC.68.
IC 25-23.6-8-11
Notification of retirement from practice
Sec. 11. (a) An individual who is licensed as a marriage andfamily therapist under this chapter shall notify the board in writingwhen the individual retires from practice.
(b) Upon receipt of the notice, the board shall:
(1) record the fact the individual is retired; and
(2) release the individual from further payment of renewal feesand continuing education requirements.
As added by P.L.186-1990, SEC.9. Amended by P.L.147-1997,SEC.69; P.L.134-2008, SEC.49.
IC 25-23.6-8-12
Repealed
(Repealed by P.L.33-1993, SEC.74.)
IC 25-23.6-8-13
Exemption from examination requirement
Sec. 13. (a) An individual who applies for a marriage and familytherapist license under section 1 of this chapter may be exempted bythe board from the examination requirement under this chapter if theindividual:
(1) complies with subsection (b); and
(2) is licensed or certified to practice as a marriage and familytherapist in another state or has engaged in the practice ofmarriage and family therapy for at least three (3) of the previousfive (5) years.
(b) An individual may be exempted under subsection (a) if the
individual:
(1) has passed a licensing examination substantially equivalentto the licensing examination required under this article;
(2) has passed an examination pertaining to the marriage andfamily therapy laws and rules of this state; and
(3) has not committed any act or is not under investigation forany act that constitutes a violation of this article;
and is otherwise qualified under section 1 of this chapter and pays anadditional fee.
As added by P.L.186-1990, SEC.9. Amended by P.L.147-1997,SEC.70; P.L.134-2008, SEC.50.
IC 25-23.6-8-14
Repealed
(Repealed by P.L.33-1993, SEC.74.)