2006 Nebraska Revised Statutes - § 71-1,329 — Marriage and family therapist; certification; qualifications; issuance.

Section 71-1,329
Marriage and family therapist; certification; qualifications; issuance.

(1) A person who applies to the department for certification as a marriage and family therapist within one year or less after September 1, 1994, shall be qualified for such certification if he or she:

(a) Meets the requirements of subsection (2) of this section; or

(b)(i)(A) Provides evidence to the board that he or she has a master's or doctoral degree in marriage and family therapy from an educational program approved by the board or from any program in marriage and family therapy in which the person was enrolled between January 1, 1975, and August 31, 1991; or

(B) Provides evidence to the board that he or she has a master's or doctoral degree in a field determined by the board to be related to marriage and family therapy, such as social work, psychology, sociology, human services, human development, family relations, or counseling, and has been actively engaged in the practice of marriage and family therapy for at least three thousand hours; and

(ii) Provides evidence to the board that he or she has been actually engaged in the practice of marriage and family therapy for at least twenty hours per week for at least three of the seven years prior to making such application.

(2) A person who applies to the department for certification as a marriage and family therapist more than one year after September 1, 1994, shall be qualified for such certification if he or she:

(a) Provides evidence to the board that he or she has a master's or doctoral degree in marriage and family therapy from a program approved by the board or a graduate degree in a field determined by the board to be related to marriage and family therapy and graduate-level course work determined by the board to be equivalent to a master's degree in marriage and family therapy;

(b) Provides evidence to the board that he or she has had at least three thousand hours of experience in marriage and family therapy under a qualified supervisor as defined in subsection (4) of this section following receipt of the graduate degree; and

(c) Completes an application which includes his or her social security number and passes an examination approved by the board.

(3) Upon payment of the required fee and the provision of evidence to the board of his or her professional education, training, experience, and qualifications to practice marriage and family therapy, a certificate to practice as a certified marriage and family therapist shall be issued to any applicant who applies to the department for a certificate and satisfies the educational requirements of subsection (1) or (2) of this section. An applicant shall submit all materials as the board or department may require to determine his or her qualifications for a certificate to practice as a certified marriage and family therapist and to determine his or her compliance with the requirements of this section. Failure to comply with these provisions shall be sufficient grounds to reject an application for a certificate to practice as a certified marriage and family therapist under this section.

(4) For purposes of this section:

(a) Actively engaged in the practice of marriage and family therapy may include (i) services and activities provided under the direct supervision of a person with at least a master's degree in marriage and family therapy from a program approved by the board or (ii) services and activities that are classified by title or by description of duties and responsibilities as marriage and family therapy practice;

(b) Qualified supervisor shall mean a licensed mental health practitioner, a psychologist licensed to engage in the practice of psychology, or a licensed physician who meets supervisory standards established by rules and regulations of the board and the department; and

(c) Supervision shall mean face-to-face contact between an applicant and a qualified supervisor during which the applicant apprises the supervisor of the diagnosis and treatment of each client, the clients' cases are discussed, the supervisor provides the applicant with oversight and guidance in treating and dealing with clients, and the supervisor evaluates the applicant's performance. In order for a supervised period of time to be credited toward the time of supervision required by subdivision (2)(b) of this section, it shall consist of the following:

(i) A minimum of a ratio of two hours of supervision per fifteen hours of the applicant's contact with clients;

(ii) Focus on raw data from the applicant's clinical work which is made directly available to the supervisor through such means as written clinical materials, direct observation, and video and audio recordings;

(iii) A process which is distinguishable from personal psychotherapy or didactic instruction; and

(iv) A proportion of individual and group supervision as determined by the rules and regulations of the board.

Source:

Laws 1993, LB 669, § 48

Laws 1994, LB 1210, § 107

Laws 1997, LB 752, § 163

Laws 2000, LB 1135, § 15

Laws 2003, LB 242, § 78

~Reissue Revised Statutes of Nebraska